Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
30submissions
Finished
“It Looked Better Just Thick And Fat”: 30 Beauty Procedures People Regret Having Done
Article created by: Jonas Žvilius
Modern medicine has progressed to such an extent that people can rather easily book surgeries to alter whatever they don’t like about their bodies. On the face of it, this is all well and good, but the reality is that often esthetic surgeries are overhyped or, even worse, utterly pointless.
It tends to be better to learn from someone else’s mistakes first, so we’ve gathered stories from folks who got some cosmetic work done and ended up regretting it. Get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote the most interesting and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments down below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Rhinoplasty. It was an impulsive decision that I regret every single day :( I was also so so young when I did it. I just miss my original nose so much 🥺 Please don’t ever get plastic surgery for other people. And definitely wait until your frontal lobe develops so you can make more rational and conscious decisions about your body.
RELATED:
#2
Microblading! I thought it would fade over time but 3 years later they’re still dark - just blurry and grey now.
#3
I can’t remember if there was an actual term for it but fat dissolving injections in the stubborn fat pouch under my chin.
First of all, highly expensive and I spent months saving up for it as I don’t have a lot of money and live pay check to pay check. Second of all, my lower face swelled up like a bullfrog and it stayed that way for an entire month - I couldn’t bring myself to leave the house for that entire month.
Third of all, it did NOTHING. Zilch. Absolutely nothing.
It feels frustrating to then go back to the injector (who is a qualified nurse practitioner btw) to show and tell her that it made no difference at all and that I was swollen for a month - only to have her shrug her shoulders. And you can’t get any money back for these things either. Would not get it again and I would advise against it.
#5
Filler in my cheeks. Didn’t realize she used permanent filler. Though it fades over time, it can take years. I felt like it didn’t make my cheeks look lifted (like I was told it would). It just made my face look wider and fatter. And older.
#6
I was 20 when I got breast implants. From day one I pretty much hated how I looked and felt in them. Instant regret. They were big and bulky on my small frame even after telling the doctor I didn’t want giant implants.
A turning point for me was when I went to buy new bras as I gained weight and they were not fitting anymore. I had a breakdown when the lady told me I was now a size DDD32 or a E something rather.
Called my husband and told him I hated these things and just started bawling on the phone.
Funny this is around 2 years ago one of them deflated on their own. Since it was still under 10 years it was covered under warranty and they were able to pay for the cost of removal for the deflated implant. I had to pay for the other one of course but I was sooooooo happy they were out.
Instant relief and I loved the new look/feel immediately. Nothing like day after I had gotten my implants.
#7
Had one of those facials where they scrape your face with a blade. Had the worst breakout of my life. Needed antibiotics.
#8
I had a small-ish mole removed from my eyebrow when I was 16 for cosmetic reasons. I have transparent blonde eyebrows, and it was a dark spot that grew dark hair. I was always so embarrassed. People would think it was a bug on my face. The doctor froze it several times and then cut it out. He cut so deep I had to have stitches, and now I have a bumpy scar from it; almost keloid-ish... People still ask me what's on my eyebrow, and it STILL GROWS DARK HAIRS 🤬.
#9
I got fat freezing and it absolutely ruined my thighs. I still have slightly chubby thighs on a skinny bod, but now I have these two divots in the centre where the paddles were.
Wish I would've left well alone, but I'm also weirdly grateful in a way? Like, now I'm kinda cool with my T-Rex body type; it gave me perspective on perfection 💁♀️.
#10
Tretinoin.
It destroyed my tear glands despite me being careful to keep it from my eyes. Differin caused further damage (I tried it after stopping tret because a derm told me it wouldn't exacerbate my dry eyes. She was very wrong). Now I use 2 excruciatingly expensive prescription eye medications for my dry eyes and I’ll need these prescriptions for the rest of my life. I hate that I destroyed my eyes because I was so desperate to get rid of my cystic acne. I’m also eternally grateful I pushed back so hard against Accutane. If topical Tretinoin caused me so much damage, I can only imagine how bad it would have been orally. I was told by my opthamologist that topical Tretinoin can be absorbed systemically and have similar effects to Accutane.
#11
I’d have to say the thinning of my bucal fat pads. I was 27 and had really chubby cheeks. I never imagined that at 50 I’d really want all that fat back.
#12
Coolsculpting. It drained the fat out of my thighs and now the skin looks loose and saggy. It looked way better just thick and fat.
#13
I had my lips tattooed and I regret it. You can't even tell it was the tiniest shade darker and then my lips were all swollen and crusty for awhile. It also took hours and it hurt soooo bad since lips are a sensitive area and tattoos already hurt bad enough.
#14
Worst: braces. Although the dental professionals claimed that it would even out my teeth wear, I am so salty about it because my midline was centered prior to braces, and now it's off to one side! Every time I smile with teeth, you can see that the midline doesn't align with the center of my top lip, and it looks worse than before >_< I really wish I could undo it and go back to my natural state.
Best: lip blush. I have terribly pale lips and being able to look alive straight from waking up is amazing. I wish they could go darker though.
#15
Expensive in-office tooth whitening. They smelled terrible for weeks after. I didn’t get anywhere near the shade I was aiming for, and using the boosters they sent home just makes them stink again. God I miss there days before white teeth were a thing.
#16
Hair extensions. They made me look the most beautiful I've ever looked when I had them in, but when I took them out my hair was so short and damaged :( took years for my hair to recover.
#17
Ultraclear laser for hyperpigmentation. So painful and it took me over a month to heal (downtime is suppose to be a 4-7 days). It did nothing for my hyperpigmentation and left me broken capillaries.
#18
I got laser hair removal back in the day when it was still being advertised as permanent like electrolysis compared to a temporary reduction method. It took forever since I had to wait 2 months between each session & obviously wasn't cheap.
While it did last for around 5 years, it suddenly all grew back at once like I never did anything. If I had known there was a possibility of it coming back, then I would have done electrolysis instead.
#19
Expensive facials that had no long lasting results 💔 sure, it’s relaxing but it’s not worth $100+ dollars to fix nothing or to only temporarily improve the look of something for a couple of days at most.
#20
Spending money in high end salons for hair cuts.
Most of the times I have come out looking my hair exactly the same. Rather get it at a basic salon with the cut you actually want plus wash etc and still would not cost as much.
#21
I had otoplasty.
(They removed a section of my ear cartilage in order to make them closer to my head).
Regret it so hard.
I had “spitting stitches” —permanent stitches that my body rejected and were pushing through my skin. Years later and I’ll still have a random stitch work it’s way through my skin. It’s like being stabbed in the ear with a needle constantly.
And there are ugly skin folds on the inside of my ears that the surgeon said was just swelling, and they are not. It’s been 7yrs, they are permanent.
They hurt to sleep on, they hurt to wear ear phones or sunglasses. They smell. It’s awful.
I’d trade them for my old crooked, “dumbo” ears in a heartbeat.
Edit: about the smell and those worried about infection...I have had many infections off and on because of these things. Right now the smell is more because there are more folds, nooks, and crannies because of scar tissue to hold onto sebum, etc. I have to stay on top of it and use alcohol to clean behind my ears, but I’m confident that they are not currently infected.
#22
Japanese Head Spa. You are literally laying on a table with no padding with your head resting on a plastic block. That becomes very uncomfortable quickly.
The sink attached is plastic which means all the water hitting it echos and is jarringly LOUD.
As they do the washing and the treatments, your head starts to feel cold because your hair is drenched.
They will tangle your hair. Not fun.
Most of these places won’t even give you a rough blow dry just to get the heavy wet without charging you extra. So you either pay or walk out wet.
A day and a half later my scalp broke out in multiple areas. I’m pretty convinced the scrubbing gave me micro cuts and whatever they used after just irritated the hell out of my head.
I know what you are thinking. That it looks so relaxing on TikTok. It’s a lie. It was such a waste of money.
#24
I got my eyelashes permed right before the mask mandates kicked in. She over processed them and they curled back into my eyelid folds. I sent them photos and they offered to fix them and I hemmed and hawed because I didn’t want to go back to the same woman. Then the mask mandates kicked in and covid “peaked,” so I didn’t go back to get them fixed. I spent the first few months of the pandemic with messed up eyelashes, when they were the most prominent feature of my face.
#25
Regret: eyebrow lamination, hydrafacial. After lamination eyebrows became like fake, difficult to manage. Hydrafacial - simply didn't notice the difference and disappointed that I spent money.
Glad: armpit laser (was enough only 6 sessions, and price even now is at least twice lower than in Bay area. Unfortunately, I moved out...), permanent makeup on eyebrows (powder) and thin eyeliner. Also, 11 wrinkle botox. It actually got even better after second visit.
#26
Regret - Tear trough filler. I didn’t need it, wasn’t the best candidate, got it anyway. When my hayfever flares I get quite puffy under my eyes and it doesn’t look great. On the right person it can be transformative, I am not the right person.
Worth it - Lip filler. My natural upper lip is as skinny as a paper cut and I have a very full bottom lip. I adore how it evened out my lips and makes my face look more balanced. I’ve gotten it for over a decade and I’ll continue lip filler until my last day.
#28
Keratin treatment! I used to have gorgeus curly hair and now I have to wait for it to grow back in :( It's been a year and half of my hair is pin straight and half of my hair is REALLY curly. I'm also very unlucky to have very slow hair growth LOL.
#29
Thread lift. Specifically Silhouette Instalift. 1.5 years later- not worth the money. I deeply regret being swayed into this by the provider. Sigh, such is life.
#30
I don't have any regrets but I don't think I'd do my tummy tuck and lipo had I known how difficult recovery would be for me personally. It looks amazing now but it really took me out mentally for the better part of this year.
I don't regret my breast lift or botox!
You May Like 57 Things Women Did To Their Bodies As Teens Because Beauty Standards Said They Should “The BBL Smell Is Real”: Patient Says Odor Was So Bad She Had Surgery Reversed After A Year
Ieva Pečiulytė
Renan Duarte
Related on Bored Panda
