Before and After Photos

Key points

Transformation photos teach us to see one body as good and another as bad.

They erase the unseen costs behind visible change.

They can trigger shame and comparison rather than inspiration.

A body’s value cannot be captured in a side-by-side picture.

Before-and-after photos are everywhere: on social media , in fitness ads, and even in medical offices. They promise transformation. They suggest that one version of a body is bad and another version is good. But do these photos really inspire healthy change, or do they reinforce harmful beliefs about bodies and health?

The Hidden Messages in Before and After Photos

They label bodies as right or wrong.

A before-and-after image tells a story: the “before” was a problem, and the “after” is the solution. This framing can be dee