The Normalisation of Nip And Tuck: Why We’re All Coming Clean About Cosmetic Procedures
Where once there were whispers and speculation, now having work done is something many boast about. Bazaar Arabia discovers the new face of aesthetics
“Has she, or hasn’t she?” was once the refrain of those speculating whether a celebrity had quietly gone under the knife. With luminous, gravity-defying skin and a conspicuous absence of fine lines, laxity and other signs of the natural ageing process, said star would never dream of revealing the secrets behind her (or, indeed, his) seemingly eternal youth.
But this year, the Hollywood code of silence has been broken, with a handful of A-listers sharing the procedures they’ve had done. Notably, Kris Jenner, 69, revealed that she had undergone a Dhs500,000 deep plane facelift – her second – with New York City-based plastic surgeon, Dr Steven Levine. Her daughter, Kylie, 27, went a step further, sharing the precise details of the breast augmentation she had with Beverly Hills surgeon, Dr Garth Fisher. Even Jamie Lee Curtis joined the conversation, reflecting candidly on the regret she felt after succumbing to surgery in her youth – a decision prompted, she revealed, by a cinematographer on the set of Perfect who cruelly remarked that her eyes looked “baggy”.
While some still credit obvious surgical enhancements to nothing more than a good juicing regimen, this new wave of honesty has been widely welcomed by experts – and it coincides with a moment when aesthetic surgery is more popular than ever. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), aesthetic and cosmetic procedures rose by 42.5 per cent between 2020 and 2024, with 17.4 million surgical interventions performed last year alone. Women make up nearly 84 per cent of that total, though demand among men continues to climb. Scroll through any social media platform and you’ll almost certainly encounter someone – whether it’s a friend, acquaintance or influencer – candidly documenting their own aesthetic ‘journey,’ from blepharoplasties (some TikTok videos rack up millions of views) to breast reductions.
And that’s without even touching on the boom in cosmetic tourism – a growing trend that sees patients travel to destinations such as Mexico, Turkey and South Korea to undergo procedures at a fraction of the cost of surgery in countries like the UK, US and Dubai, sometimes to dangerous effects.
“Plastic surgery is no longer a taboo,” agrees Dr Mo Akhavani, co-founder of The Plastic Surgery Group. “It’s become more acceptable. Once upon a time, facelifts and surgical ‘tune-ups’ were reserved for the elite and ultra–wealthy. Now, people understand that if something about their appearance is holding them back – whether it’s large breasts interfering with athletic performance, or simply a feature they feel self-conscious about – there is something they can do about it. And, crucially, that it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Sought-After Surgery
Eyelid surgery – or blepharoplasty – was the most common surgical procedure worldwide in 2024, according to the ISAPS, followed by rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) and fat grafting. Liposuction and breast augmentation also ranked among the most popular surgeries for women. Dr Akhavani notes that body contouring – particularly for patients who have lost significant weight, often thanks to GLP-1 medications, and are left with excess skin – has seen a sharp rise in demand, as have deep-plane facelifts.
The latter has become something of a Hollywood staple, especially now that techniques are more sophisticated (and imperceptible) than ever. Recovery times have shortened too, with some patients reportedly back on set within a week. Still, most celebrity procedures remain carefully guarded secrets. As Akhavani points out: “If someone is in their fifties or sixties and they have a perfectly taut neck and barely a wrinkle in sight, that’s physiologically unusual. Always look at their hands – that’s the telltale sign.”
While in the celebrity world, facelifts and other invasive treatments have been (quietly) par for the course for some time, those same treatments were generally considered more extreme and expensive for the rest of us – until recently. So what’s changed?
The Normalisation of Nip and Tuck
It’s tempting to dismiss this shift as vanity, but in reality a whole host of factors is driving the trend. The most obvious is the role that screens and social media now play in our lives. Demand for both injectables and surgery rose sharply in the wake of the pandemic, fuelled by the so-called “Zoom boom.” How we see ourselves digitally – and the filters we use – has “heightened people’s insecurities and warped the idea of what’s considered normal,” says TV presenter and influencer, Olivia Attwood, whose TV show The Price of Perfection explored the lengths individuals will go to with aesthetic treatments. Research supports this, showing a clear link between increased social media use and dissatisfaction with self-image. The pressure to look “perfect” – whatever that means in the current cycle of beauty trends – has never been more intense.
Olivia points to the increased accessibility of treatments and shorter recovery afforded by more sophisticated anaesthetics. This observation’s shared by dermatologist Dr Emma Craythorne. “Surgical techniques and anaesthetic protocols have advanced, and the recovery period is often portrayed as far more straightforward than it once was, creating the impression that these are ‘easy’ interventions rather than major surgeries”.
Another key factor is availability: “Cosmetic procedures are no longer confined to a handful of private, highly specialist clinics – they can now be accessed through a broad spectrum of providers at a wide range of price points,” says Dr Craythorne. “This makes them more attainable but also raises concerns around the consistency of training and qualifications among practitioners.”
This sense of accessibility is further amplified by high-profile figures – from A-listers to influencers – who now speak openly about their procedures. “That normalisation makes surgery feel like a viable option for a much wider demographic,” Dr Craythorne notes, adding that many public figures frame such treatments as part of their self-care routines. Sonia Haria, beauty director at The Telegraph, agrees: “Real-time transformations – the striking before-and-afters – combined with celebrity testimonials mean that these conversations are everywhere, not just in certain glossy magazines as they were a decade ago.” She adds that her publication has seen a notable spike in traffic to aesthetic-surgery-related content in recent years.
Injectables, too, have played a crucial role in shifting perceptions. The ISAPS reported that 7.8 million Botox-type procedures and 6.3 million dermal filler treatments were performed in 2024. Now widely seen as part of a routine beauty regime, these treatments help normalise the idea of medical intervention for cosmetic enhancement. “Over time, this lowers the threshold for considering surgery; injectables become a gateway,” says Dr Craythorne.
Surgery and Self-Care
You might not instinctively put “plastic surgery” and “self-care” in the same sentence, but for many people going under the knife, that’s exactly what it is. “Many of my patients approach cosmetic surgery from a wellbeing perspective – it’s another form of self-improvement,” says consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon and founder of Montrose, Dr Georgina Williams, who adds that often people want their face or body to match how well they feel on the inside. “For example, someone who has spent the past 15 years raising children might say they’ve not done anything for themselves during that time, and now is when they want to invest in their own happiness.”
For Morgan, 30, that investment took the form of a breast reduction in 2023, after developing what she describes as “heavy and pendulous” breasts at just 12-years old. “I was so self-conscious – at 5’2, I felt out of proportion, unconfident and couldn’t do any sport without wearing two sports bras,” she recalls. “My new breasts make me feel free. I feel lighter – in my brain and my body – and more myself than I ever have.” Was she worried about judgement from others? “When you have been at war with part of yourself for over half of your life, you stop caring. I knew it was the right decision for me.” She credits an influencer – who happened to document her own “realistic” breast reduction journey shortly before her own – with helping her feel confident and ready. Now, she regularly receives messages from women on TikTok asking her to share more about her experience, having written about it for a national magazine in the UK. For Jane*, who underwent an upper blephoroplasty and a mastopexy (where breasts are lifted) with an implant in the past three years, the experience was equally positive. She calls the procedures “the best money I have ever spent” but chose not to share her journey online. “These aren’t just beauty treatments,” she says. “They’re life-changing, appearance-changing and to some extent irreversible – not to mention a significant financial commitment. I don’t think any of these choices should be shared or recommended lightly.”
And, of course, not every story ends with empowerment. “There are people who end up on a long trail of perfection-seeking,” says Olivia, who met many such individuals while filming her show. “Some were having surgery that was never going to make them happy. The root of their unhappiness wasn’t something that could be fixed with a scalpel. But when it’s one particular thing that’s caused years of unhappiness, and you’re able to fix that, it can be completely life-changing.”
This is the critical distinction: when surgery is about addressing an issue that has caused emotional turmoil for some time, it can be transformative. But when it stems from unrealistic expectations, societal pressure or becomes a defining feature of your identity – rather than an enhancement of it – it can tip into chasing an ever-shifting ideal that can never truly be met, shares Dr Craythorne. That’s when a good surgeon should step in and guide a patient away from further intervention.
Do Your Research
Choosing the right surgeon is arguably the most critical part of the process. They’re not just the person performing the operation – they should also be the first to tell you if you shouldn’t have it at all. “I turn away about a third of the people who come to my clinic because I feel they’re doing it for the wrong reasons,” says Dr Akhavani, who advises patients to verify surgeon credentials with their local regulatory authority – such as the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or the UK’s General Medical Council (GMC) – before proceeding. Wherever you go, he stresses, ensuring your surgeon is properly qualified is non-negotiable.
When it comes to skin quality – texture, tone and luminosity – the best outcomes often come from a combination of treatments rather than a single intervention, says Dr. Karim Sayed, an aesthetic doctor at Ouronyx Dubai. “The consultation is crucial,” he explains. “It’s our chance to empower patients, to keep results natural, and to remind them not to overdo it. The goal is to look like yourself – just fresher, more confident. My role is to help guide them through what can often feel like a jungle of possibilities.”
Eyelid Edit
Oculoplastic surgeon Dr Elizabeth Hawkes shares everything you need to know before booking in for a blepharoplasty procedure
- Always see a specialist oculoplastic surgeon for eyelid surgery, to ensure that results are safe and natural.
- Ask all the important questions, including whether the surgeon is dual-trained in ophthalmology and oculoplastics, what experience they have
in eyelid surgery specifically and how many blepharoplasty procedures they have done, along with any examples they can show you. - Make sure you understand what result is realistic for you, how long recovery will take and what the risks are.
- Blepharoplasty surgery is appropriate for removing excess skin and addressing severe puffiness or hooding. That said, while it can help achieve a brighter, fresher appearance, it will not stop the natural ageing process.
Treat Yourself
Facialist Su-Man Hsu on how to tackle puffiness and promote lymphatic drainage around the eyes using a gua sha tool
Step 1: Place a warm towel over your eyes. The heat helps to open the pores, promote blood circulation, relax the skin and relieve dryness and fatigue.
Step 2: Apply facial oil evenly around the eyes. Then, take your gua sha tool and use a ‘press-hold’ technique on the acupressure points in the area. Repeat this on each point three to five times. The pressure doesn’t need to be too strong; a slight sensation is enough. If you are unfamiliar with the acupressure points, simply use a light scraping motion, moving from the inner corner outwards.
Step 3: Only scrape each area five to 12 times to avoid over-stimulating the skin and causing inflammation.
Illustration: Lily Pichon Flannery
Lead Image Courtesy of Shutterstock
From the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia December 2025 Issue