Bizarre new trend sees people using Photoshop to create perfect knuckles

Instagram filters have long been used to retouch blemishes and imperfections on the face, whiten teeth and slim down waistlines but with creative nail art becoming increasingly big business, retouching hands appears to be the next step.

A search for “manicure” on Instagram generates more than 25 million associated posts, all showing a wide variety of coloured talons.

British Instagram expert Sara Tasker drew attention to the strange fad on Twitter, sharing a photo of an unusually smooth, wrinkle-free hand topped with a burgundy manicure.

She captioned the post: “New in ‘Instagram trends that quietly frighten me’ we have airbrushing out your knuckles for that 'hot-dog' look.”

Speaking to Mail Online, Sara explained: “I've been spotting it for a while on my Instagram Explore page, and occasionally on places such are Pinterest too. It seems to have been growing in popularity over the last few months.”

“I think it's an interesting reflection on how far removed from reality the ‘Instagram perfect’ body has become – genetically impossible waists, distorted curves, and now fingers that don't bend.”

Sara's tweet comes after several celebrities were spotted donning abnormally wrinkle-free hands in posts showing off anything from their latest manicures to expensive jewellery.

Among the celebrities seen sporting the smooth-knuckled look are Kylie Jenner, Khloé Kardashian, Jordyn Woods, Hailee Steinfeld and Selena Gomez.

But hundreds have blasted the practice, with many voicing concerns about the unnatural and unattainable physical standards social media is setting for those using it.

“Why are we so ashamed of being humans?” one philosophical tweeter pondered.

Another wrote: “It would be awful to acknowledge that fingers need those wrinkly bits because the extra skin allows our finger joints to bend!”

Sources: Daily Mail, Twitter