Some plastic surgery procedures leave patients looking back — possibly at their BBLs — with regret.
For years now, the three most popular cosmetic procedures in the US have remained consistent: nose jobs, facelifts, and blepharoplasties, according to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).
But what about the trips under the knife that patients wish they never went on? The Post spoke to three plastic surgeons to learn which nips and tucks may be best skipped.
“Tear through filler” or under-eye filler
Dr. Ira Savetsky, a Manhattan-based plastic surgeon to the stars who goes by “Quiet Luxury King” and has performed facelifts on Jill Zarin and Dina Lohan, has seen his fair share of patients fed up with tear trough filler.
“While it’s marketed as a quick and easy fix for 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’s easily the most frequent procedure I see people coming to me in regret over,” he added.
The correction process involves dissolving the filler and transitioning to a more durable, natural solution, typically involving a combination of micro-fat grafting for structural volume and nano-fat for skin quality and rejuvenation.
“It’s often perceived as low-risk and straight forward, but in reality, it’s one of the most technically demanding areas to treat well,” he went on. “I see a steady stream of patients who initially had it done elsewhere and are now dealing with long-term complications.”
Threads
Another risky tweakment? Threads, a procedure in which temporary sutures are put under the skin to lift and stimulate collagen.
Best case scenario, they’re simply ineffective; Dr. Savetsky said he frequently sees patients who end up needing a facelift “after threads fail to deliver meaningful or sustained improvement.”
But in worse cases, threads can extrude through the skin or create palpable irregularities and scar tissue, which can complicate future surgical procedures.
Buccal fat removal
Buccal fat removal, in which fat is removed from the the lower cheeks, was one of the buzziest procedures of the early 2020s — though Chrissy Teigen was among the only stars to admit to having it done.
But the public backlash against the procedure was swift, with critics arguing that it makes people look older.
In fact, removing this fat accelerates the natural volume loss that comes with aging, leaving many patients unhappy with their “skeletonized appearance.”
“Buccal fat removal is a quick procedure that gained popularity on social media for its sculpted, hollow-cheek look, but what looks striking at 25 can look gaunt at 45,” said Dr. Krishna Vyas of Blechman Plastic Surgery in New York City.
“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.”
In general, he said, he’s seen many people regret removing or redistributing facial fat. While fat grafting can produce “beautiful, natural-looking results,” it responds to hormonal shifts and changes in weight, which means the results aren’t static.
“Unlike a filler or implant, transplanted fat is living tissue; if a patient gains or loses weight years later, the grafted fat can grow or shrink unpredictably,” he explained.
BBLs
Once one of his most popular procedures, Dr. Radbeh Torabi, co-founder of Elite Plastic Surgery in Scottsdale, Arizona, has now seen many patients express remorse that they ever wanted to enhance their rear-ends with a BBL, or Brazilian butt lift.
If he does perform this type of butt lift, it is most often with smaller volume rather than with the intention of achieving a “large buttocks appearance.”
“What was once considered desirable in terms of exaggerated proportions is shifting, and patients are now seeking more balanced, natural contours,” said Dr. Savetsky.
“Fox eye lift” or canthoplasty
“Fox eyes” — for which Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner and Megan Fox are often pointed to as inspiration — are characterized by lifted, almond-shaped eyes and elevated outer brows. They’re typically performed with threads or aggressive brow lifting techniques.
They do not always age well — and can distort natural eye anatomy.
“Over time, many patients feel the look appears unnatural or overly pulled, and reversing it can be challenging depending on the technique used,” said Dr. Savetsky, who has seem many patients about reversals.
Breast implants
Some patients also come into their surgeon’s office wanting to get something off their chest — literally.
Dr. Torabi, who regularly performs implant revisions as well as removals, explained how smaller implants are more popular as they are able to add just “a little bit of boost.”
“Many patients now prefer a refined and elegant perky look without the implant appearance,” he said.
Awareness of breast implant illness is also on the rise, leading to some patients requesting to take the capsules out – not to mention the upkeep required to keep up with that lifted look.
“If you have implants until you’re 70, 80, 90 years old, you will need the proper maintenance that not everyone wants to continue. Patients often choose sizes that don’t age well,” Dr. Savetsky agreed.
But wanting to adjust their augmentations is not always simple.
“Once that extra skin envelope has expanded, additional scars might be required to refine the appearance of the breast if the implant is removed,” said Dr. Vyas. He compares rearranging the tissue to “origami.”
Nose jobs
This one isn’t so much a cause for regret as one for revision. Acknowledging that “nobody looks at your face more than you do,” Dr. Torabi said he has seen an uptick in people wanting to fix or update their rhinoplasties — and make them look less obviously done.
“We see younger patients wishing to preserve this more natural appearance and in some cases retain their hump,” said Dr. Torabi.
Dr. Savetsky blames social media for how it “distorts expectations” — and notes that trends keep “changing faster than anatomy.”
“It can create an unrealistic standard of beauty that doesn’t always translate well in real life,” he said.
“What’s considered attractive today may not be in five or ten years. At the same time, the face and body continue to age, so procedures done earlier in life may not integrate well over time.”
