4 Lessons My Nose Job Taught Me

In my junior year of high school, I was sitting in a spin class when I had an epiphany. 

In the middle of the class, I looked to my left, and the girl next to me had smooth hair and a perfect nose, and I was so f*cking jealous. TBH, the frizzy hair was not that big of a deal to me because I had Keratin scheduled the next week—it was the nose that pissed me off because no matter what Kardashian-Jenner bullsh*t contour tip I tried, I was always going to have a f*cking beak on my face.

Usually, I’m really against workout instructors trying to be super inspirational, but I guess that day when the teacher tried to convince me that I truly was in charge of my own destiny, something changed inside of me. I realized that it wasn’t like there was nothing to do about my nose—helloooo plastic surgery. 

That wasn’t the first time I’d thought about getting a nose job. From the boy who told me I looked like a toucan in my eighth-grade art class, to the one who didn’t slow dance with me at a bat mitzvah in seventh-grade because I was “kinda cute but had a weird nose,” I definitely had some pent-up insecurities. 

It got to the point where I would spend hours watching makeup videos on YouTube trying to contour my nose and getting pissed off because it only made it look more obvious. At some point in ninth or tenth grade, I started covering my nose in pictures, opting for a pose that I thought looked cute or candid but was just there to mask (what I saw as) the enormous trumpet on my face. 

So, my eventual nose job was always pretty much always an unspoken thing. When I came home and told my parents that it was time, they weren’t exactly surprised. It was not like they encouraged me to get one before I expressed interest, but a nose job was pretty much always on the table.

The fact that I had a nose job isn’t new or revolutionary information to my friends—it’s like my number one personality trait (having a nut allergy comes in as a close second). My relationship with my nose has always been a huge part of my life, more so before my surgery than now, and the insecurity it caused me was incredibly consuming.

While I literally regret nothing about the decision I made, there definitely are some things I wish I looked into and knew before I had the surgery. Some of these seem pretty intuitive, but trust me, when you’re on whatever pain med your doctor gives you, and you have a weird pad thing under your nose, you aren’t thinking rationally. Whatever, you live, and you learn… right? Here’s what I learned from getting my nose job that I wish I’d known beforehand.

It’s Not Going to Be What You Expect 

It’s not like in that episode of Glee when Rachel Berry brought Quinn to the plastic surgeon to show him what she wanted to look like. My doctor actually didn’t really take my input and didn’t show me a picture of my future self that I could have made on FaceTune. 

In so many words, my surgeon (WHOM I LOVE) said to me, “if you really have a vision that you’re committed to, you can show me, but I’m basically just going to balance out your features. You’re not going to look like a whole new person.” At the time, I might have wanted that, but he was totally right—I just needed to trust him. He also asked me if I wanted a chin surgery because I guess those normally go hand-in-hand, and to that, I said thanks, but no thanks. 

There Is No ‘Right Reason’ To Get Plastic Surgery

TBH: I got a nose job because I was insecure. I was aware that my insecurity made me quite bitchy intolerable. I didn’t like how I looked, and I really didn’t like how I projected that onto other people. 

Okay, even that wasn’t completely honest. While my insecurity was the rationale for me thinking about the potential of having a nose job, that isn’t why I pulled the trigger. As my surgery date grew closer, and I let more of my friends in the loop, I started becoming more aware that the people in my life didn’t think I would go through with it.  

So, yeah, my rationale for actually getting on the operating table and actually going through with my surgery was the same rational frat guys use when they jump off a roof onto a folding table: “do it b*tch, you won’t.” 

In all seriousness, I don’t regret getting my nose job. I wouldn’t change a thing about the way I approached it, but I do wish I treated this life-altering decision with a little more gravity. There really are no wrong answers or justifications for getting plastic surgery (but, like, maybe the “do it, you won’t” thing wasn’t my best call).

Okay, I lied. There is one wrong answer: your reason to get plastic surgery should not be that you think it will fix everything in your life. Not to be gross and cliche, but plastic surgery should never be the answer to finding happiness, but it can be something that helps you get there.

Recovery Might Not Be the Hardest Part

Everyone’s process is different, but the surgery itself and my recovery weren’t the hardest parts of my nose job experience. Recovery wasn’t like a trip to the spa, I had to go back to the ER having to go on my first night due to aggressive bleeding, and I went to my first ever OB-GYN appointment with my cast still on. That said, it wasn’t awful. It was comparable to, like, an especially bad hangover. 

The hardest parts were making the decision to go through with it, and the day I got my cast off. As ridiculous as it may sound, I assumed that the minute I looked in the mirror with all the surgical tape and packing off of my face, I would look hot as sh*t and feel, like, complete. This was not the case.  

I was swollen, there was blood caked on parts of my face I hadn’t seen in a week, and I couldn’t blow my nose. The most shocking thing about looking in the mirror was that I couldn’t smile. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but some people get minor temporary nerve damage. So, when you smile, you end up looking like someone who is being forced to smile in a ransom video to prove they are alive and well. 

I started my senior year of high school a week after I got my cast off. Truthfully, I was mortified. I felt as though I went through all of my internal debate about the surgery, pain, and discomfort for nothing. It felt like everyone knew that I was getting a nose job, but I had nothing to show for it. 

But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was my perfect side profile. It turns out that you have to wait for the swelling to go down and the nerves to heal before you really get a sense of what you’ll look like. While it felt like months before this happened, it was really only a few weeks, and I came out the other side looking and feeling really good. 

Nose Job

There’s No Right Narrative

There’s no right and wrong reason to have your nose done, and there is no right or wrong thing to tell people about why you got it done. But, just a tip, you might want to keep it consistent. 

Initially, there were plenty of people who realized I had surgery on their own, and, feeling a little uncomfortable with my decision to have it done, I lied to them. Most frequently, I told people I wasn’t close with that I had a deviated septum. If that’s what you want to do, there is nothing wrong with fudging the truth a little to create a narrative you are comfortable with, but lying just made me feel more insecure. Like, we all know how believable it is when celebs claim they “fixed a deviated septum”. Blaming my nose job on a fake problem just brought about more feelings of insecurity (can they tell I’m full of sh*t?) and shame (for not owning my decision).

Now, I’m more vocal about my experience. (I mean, obviously, I’m writing an article about it.) Partly because of my personality and partly because of the circumstances that contributed to my decision. I go to college close to 1,000 miles away from my high school, where I’m the only one from my graduating class. I got to have a fresh start and reinvent parts of myself—one of those being the way I talked about my surgery.

Going through with my nose job made me a more confident and better person, but as I said, those changes didn’t happen overnight. I’d like to think that the 21-year-old version of myself is above falling victim to stigmas against plastic surgery and hope that I would be more confident in owning my decision today. 

At the end of the day, I would undoubtedly do it again, but I wish I handled it differently. I literally hate people who talk about their *journeys, * but that’s what this was for me. For some people, getting a nose job stops being important as soon as your black eyes and swelling are no longer visible. For me, it took a little longer, but I came out the other side just fine.  

The most important lesson that my nose job taught me was that it didn’t make me superficial or stupid to want to like how I looked. We don’t call people who dye their hair or start working out those things. I think that it’s probably time to stop treating people who get plastic surgery like they aren’t deep or smart or confident.  

In the meantime, there’s a lot of satisfaction to be gained from the guy who called me and my “big ass nose” ugly at camp one summer thinking that I’m hot now. 

Images: Max Andrey / Unsplash; Giphy (2)

5 Random Things To Know About Rhinoplasty

Rhinoplasty, more commonly known as a “nose job,” is probably the most infamous form of plastic surgery. From rich teenagers getting them as a sweet sixteen gift to celebrities getting them done under the guise of a “deviated septum” (looking at you, Jax Taylor) it’s a relatively common practice. When it comes to nose jobs, you probably know someone who has had one, have had one yourself, have thought about getting one, or know someone who has thought about getting one. They’re pretty common—a recent statistic found 225,000 Americans are getting rhinoplasty each year. Since this procedure is so prevalent, we consulted with Dr. Yael Halaas—a double board certified plastic surgeon and expert in facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, along with non-surgical procedures—to give us some more insight on the popular procedure.

1. It Might Not Be Ideal For Deviated Septums

This is often a rhinoplasty patient’s go-to excuse for getting a nose job. But nowadays, that excuse is so unbelievable that you’re honestly just better off admitting you’re getting a nose job solely for aesthetic reasons. And like, more power to you for doing so! It’s also way more #relatable. Not to mention that, according to Dr. Halaas, “Most deviated septums are inside the nose and can be corrected without changing the appearance of one’s nose.” However, Dr. Halaas adds, “If the deviation affects all the way to the bottom of your nose, or makes the outside appearance of your nose look crooked, then you need the full rhinoplasty as well.”

2. Your Doctor Will “Pack” Your Nose

Do you remember that scene from She’s The Man where Channing Tatum sticks a tampon up his nose? Yeah, well that’s pretty much the less clinical equivalent of “packing the nose” post-rhinoplasty. “Packing the nose” is when the doctor “packs” up your nose with tampon-like sterile cotton or gauze after the procedure. It can then be removed from the nose 24 hours later, although, according to Dr. Halaas, “not everyone needs them!” So fingers crossed you’re one of the lucky ones!

3. You Should Wear Your Cast

According to Dr. Halaas, “Most surgeons have you wear the cast for a week after surgery. Ask to keep your cast, and use it to wear under sunglasses or your regular eyeglasses for the whole month after surgery to keep your nasal bones in good position during the healing process.” Makes total sense and, if you already went through this whole process to have your new cute perfect nose, you might as well go the extra mile to ensure it heals seamlessly.

4. It Can Fix Sinus Conditions

If you are actually in the market for a rhinoplasty then, fun fact, you can actually correct your sinus issues simultaneously with the procedure! Dr. Halaas informed me, “Many top nasal surgeons are ENTs, board certified otolaryngologists, so they can evaluate and surgically correct sinus or breathing conditions at the same time as your rhinoplasty.” I mean, if you ask me, seems like might as well nix your Claritin addiction while getting your new perfect nose, like, why the hell not?

5. There Is A Botox Alternative

If you have a nose with a droopy tip, Dr. Halaas says that Botox can actually help stop a muscle that pulls down the tip of your nose when you smile. If you’ve read my previous article on Botox for my jaw issues, then you know I’m a personal testimony to the amazing powers of this popular beauty procedure. I’m not a doctor, but I love what it did for my jaw (and my forehead) so I don’t see why it couldn’t help your nose, too. I’m also personally fascinated by all the cool sh*t doctors can do to correct issues with non-surgical procedures. I follow like, all the LA doctors on Instagram, and they perform various non-surgical alternatives to rhinoplasty. What a world we live in. Bottom line is there are a number of ways to address issues you may be having with your nose, so be sure to discuss with your doctor all your options.

There are probably about a billion more things you should ask your doctor if you’re considering rhinoplasty, but these five are a good start. When it comes to your looks and/or breathing, do whatever is going to make you feel your best—it’s cliche, but true.

Images: @krivitskiy / Unsplash; 

5 Celebs You Probably Forgot Had Serious Work Done

I’ve been doing a lot of articles lately on Photoshop and how celebrities and influencers use it. But photo editing isn’t the only way we get these superhuman photos that create the standard for what is attractive in our society. In addition to personal chefs, trainers, makeup artists, and professional photographers, celebrities also alter their appearances with plastic surgery. Between botox, fillers, new noses, bodies, chins, etc., it’s easy to forget what these people actually used to look like. In case you need a reminder, being attractive in this day and age has more to do with how rich you are than your genes. Also, I think these people mostly look like they’ve had work done, especially in person. We need more celebs who are fine with their original face. Here are some that you’ve forgotten used to look really different:

Blake Lively

Blake Lively pre-plastic surgery

Blake Lively has always been a babe, it’s just a fact. But it’s easy to forget that her casual, natural beauty look has definitely been enhanced with Hollywood’s best knives. She clearly had a nose job and some fillers in those lips, maybe her cheeks too? I don’t think any of it was needed, but whatever makes you feel better, I guess. She now seems blissfully happy and is married to Ryan Reynolds, so what do I know? Also, Blake: good call on growing out those eyebrows, at least.

Blake Lively

Megan Fox

Megan Fox

Like Blake, Megan is an actual youth in the above photo, so we have to give credit that her face thinned out and she put down the black eyeliner as she got older (thank God). That said, your nose actually gets larger as you age (fun fact!), not smaller. Megan admitted to being insecure and having too much work done. But like, if your own face isn’t good enough for one of the most beautiful women in the world, what hope do the rest of us have? I think she’s gotten all kinds of injections and filler and sh*t in her cheeks, brows, and lips for sure, and definitely a nose job. What is with Hollywood wanting everyone to have the same nose?

Megan Fox

The Hadid Sisters

Bella Hadid

gigi hadid

The Hadid sisters are scarily beautiful and on every runway right now, but they used to look really different—especially Bella. They were like nice girls you don’t know super well but still invited to your 7th grade sleepover because your mom told you not to leave anyone out. Now, both girls look like they had their noses done, lips injected, and it looks like their skin is just really pulled back? Is that from Botox? IDK, it’s just a lot. They’ve graduated from natural beauties to cyborgs in the following pics. Guys, you’re super young, maybe just like, lay off a little?

Bella Hadid

Gigi Hadid

Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande

Seriously guys, who is this person? I see Ariana’s face so often, and this is not it. Who even remembered that she used to have curly hair? Ariana’s face looks completely different now, and not just from maturing. Her face looks fuller (fillers?), her eyes are different (not buying that it’s just the ponytail, thankunext), her lips are way bigger, and she has a teensy little nose. Why are the noses getting smaller and smaller the more I progress through this article? Soon it’ll be trendy to just remove your nose entirely and draw a little dot where it should be. (Please, nobody do that, it was just a joke.)

Ariana Grande

Hopefully this shows you that stars, they’re just like us: they look like really f*cking normal people until they start messing with their faces. I didn’t even include body pics in this. They are all superhuman and it’s crazy that they even Photoshop their pics on top of it. None of it is real, and they’re all full of lies and deceit. Trust no one!

Images: Getty Images; Shutterstock

Has Gigi Hadid Had Work Done? An Investigation

Today is Gigi Hadid’s 24th birthday, and as usual, we’re celebrating by doing a deep dive into her entire life. Well, not really. To be honest, Gigi’s personal life isn’t that exciting, because it mostly just consists of me googling to see if she and Zayn are still together every few months. (I’ll save you 30 seconds: they’re not together right now.) Instead, today let’s focus on Gigi’s best asset—her face. Gigi Hadid is obviously like, superhuman levels of gorgeous, but how much of that beauty is natural? Let’s examine the evidence and see whether the elder Hadid sister has gone under the knife.

Gigi Hadid is still so young, but she’s been in the spotlight for a long time. I remember her fondly from the early days of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, when she was an up-and-coming model being lectured by her mom about why she needed to eat salad every day. Nothing problematic here! But Gigi Hadid actually got her start as a model way before that, doing campaigns for Guess when she was just two years old. Casual.

So Gigi was obviously cute AF when she was a little kid, but I’m not going to analyze what her face looked like when she was a toddler. Sorry, but I don’t want to have “Gigi Hadid little girl” in my Google search history. I’m too young to go to jail. Instead, let’s start with Gigi Hadid’s first-ever post on Instagram, from November 2011.

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V's 1st BDay!!

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on

Gigi’s modeling career was already beginning to take off when this photo was taken, but she looks so fresh-faced and natural. She was 16 at the time, and while she was obviously a pretty girl, she looked more like the average hot girl at your high school than anyone who’s ever been on a CW show. Let’s start by establishing that Gigi Hadid has naturally beautiful features. Her big blue eyes are stunning, and she’s always had great bone structure. For today’s purposes, let’s focus on two specific areas: her lips and her nose.

Gigi has full, pillowy lips, so they’re often a topic of conversation when it comes to cosmetic adjustments. Lip fillers are one of the biggest beauty fads right now, and honestly, I bet more than half of the top models and celebrities have dipped a toe (or a lip) in the Restylane pool. But not Gigi. I feel very confident in saying that she has not had lip fillers. I know I said I wasn’t going to analyze her face when she was a child, but I mean, look at her lips in this photo:

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= current mood bc don't get to dress up this year…. Throwback to lil G as Toy Story's Jessie! ??

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on

First of all, love the costume. But mainly, those lips! Unless Yolanda was making some seriously questionable parenting decisions, these lips look 100% natural. Yes, I’m jealous, but there’s a reason Gigi’s been on like, 74 Vogue covers, while the only thing I’ve been on the cover of is my mom’s photo albums. I really hope Gigi never touches her lips, because I would honestly cry if I saw her with Instagram model trout pout.

Moving on, we really need to discuss Gigi Hadid’s nose. While the lips were a pretty easy call to make, the nose has really given me some sleepless nights. Some people are absolutely certain that Gigi got a nose job, but I’m really not so sure.

Let’s take a look at this side-by-side. The photo on the left is from September 2014, while the photo on the right is from February 2019.

Obviously, Gigi looks pretty different in the two photos. But I don’t think it’s because she had a lot of work done. Instead, I think most of the changes can be attributed to makeup, skin tone, and getting older. She’s lost some of her baby fat over the years, giving her cheeks and jaw a more chiseled look. She’s also learned that sometimes, less is more when it comes to fake tan. Paler skin makes her features more striking, allowing the best parts of her face to really pop.

But let’s get back to the nose. For years, Gigi Hadid has been a big fan of using contouring and strobing techniques on her nose. This, I think, is the main reason for the change in appearance. For example, look at this photo of Gigi from last year’s Met Gala:

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love you my friends @laurapolko @patrickta, creating with you is a dream 🙂 ? #metgala

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on

This is one of my favorite Gigi Hadid hair and makeup moments ever, and the generous amount of highlighter used on her nose really changes her entire look. Seriously, she looks like an alien sent to kill us all because we’re so ugly. But that’s not actually what her nose looks like. Here’s a magazine cover from July 2018, meaning it was probably shot around the same time the Met Gala took place:

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BUNNY LOVE ?? Played dress-up for @thelovemagazine’s 10th birthday cover ?????☁️ by the amazing @mikaeljansson & @kegrand x thank you ! can’t wait to share this story x (ps. LOVE you @bitton)

A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid) on

THAT’S Gigi’s nose! Gigi doesn’t have a large nose by any means, but it’s not insanely narrow or tiny like the contouring can make it appear. Damn, the devil works hard, but Gigi’s makeup artist works harder. And honestly, because of all the crazy makeup tricks she can use, I think it would be really silly for Gigi to get a nose job. She obviously doesn’t need it, and she could easily end up looking crazy. Her sister Bella has mostly had tasteful work done, but she still looks way less natural than Gigi.

So happy birthday Gigi Hadid, and congratulations on your lack of plastic surgery, at least as far as I, an untrained expert, can tell. Am I wrong? Do you think Gigi’s been under the knife? Sound off in the comments!

Images: Shutterstock (3); @gigihadid / Instagram (4)

The Treatments Behind Celebs’ “Natural” Beauty That Nobody Talks About

In 2018, we’ve definitely noticed that the way we use makeup is changing (unicorn brows, anyone? JK, this trend made my eyes bleed). Specifically, we’ve seen a lot more honesty from celebs and normals alike about how much of a role makeup plays. Think: Kardashian-esque contouring, YouTube beauty tutorials, #nomakeup selfies. And often, it’s been empowering to watch people openly celebrate both natural looks and the transformative power of makeup. But recently, the tone has shifted. While the idea was once more “everyone has flaws and that’s ok,” it’s now about having such naturally perfect features that makeup would only detract from them. These treatments are typically semi-permanent (aka not a full nose job/brow lift—so ‘90s), always expensive, and basically give you an Insta-filtered face. Here are some of the semi-permanent treatments celebs are using to get that perfect “effortless” look.

Botox/Chemical Peels

I’m lumping these two together, not because they’re all that similar, but just because these are the beauty treatments we’ve all known about and made fun of since the ‘90s. Both treatments have gotten a lot more sophisticated—so the Samantha Jones raw meat face doesn’t happen after peels anymore, and people with Botox can (kind of) still raise their eyebrows—but they’re still the basic anti-aging treatments we all know and wish we could afford love.

@amberrose we couldn’t love that beautiful smile more. We love when you come to see us! #repost • • • • • Fresh faced @drjasondiamond’s office! I got a re-up on Botox! ???? Everyone in his office is so sweet and helpful! Hit up Dr. diamond for Botox, fillers or any type of Facial plastic surgery! He’s the best in the business ????❤️????

A post shared by Dr. Jason Diamond MD (@drjasondiamond) on

Microneedling

Microneedling is a procedure in which a tiny needle pokes holes all over your face. (If you’ve ever used a dermaroller, it’s the expensive version of that.) This then promotes collagen production as your skin heals, which reduces the visibility of fine lines, wrinkles, pores, and acne scars. You know, all the things that make you look like a human, which is no longer desirable. Treatments cost up to $1,000, but then your skin is as good as Kourtney Kardashian’s. (You didn’t really think it was her diet that made her skin good, right?)

@kimkardashian having a Microneedling treatment with @drjasondiamond ???????? Microneedling is great for fine lines and wrinkles and to increase the collagen production in the skin! We offer this for just £49 per Treatment! To book call 07590652233 ???? #LipEnhancement #LipFiller #CheekFiller #CheekEnhancement #ChemicalPeels #Microneedling #Manchester #Cheshire #Aesthetics #KimKardashian #TheLipKing #TheLipKingAesthetics ????

A post shared by The Lip King Aesthetics (@thelipking) on

Injections

Injections is kind of a vague way of putting this, but that’s because injections can do so many different things. You can use filler to fix bad under eyes, smooth out your jawline and cheeks, and really just smooth out any imperfections you’re worried about. While I’m certain that most celebrities over a certain age have had some sort of filler put in, some of the most vocal users are the cast of Vanderpump Rules. In fact, Lala Kent and Tom Sandoval recently took a joint trip, where Lala got something called “Diamond Facial Sculpting.” (Fillers, but fancy I guess?) Lala says Tom was there for “moral support,” but I swear I saw him in a chair in the background of her IG story. Hard to believe Sandoval would willingly skip out on a beauty treatment.

Always love visiting @drjasondiamond and his squad. He’s he only beauty doc I trust. I get botox in my forehead, and in between my brows, & filler in my jawline and chin! Thank you, Dr. Diamond????

A post shared by Give Them Lala (@lalakent) on

Laser Treatment

No, I’m not talking about laser hair removal. (Though I’m certain that any celebrity who’s ever worn a bikini has gotten that too.) I’m talking about lasers used as facial treatment, which, like fillers, come in many varieties and have many uses. Basically, lasers can be used to fade pigmentation (*glares at rosacea-ridden face*), even out texture and tone, and basically act as “permanent concealer.” MUST BE NICE. Both Kim Kardashian and Jhené Aiko have recently raved about their laser treatments—and if they’re not #skingoals, IDK who is.

penny (got laser on my face the other day and it burnt my forehead ????)

A post shared by Chilombo (@jheneaiko) on

Microblading

This one is along slightly different lines, because it’s not about skincare. BUT, now that we are officially living in the Age of Eyebrows, it’s pretty freakin’ important. Microblading is getting semi-permanent tattoos draw onto your brows with teeny tiny strokes that resemble real hairs. This then gives you the appearance of naturally full brows for roughly two years. It also costs around $1,000 upfront, plus a mandatory touch-up two weeks later. So yeah, I’ll be getting that when I’m 70 and win the lottery, and will be drawing on my brows each morning until then. Irritatingly, I cannot tell you that celebs like Cara DeLevingne have used this treatment. Instead, it’s a whole bunch of awfuls including Bella Thorne and Lena Dunham. Microfeathering is another version of this treatment, which basically just fills in instead of drawing you a whole new brow.

Happy Tuesday with Bella's new brows #Repost @microbladingla with @repostapp ・・・ Microblading LA was featured on Bustle! ????????Actress Bella Thorne @bellathorne came back to our studio for her touch up with Julia @juliaaffaria and Bustle wrote a piece about it this morning. Check the link in bio for the full article! ???? We'll post before and after pics a little later today so stay tuned… Brows by Julia @juliaaffaria ????????????

A post shared by Júlia Faria Elmassian (@microbladingla_juliafaria) on

Do I have anything against these treatments, beyond the fact that I can’t afford them? Yeah, a little. I definitely have a problem with celebrities who pretend they haven’t had ANYTHING done. I respect their privacy and all, but I’m a grown-ass woman and I find myself getting upset about my own visible pores. This isn’t something that bothered me even two years ago. But now, every picture I see on Instagram features skin that doesn’t look like skin. And just a few years of being bombarded with those images has been enough for me to think there’s something wrong with my face because of it. Which is all to say, I’m truly worried for young kids who are growing up surrounded by that kind of illusion, and not being repeatedly and aggressively told that it is, in fact, an illusion.

Ultimately, I think it’s probably positive that these treatments are public enough that I can even write this article. Yes, the treatments themselves are becoming more mainstream. But the information is available—if you look—about why exactly these celebs can post #nomakeup selfies that make me feel like a garbage rat. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to start a GoFundMe because all these procedures cost more than my rent.

Images: drjasondiamond, thelipking, lalakent, jheneaiko, microbladingla_juliafaria / Instagram

Science Has Figured Out Why Your Selfies Look So Bad

I’ve never taken a selfie. Well, that’s not true—I’ve never posted a selfie. I’ve taken lots, of course, it’s just that they always look like ass. I always assumed it was just because my face was broken—a little too wide, a little too round, etc. It was never that big of a deal to me, because a) men who take a bunch of selfies should be jailed, and b) I figured that people who post lots of selfies probably spend the bulk of their free time (these people never have jobs) finding the right shots. I never searched for an explanation as to why selfies look bad, I just assumed that’s how the world worked.

As it turns out, as usual I was right: people do have a hard time taking selfies, and my face is just as handsome as my mom tells me it is. But much to my dismay, new research finds that it’s not out fault our selfies suck—it’s the fault of our dumb ass cellphone cameras. From JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery:

The selfie, or self-photograph, has rapidly become one of the major photographic modalities of our time; in 2014 alone, there were over 93 billion selfies taken on Android phones per day.1,2 Despite the ease with which selfies are taken, the short distance from the camera causes a distortion of the face owing to projection, most notably an increase in nasal dimensions.

As the Washington Post explains in a follow-up article, our phone cameras don’t work like mirrors. Instead, they can distort the image at short distances (like where selfies are usually taken from), with the facial features looking bigger than they actually are. According to CNN, the nose in particular can look up to 30% bigger than it actually is.

That’s not surprising, and maybe even a little bit of a relief. The solution is to have someone else take your picture like a normal fucking person, or (God forbid) use a selfie stick to create some space between you and the camera. But what’s really funny is that people don’t know this, and thousands of idiots are going under the knife for the noble cause of looking better in their profile pics. Not just a few people, either—literally most of the ones who get facial plastic surgery. This is part of a statement from The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (emphasis mine):

For better or worse, “selfie-awareness” is more than a fad. In 2017, 55 percent of facial plastic surgeons saw patients who want to look better in selfies in their practices (up 13 percent from 2016). First identified by AAFPRS members more than three years ago in the annual survey, the trend continues to gain steam and transform the facial plastic surgery industry.

“For a few years, AAFPRS members have been at the forefront of this trend,” says AAFPRS President William H. Truswell, M.D. “More and more of our patients are using social media as a forum to gain a sense of solidarity when under-going a major, potentially life-changing procedure. Consumers are only a swipe away from finding love and a new look, and this movement is only going to get stronger.”

55%. God, that’s incredible. A generation from now, the world will be nothing but people walking around with impractically small noses that look normal in photos. Then, people will start choosing breeding partners based on nose size, so they can maybe save some coin and avoid having to get their babies nose jobs. The noses will get smaller and smaller, until eventually it’ll just be normal for people to have all kinds of upper respiratory issues.

People are eventually going to turn into pugs, is what I’m saying. Can’t happen fast enough!

Image: Boris Paskhover/Rutgers New Jersey Medical School