"Skeletonized Look": Plastic Surgeons Say These Once-Trendy Procedures Are Now Their Patients’ Biggest Regrets
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Cosmetic procedures have remained popular for years, but the specific treatments in demand keep evolving.
In the 2000s, chest implants and nose jobs were common. In the 2010s, facelifts and tummy tucks became the go-to.
About ten years later, fillers, BBLs, and other treatments gained significance for their results.
However, according to plastic surgeons Dr. Ira Savetsky, Dr. Krishna Vyas, and Dr. Radbeh Torabi, many of these once-trendy enhancements have led some patients to regret their choices and wish they had never gone through with them.
Highlights
- Cosmetic procedures such as tear-through fillers, fox-eye lifts, buccal fat removal, and BBLs are increasingly being linked to patient regret.
- Plastic surgeons report a growing shift toward more natural, balanced facial and body aesthetics.
- Experts note that people who undergo social media-driven procedures also tend to regret them over time, as shifting aesthetics often makes earlier choices feel outdated.
Tear-through fillers and fox-eye lifts have experienced a decline in popularity
Image credits: drirasavetsky
Dr. Savetsky, a Manhattan-based plastic surgeon who has rendered his services to The Real Housewives of New York City star Jill Zarin and Lindsay Lohan’s mother Dina, told the New York Post on Tuesday, June 2, that he has seen a fair share of patients fed up with tear-through fillers.
The process involves injecting hyaluronic acid under the eyes.
Image credits: drirasavetsky
“While it is marketed as a quick and easy fix for your under-eye hollowness, the reality is that filler in this area often attracts water, migrates, and can create chronic puffiness or a bluish discoloration over time,” he said.
“It is easily the most frequent procedure I see people coming to me in regret over,” he added.
Image credits: drirasavetsky
The correction process involves dissolving the existing filler and replacing it with a more natural, longer-lasting solution.
This usually includes using small amounts of the patient’s own fat to restore volume and improve structure, along with finely processed fat to enhance skin quality and give a more refreshed appearance.
Fox eyes, on the other hand, characterized by almond-shaped eyes and elevated outer brows, seen in celebrities like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Megan Fox, also does not age well with clients, per Dr. Savetsky.
Whether done non-surgically with sutures or through a surgical temporal lift, the procedure has drawn complaints from some patients about an “unnatural” look.
Buccal fat removal is also among the most regretted procedures
Image credits: Getty/Victor Boyko
The procedure, which involves removing fat from the lower cheeks, emerged as one of the defining aesthetic trends of the 2020s.
While celebrities including Jenna Ortega, Sophie Turner, and Zoë Kravitz have been rumored to have gotten it done, Chrissy Teigen is the only one who has publicly admitted to it.
She received swift backlash for the same, with critics arguing it made her less attractive.
“She ruined her face,” one commented.
Image credits: Getty/Samir Hussein
According to Dr. Vyas of Blechman Plastic Surgery in New York, buccal fat removal has left many patients unhappy with their “skeletonized appearance.”
“While a hollow cheek looks striking at 25, it looks gaunt at 45,” he said, adding, “The buccal fat pad is one of the key structures that keeps the midface looking full and youthful. Once it’s gone and the surrounding bone and soft tissue thin out with age, it’s very difficult to restore that volume.”
The appeal of BBL and breast augmentation has faded
Image credits: chrissyteigen
Dr. Torabi, co-founder of Elite Plastic Surgery in Scottsdale, Arizona, says he has seen many patients express remorse over their BBLs.
The procedure involves harvesting fat from areas of a patient’s body where it is not required, like the thighs, love handles, abdomen, and more, and strategically injecting it into their buttocks.
“What was once considered desirable in terms of exaggerated proportions is shifting, and patients are now seeking more balanced, natural contours,” Dr. Savetsky said.
Image credits: meganfox
Dr. Torabi mentioned that he largely refrains from performing BBLs. However, when he does perform them, it is often with a smaller volume rather than with the intention of achieving “large buttocks.”
Smaller chest implants are also a preferred procedure of Dr. Torabi, who shared that he often has patients come to him to get revisions for larger implants, which can lead to several health issues, like chronic neck, back, and shoulder strain.
Ashley Tisdale had her implants removed in 2019 after suffering from gut complications and food sensitivities.
Rhinoplasty, also known as nose jobs, also invites substantial revisions
Image credits: Getty/Taylor Hill
While rhinoplasty isn’t so much a cause of regret, Dr. Torabi said he has seen an uptick in people wanting to fix or update their surgeries and make them look less obviously done.
“We see younger patients wishing to preserve this more natural appearance,” he said.
Dr. Savetsky blamed social media for distorted expectations.
“It creates an unrealistic standard of beauty that doesn’t always translate well in real life,” he said.
Khloé Kardashian has admitted to getting one nose job—in March 2019—but she has faced speculation of getting revisions.
"Whoever is influencing these women needs to be thrown in a volcano," a netizen said
