Unfiltered: Welcome to Plastic Surgery’s Transparency Era

Once upon a time, copping to a facelift or a soupçon of liposuction was strictly off the record. A cloak of secrecy shrouded even the most basic cosmetic procedures and if you were “so vain” (or “so lazy”) to shell out for an appearance-altering enhancement, you kept that fact locked in the vault. Beauty was a goal best achieved by winning the genetic lottery, not something you built.

Then came the Kardashian-Jenners.

Their entry into the world of reality TV in 2007, plus their dominating social media presence, gave the world insight into one family’s cosmetic treatment journey over almost two decades, from vampire facials to earlobe reduction surgery. This May, reps for momager Kris Jenner, 69, confirmed to Page Six that Dr. Steven Levine, a New York City plastic surgeon, had performed the “recent work” on her face. Weeks later, her youngest daughter, Kylie, 27, went a step further, responding to a fan’s video on TikTok with the exact details of her boob job: “445 cc, moderate profile, half under the muscle!!!!! silicone!!! garth fisher!!!”

Just a few weeks after her sister publicly shared details of her breast implants, Khloé Kardashian followed suit—well, sort of. She revealed some of the cosmetic procedures she’s had, and like Kylie, did it in a social media comment. The confession came in response to an Instagram Reel posted by London-based doctor Jonny Betteridge, MD—who speculated about her cosmetic procedures while comparing a throwback photo to a recent 41st birthday snap from Italy—Kardashian jumped into the comments to set the record straight.

While the Kardashian-Jenners have massive influence in the beauty space, they don’t deserve sole credit for transforming a once hush-hush industry. Dr. Sachin M. Shridharani, plastic surgeon and founder of Luxurgery in New York City, points to social media more generally for the rise in plastic surgery transparency. “We’ve destigmatized so many aspects of identity and appearance in today’s world,” he says. “Getting a cosmetic procedure has become an experience in itself, often shared publicly.”

The trend is steadily growing and changing the industry and our perceptions of cosmetic surgery for better or worse. On the positive side, this level of transparency has put the spotlight on the experts: dermatologists and plastic surgeons, who now have the ability to combat misinformation and educate wide groups of people on social media. Some plastic surgeons (like Dr. Dominic Bray) even get permission to share the less-than-pretty facelift recovery process so future patients can have realistic expectations. This content is easily accessible online and gives the average person a baseline of knowledge.

For some, transparency around cosmetic procedures isn’t just validating—it’s liberating. People who’ve spent years feeling self-conscious about a specific feature are now more likely to seek solutions without shame. “Maybe it’s their nose or ears that are really prominent,” says Dr. Thomas Buonassisi, facial plastic surgeon and founder of Vancouver’s 8 West Clinic. “They feel a catharsis when they finally have the surgery and think, ‘Oh my God, I feel so much more comfortable with myself. Why didn’t I do it when I was younger?’ I’ve had people tell me that hundreds of times in my career.”

Transparency also goes against the underlying societal assumption that getting cosmetic surgery or other non-surgical procedures is a form of cheating. It shows that it’s misguided to believe only people gifted with good looks at birth deserve to feel attractive. It also challenges the idea that certain types of self-care—like skincare, makeup and manicures—are morally superior because they’re less invasive.

That said, there are issues with plastic surgery transparency, too. For one, it gives people the impression that they can pay to have the same face or boobs or butt as someone famous. When Kylie Jenner revealed the exact specs of her breast implants, she signed off with “hope this helps,” it created the perception that anyone can bring her “recipe” to a plastic surgeon and, bing bam boom, they’ll end up with boobs just like hers.

That’s a fallacy, plain and simple. “The size of the implant, the placement, whether it’s under the muscle or above the muscle, those are all decisions that a surgeon and patient need to make on an individual basis,” says Dr. Buonassisi. Unless someone has the exact body as Kylie prior to surgery, using her recipe will not be appropriate or achieve her results. It’s like buying a pair of pants because you liked them on a six-foot-tall supermodel, then discovering they look like absolute crap when you wear them out the first time. Except the pants cost six figures and they’re sewn to your legs for life.

There are also results that are only possible through surgery, and to suggest otherwise is misleading.

There is also the risk that wide swathes of people (granted, people that already share some similar traits like age, ethnicity and bone structure) will start to look vaguely similar. We’ve already seen that happen with the rise of inflated cheeks and duck lips. (Kylie Jenner strikes again.) Some people can pull off that look; most people end up looking like aliens.

Of course, there is a flip side to the transparency trend, with certain celebrities continuing to claim that olive oil (ahem... J.Lo) and sunscreen are to thank for their youthful appearances—and they get a lot of flak for being gatekeepers. Their assertions aren’t lies, per se, because lifestyle does play an important role in skin quality. “We know the environmental factors that damage skin: too much sun exposure, alcohol, tobacco, lack of sleep, dehydration, drug abuse and poor nutrition,” says Dr. Shridharani. “The canvas of the skin is transformed through healthy habits, chemical peels, consistent skincare routines and laser treatments.” That means that someone under 40 like Lindsay Lohan, who shot down facelift speculation in a recent Elle interview, could see serious results from non-surgical interventions (she confirmed she uses Botox and lasers) and lifestyle changes.

There are also results that are only possible through surgery, and to suggest otherwise is misleading. “People age,” Dr. Buonassisi says. “The skin becomes more relaxed as we get older and there’s no way to counteract gravity. Is doing skincare and drinking water going to stop the aging process? It’s not.”

That’s why it’s important to be critical of what you see and read online. And if someone you admire, whether a celebrity, an influencer or even a friend, reveals details about a lifestyle change or cosmetic procedure, take it for what it is: information about one experience. Sure, you can book an appointment to discuss your options, but someone else’s recipe is not a prescription. A good surgeon will take the time to understand what kind of result you’re looking for, then tell you what is possible for your age, bone structure and skin quality.

You may also want to examine why you want to get plastic surgery in the first place. Is it because a certain feature has bothered you for years? Do you feel that you look angry or tired, which is the opposite of how you feel inside? Or have you been spending too much time looking at highly filtered faces on Instagram?

If the last one rings most true, take notes from White Lotus actress Aimee Lou Wood, 31, who made headlines for embracing her most un-Hollywood feature: her buck teeth. Then look to Pamela Anderson, 58, who told Harper’s Bazaar she wants to “challenge beauty norms” by skipping makeup on the red carpet and accepting her natural looks as she nears 60.

Or perhaps it’s time to take a break from your phone altogether to try to reprogram your idea of what it means to be beautiful. To paraphrase some random inspirational quote posted on Instagram, an ocean looks nothing like a flower, but each is beautiful in its own way.