Speaking out about the dangers will help so many young girls and women make informed decisions

While appearing on the How To Fail With Elizabeth Day podcast, the TV personality shared some insights into the not-so-glamourous side of cosmetic procedures that often aren't spoken about.

She also revealed that she was in her 40s before she had any work done to her face.

"There's nothing worse than when these young girls now, and I will say it, in their early 20s, who are all getting fillers, all getting lips, all getting the boobs.

"I’m not a hypocrite, but I didn’t start doing my face until I was in my 40s. Yes, I had a boob job, but I didn’t even have fillers," Katie continued.

The mum-of-five says she had Botox administered when she reached her late 20s, something that made her rethink having more.

"I didn’t have Botox till I was like 27/28. Lips, I tried when they didn’t know [how to do it] and I looked like a duck, but then I just relaxed on it."

Being transparent about what plastic surgery entails is important for the next generation

While reflecting on the cosmetic surgery she has undergone, the media personality says she has seen a concerning trajectory among young women today, one she believes her children have been deterred against.

"All the girls look the same now, and I think 'What are they going to look like then when they’re my age’?

"Like, I say to my kids, because they’re like, ‘Oh mum, you’re not doing surgery again are you’? And I’m like, ‘Oh, it’s alright’. They’re so used to it that I think I’ve put them off for life."

Katie took the opportunity to explain the part of post-op surgery that takes place between the before and after — something that isn't often documented online for influential young people to include in their decision-making.

"But people don’t realise when you have surgery and stuff, you only see before and after, you don’t see in between.

"When you’ve had it, the pain and the cleaning, the stitches out and the bed rests. So I would love to educate people about it. It’s damaging to your body."

Part of Katie Price's fame is attributed to her cosmetic procedures, which she has never attempted to deny.

The model's admission about the work she has done, including the experience of recovery, will help young women to make informed decisions before making changes to their faces or bodies.

Irish social media personality, Niamh O'Connor, has also has spoken out about the impacts of surgery, from more of a health perspective.

The influencer bravely detailed her terrifying experience with cellulitis after getting a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), hoping it would deter other girls and women away from the procedure.

While appearing on Prime Time earlier this month, she spotlighted a dangerous lack of regulation in the cosmetic surgery industry by being transparent about her own experience.

In late 2023, Niamh underwent a BBL procedure, which involves removing excess fat from one area of the body and injecting it into the buttocks. 

Within mere hours of the surgery, worrying symptoms began to present themselves.

The list of symptoms she experienced included vomiting, an upset stomach and a severely high temperature of 40 degrees, along with sweating, a high heart rate and slow breathing.

"I was falling asleep constantly and was disorientated core towards the third day of symptoms," she told Miriam O'Callaghan.

"By the time I had gone to the hospital [St James' Hospital, Dublin], it was a situation that could have ended up a lot worse than it did. I was very lucky to receive the treatment I got, given the severity of the cellulitis that had developed into the tissues of my skin," Niamh admitted.

"If I had gone one or two more days, I could have gone into septic shock. I had all the typical symptoms of the beginning of sepsis."

Through Niamh's openness, she was able to warn others about the misconception that such cosmetic surgeries are "100% safe."

The social media personality also hopes the darker side of surgery will have a stronger presence on social media going forward.

"I think a lot of girls are being told that it is the safer option as opposed to having surgery, when realistically there is no safe option.

"The influence social media has on young girls is so powerful. It's really important that there are people on social media talking about the dark side and being open about their experiences," she stated.

Not only could her story prevent younger people from having regrets or from making uninformed decisions about surgery, but in the long term, it may potentially reduce cosmetic surgery-related hospitalisations and tragic fatalities.

Well done to both women for using their platforms and experiences to educate on the topic.

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