App trims off selfie blubber

A new app that lets users shed virtual weight so their faces look skinnier on "selfie" photos is raising concerns about health and body-image issues.

SkinneePix, for iPhone and Android devices, can trim up to 6kg of virtual fat for a slimmer selfie look.

"Cameras add additional weight to photos. When you're taking a selfie you're also dealing with bad lighting, angles, close-ups and a lot of other factors that make people complain that the photo isn't an accurate representation of themselves," said Susan Green, co-founder of the Phoenix-based company Pretty Smart Women that created the app.

Robin J Phillips, the other co-founder, said the app has also motivated people to lose weight.

"It's a good reminder to get off the couch, turn off the TV, and go for a walk," she said.

But some critics fear the $1.99 app, which only works on single head shots, could encourage an unhealthy body image.

"The majority of young girls wouldn't develop an eating disorder because of an app like this, but some might be more vulnerable and it could contribute," said Lauren Dickson, who is a social worker in the eating disorders and addiction clinic at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada.