48 Of The Most Dramatic Before And After Pics

A series of before and after pics can often tell a far better story than words ever could. And that's because of something known as the picture-superiority effect...

A psychologist called Allan Paivio came up with the idea that people remember photos better than they remember words because of two main factors. According to the expert, any visual is stored in two ways in memory — (1) as an image, and (2) as a word or phrase that describes the image.

But words are stored in only one way — the word itself. "While the mind can generate images for words, this process is not automatic and requires significant cognitive effort, making it less common," explains UX training consulting and research platform, the Nielsen Norman Group.

Because humans tend to remember pictures better than words, images have become a powerful marketing tool, especially when it comes to before and after photos.

If used effectively, photographs showing transformation can help to build trust, showcase an individual or company's expertise, foster emotional connections, and set realistic expectations. Before and after pics provide tangible evidence of just what you're capable of.

While before and after photographs can be an effective way to market products or services, they can also be damaging to those who view them... Especially when it comes to things like weight-loss journeys, beauty, health and fitness.

"The before-and-after photo relies on a stark visual contrast—typically portraying the 'before' image as undesirable and the 'after' image as healthier, happier, and more attractive," explains Sophie S. Whynacht, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Dominican University of California, and head of the Body Image and Stigma (BIAS) research lab. "This reinforces the cultural ideal that weight loss is not only positive but necessary for self-worth."

The expert believes before-and-after photos have become somewhat of a cultural obsession, and a potentially dangerous one at that. She warns that they simplify complex human experiences into a two-frame narrative: struggle and success, failure and redemption, “then” and “now.”

She also says that these photos fail to portray some very important aspects when it comes to weight-loss in particular. Bodies change for many reasons, she notes, and not all of them are within our control.

The expert argues that a photo doesn’t actually depict a person's health status. "It doesn’t reveal their lab results, presence or absence of diseases, relationships with food, physical activity, mental health conditions, or emotional well-being," she explains. "Someone could be deeply struggling in their 'after' image, just as they may have been thriving in their 'before.'"

Whynacht cautions that before-and-after photos tend to reinforce the belief that weight loss is always the healthiest choice, when that's not actually the case. What's good for one person might be dangerous for the next.

"It also places blame on those who do not—or cannot—achieve the same visual results, fueling shame and reinforcing the false idea that health and self-worth are tied exclusively to weight," she adds.