'It engulfed my life in the wrong way': Has the obsession with perfection gone too far?

In a world driven by social media and reality TV, it's easy to compare yourself to others.

Go online and you'll find endless streams of fitness fads, celebrity workouts and millions of posts on #body goals.

This parade of perfectionism is setting unrealistic beauty standards, with more and more people striving to achieve them.

But has this obsession with the perfect body gone too far?

Social media is filled with endless streams of fitness videos and seemingly 'perfect' bodies Credit: PA

New research has found the number of people searching for perfection has increased by more than 30 per cent over the last three decades.

So much so, the SISU Aesthetic Clinics report a 200% surge in demand for lip fillers after the latest series of Love Island.

Thirty-five per cent of bookings at the clinic were made by men for botox procedures.

In the second of our special series, 'Skin Deep', Raveena Ghattaura has been to meet two people who went to extreme lengths to achieve the perfect body.

For 15 years, Gary Whittaker took anabolic steroids while he competed as a bodybuilder Credit: Gary Whittaker

Gary Whittaker from Halstead in Essex was obsessed with getting bigger.

The former bodybuilder took anabolic steroids for 15 years, and only stopped when his kidneys failed.

His addiction to the class C drugs nearly cost him his life.

The Class C drug can only be sold by pharmacists with a prescription Credit: PA

In the UK, it’s illegal to buy or sell anabolic steroids, but not possess or use them.

Doctors say taking them is 'highly hazardous' and can lead to serious health problems if they are not taken in the correct way.

"They have a major impact on every single body system, from the mind, to the heart, to the reproductive system", Dr James Morrow said.

"The danger of taking these drugs in an unregulated way is firstly, quality. You don't know what you are getting, if it is not through a proper channel, and secondly the impact of long term use of steroids don't appear straight away, but may accumulate over years, and lead to serious health problems."

When Natalie was training for the triathlon, it triggered an obsession with fitness. Credit: ITV Anglia

For Natalie Lawrence from Bedford, her unhealthy obsession with fitness had a big toll on her physical and mental health.

The former Team GB triathlete, who was once 18th in the world, said an addiction to exercise took over her life.

Natalie would spend six hours a day training when she was studying at Loughborough University - sometimes until she was sick.

Natalie was diagnosed with Anorexia Athletica - the compulsive and excessive use of exercise to maintain an abnormally low body weight Credit: Natalie Lawrence

Natalie developed 'anorexia athletica' and osteopenia in her spine.

Now on the road to recovery, she runs a bootcamp at Barton Rovers football club once a week.

She says it is a way of developing a healthier approach to exercise and now feels more happier in her own skin.

Dr Joanne Hill, senior lecturer in Physical Education and Sport Sociology at the University of Bedfordshire, says it is important to have control over your body.

"We are constantly being told to buy more things, consume more products and services - and we start to of ourselves as bodies we can do something to and we might want to take a risk in terms of our health, she said.

"Our research suggests that if we concentrate on the physical and the emotional benefits about caring for yourself and doing exercise and eating the food that makes you feel good - that's a much healthier behaviour.