Beauty is a cruel mistress. Every day, Americans are bombarded with images of perfect women, with perfect hair and smooth skin, slim waists and generous breasts. They are presented to us draped in designer clothes, sensual or cheerful or anywhere in between. And while the image itself is seductive, the reality behind the face is far more sinister. They are representations of beauty ideals, sirens that silently cry out “this is what a woman is supposed to look like!” » Through mass media and physical alteration, technology has created unrealistic ideals of beauty, resulting in distorted images of the female body. Female beauty ideals are an overwhelming force in teen media. About 37% of articles published in major teen magazines focus on physical appearance. This is not surprising given that two of the main contenders for this media genre are Seventeen and Teen Vogue. CosmoGIRL and Elle Girl were popular teen magazines, but in recent years they have become online-only publications. Add to that a sprinkling of Tiger Beat and Bop posts, and it becomes clear that girls are tasked with the prime directive of looking good to attract the man. The story becomes more disturbing when you consider the actual audience, which includes girls aged at least eleven. At a time when girls are first trying to establish their identities, best-selling publications are telling them that their exterior should be their main concern. Of course, this trend doesn't stop at magazines. A 1996 study found a direct correlation between "the amount of time a teenager spends watching soap operas, movies and music videos" and...... middle of article ......f Social Workers, November 2001. Web. April 8, 2010."Body image and nutrition." Adolescent health and the media. Teen Futures Media Network, College of Education, University of Washington, October 2009. Web. April 8, 2010. view.cgi?section=bodyimage&page=fastfacts>. “National Cosmetic Surgery Data Bank Statistics.” National Cosmetic Surgery Database. American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, January 1, 2010.Web. April 8, 2010.2009stats.pdf>.Killing Us Softly 3. Dir. Sut Jhally. Media Literacy Foundation, 1999. Google Videos. Internet. April 8, 2010. videoplay?docid=-1993368502337678412&ei=dYW6S5bnG4LorgKDo4HJBg&q=killing+us+softl y+3#>.