Magazine defends Clarkson 'retouching'

Self magazine has defended "retouching" its latest cover featuring singer Kelly Clarkson.

The September edition of the American publication features Clarkson in a purple top and white trousers, which editor Lucy Danziger admitted had been altered to make her "look her personal best".

"Yes. Of course we do retouching," said Danziger. "Did we alter her appearance? Only to make her look her personal best.

"I think this photo is the truest we have ever put out there on the newsstand."

However, some fans have complained about the alterations, arguing that the magazine has gone too far with its editing.

"Taking out red eye and airbrushing a pimple would be making her look her personal best," one fan told Jezebel.com. "You completely changed the way her body looked. Why even bother asking Kelly Clarkson to pose in your magazine if you didn't think her body fit into your idea of what was best?"

Earlier this year, Clarkson admitted that her record company had "photoshopped the crap out of me" on the sleeve for her All I Ever Wanted LP.

Blogging about the album cover, she joked: "I don't care, haha! Whoever she is, she looks great, ha!"