Selfie addicts rejoice. There's a new app in town that can purportedly trim off excess weight with a few taps of the finger.
There's a popular saying that goes "the camera adds 10 pounds." However, there's another popular saying that goes "there's an app for that." And when it comes to shedding a few pounds with a few deft strokes of the finger, SkineePix may indeed be the solution to looking thinner in a selfie. The controversial app is available at the iTunes store for $0.99. For now, the app is only available for iOS but the developers have stated that they are currently working on an Android version.
"SkinneePix helps you edit your selfies to look 5, 10 or 15 lbs. skinnier in two quick clicks on your iPhone," says the app's developers on the SkineePix iTunes page. "It's easy. It's simple. It's fun. Share them with your friends immediately." The app was developed and released by a company called Pretty Smart Women LLC.
The app was launched last week and it has already drawn the ire of thousands of netizens. The app touches upon a sensitive nerve considering that millions of individuals suffer from anxieties regarding their body images. The problem is particularly pronounced among many younger girls and many are worried that the app may just make the problem worse. In a world of photoshopped magazine models and plastic surgery, some consider the existence of apps like SkineePix as something that can simply fan the flames. Moreover, early app reviews have found that the app tended to make certain individuals look a bit too thin.
On the flip side, the app's developers say that using SkineePix can help users become more motivated to pursue healthier lifestyles. The developers say that by showing people how they would appear after losing a few pounds, the app's users could then be motivated to start exercising or eating healthier.
"SkinneePix makes your pictures look thinner. SkinneePix makes your photos look good and helps you feel good," the developers added. "It's not complicated. No one needs to know. It's our little secret."
One of the co-founders of Pretty Smart Women has also come forward to defend their product.
"What I've found in this is that women who are 100 pounds and women who are 250 pounds, everyone has some issue with their body," Pretty Smart Women co-founder Susan Green told the Huffington Post. "Some people are like well, you're messing with someone's image and you're trying to tell people they should be skinny. No, that's the exact opposite of what we're doing."
