The third episode of the Aesthetic Capital podcast is now available to listen here.

Doortje Smithuijsen sits down with Dr. Tom Decates, a renowned doctor specializing in Botox and fillers, to dissect the growing phenomenon of aesthetic capital. Dr. Decates has over 15 years of experience in the field and has been closely following the rise of social media’s influence on beauty standards and its impact on people’s decisions about these procedures. Together, they’ll explore the motivations behind the surge in Botox and fillers, unpack the potential risks involved, and emphasize the importance of seeking qualified professionals. The conversation delves deeper, prompting questions about whether the pursuit of a perfect aesthetic is a symptom of larger societal issues related to self-esteem and social acceptance.

About The Podcast

In this podcast, Connected World senior fellow Doortje Smithuijsen discusses the impact aesthetic appearance has on real-world opportunities. Cultural capital is an older form of capital, essentially “where you fit”, what lifestyle you lead. Social capital is “who you know”, your professional and close social network for example. Both of these things affect the opportunities we have in life. Now with the rise of social media amongst other things such as dating apps, aesthetic capital is becoming more important.

Episodes will be released every two weeks on the Aesthetic Capital website, often featuring VU researchers.