When you live in the spotlight, looking your best often feels like part of the job. That’s why so many A-listers decide to give nature a little help with cosmetic surgery. While there’s still some public judgment around these kinds of procedures, that mindset is starting to shift. Dr Hayri Hortoglu, a well-known cosmetic surgeon, believes the industry has entered a whole new era.
“It keeps growing. There are more treatments and better doctors now, which is very important,” Hortoglu explains. “I think in the near future we’ll be working more with tissue, like fat and stem cells.”
Still, he says there should be limits, especially when it comes to age.
“In my opinion, 20 or 21 is a good age to do small things,” he says. “If someone has obvious scars or issues, they can do it younger, but only with a parent involved and a serious conversation about the effects. Big changes at a young age, like Kylie Jenner had? No.”
For many people, especially public figures, the choice to have surgery isn’t about vanity. They’ve thought it through, they’re mentally and physically healthy, and they’re doing it for themselves, not for approval.
Sure, improving your appearance is one reason to go under the knife. But that’s just the surface. Often, it’s the confidence boost that makes the biggest difference. People find themselves trying new things, wearing clothes they avoided before, or just finally feeling like themselves in public.
Some procedures even bring physical relief. Rhinoplasty, for example, can fix breathing issues. Breast reductions can ease chronic back and neck pain, and stop skin irritation caused by overly large breasts.
Take Ariel Winter from Modern Family. She had a breast reduction at just 17. Her reasons weren’t about looks, but comfort. She was dealing with constant back pain and struggling to find clothes that fit. After surgery, she said she cried when she could finally wear the outfits she’d always wanted to.
That kind of emotional release is common. Some people say surgery helped ease their social anxiety, gave them a sense of control over their lives, and opened the door to new experiences they never would have considered before.
At the end of the day, plastic surgery doesn’t have to be a secret or something to feel bad about. If it makes someone feel more like themselves, stronger, freer, more comfortable in their own skin, then maybe it’s time we rethink the way we talk about it.
