I want to start this off by saying I really don’t have any specific problem with plastic surgery. If a person feels the need to surgically alter their appearance to boost their confidence or make themselves feel more attractive, I generally don’t see a problem with it. Confidence is important and if you’ve the money to boost your confidence with a little nip and tuck, I say all the more power to you. There is a line though and all too often celebrities cross that line and become completely unrecognizable.
Sometimes plastic surgery is little more than an enhancement that helps emphasize or maintain natural beauty. Other times plastic surgery is a complete cosmetic overhaul that looks plastic, phony and in some cases, flat out disturbing. Let’s take a look at the best and worst in celebrity plastic surgery. Just as a note, I don’t deal in speculation and rumor. Unless it’s obvious or the celebrity has stated on the record that they’ve had surgery (some actually do admit it – shocking, right?), you won’t find them on this list.
Breasts
Surgically enhanced breasts should look natural. Giant breasts on a tiny body might please some of the men out there, but they’re going to be uncomfortable, cause tremendous back problems and look just plain wrong.
Done Right
Patricia Heaton is one of the few actresses in the entertainment industry that freely admits her cosmetic procedures including a breast lift (not actual implants) and a tummy tuck. What I like about Patricia’s breasts (what an odd sentence to write) is that they look natural. Instead of increasing her cup size, she took what Mother Nature gave her naturally and simply brought them back north.
Done Wrong
Okay, it was hard to pick just one ‘done wrong picture for boobs. There are so many examples of women who have gone way, way overboard with the boob jobs. Pamela Anderson was a natural choice for this one because not only has she increased her bust size to ridiculous proportions, but she then had them reduced, and then increased and then reduced. I’m not sure what stage of the cycle she’s in right now, but going under the knife that many times can’t be healthy.
Stomach
There are lots of different procedures one can have done to their stomach, most of which are designed to offer a slimmer, more toned looking mid-section. Done right, work on the stomach should be able to pass for the result of a little time spent in the gym instead of time spent in the doctor’s office. Remember, some women, especially after childbirth have a hard time toning up that tummy. I can completely understand calling in a professional to help out.
Done Right
Star Jones is the best example I can think of for this category. While she denied having her stomach stapled for a long time, no one was really all that shocked when she finally admitted to having the procedure. The thing about having your stomach stapled is that it isn’t a magic cure. You still have to diet. You still have to exercise. The procedure merely gives you a much better chance of shedding the weight you want to shed. It’s important to note that this is a drastic step and should only be considered when all else has failed.
Done Wrong
Oh Tara Reid. There was no other choice for this category. Tara has called that lumpy mess of a stomach her plastic surgery ‘battle scars’. To say the least, I’d say. In fairness, this plastic surgery horror story was the result of a botched procedure not just someone going over board with surgery, but in all honesty, I think getting a procedure on her stomach in the first place was crossing that line. The girl was pretty fit and toned. Shame on the surgeon that performed this operation. It wasn’t needed and it left the poor girl a mess.
Nose
A good nose job should be nearly undetectable without seeing a before and after picture, but that’s not often the way it turns out. A good nose job leaves the patient with a natural looking nose that fits in well with the rest of the facial features. It’s a tricky thing to get right as the nose is directly in the center of the face and slight imperfections will be amplified when compared with the eyes, lips and cheeks. Nose jobs are common in Hollywood, likely for the reason I just mentioned, but very few of them are really done well.
Done Right (Tie)
Ashlee Simpson admitted in 2006 that she’s had a nose job but looking at the after pictures it’d be pretty hard to tell. She has a very distinctive nose and it helps give her face unique character. I like that she maintained that unique quality and wasn’t merely trying to make herself look like all of the other actress/singers in the industry. Kudos to the surgeon for a job well done.
Choosing a second name for this list was difficult. Jennifer Aniston and Cameron Diaz have both had very successful, naturally looking nose jobs, but I chose to exclude them for the list as both women’s procedures were more out of necessity (Aniston repaired a deviated septum and Cameron had breathing problems due to having her nose broken several times). I decided instead to go with Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. Her nose looks natural and lovely. It works perfectly with the soft, feminine features of her face but did not leave her completely unrecognizable.
Done Wrong (Tie)
When I began this article, I wasn’t sure Janet Jackson had ever admitted publicly to having a nose job, but I had no question that she did all the same. It’s pretty obvious even without the before and after pictures. Over the course of my research I found that she’s admitted to having surgery on her nose at only sixteen years old. Jackson’s nose is far too small and thin for her face and distracts from her otherwise lovely facial features.
Jennifer Gray’s nose job wasn’t done wrong in practice. The problem with Jennifer’s nose job is that it’s become a bit of a Hollywood legend in its own right. When she burst onto the Hollywood scene opposite Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing, her nose was one of the most immediately recognizable features about her. Just a little too long for her face, her nose really stood out. It didn’t make her less attractive. It made her unique. After the nose job, Jennifer’s main identifying characteristic was gone and she was nearly unrecognizable. She has said since then that work dried up as a result of the surgery.
Lips
Wanting a plumper pout is not uncommon in Hollywood. Lip injections, when done well, give your lips a little extra oomph. They give a little more pout and can fatten up thin or dull lips. It isn’t hard to cross the line though and Hollywood offers plenty of examples of both getting it right and getting it wrong.
Done Right
Ashlee Simpson is a great example of lip injections done well. Like her nose job, the work she’s had done on her lips looks natural and compliments her face. Less is more and Ashlee really seems to understand that. While she’s still young and has already had at least two procedures, I have hope that she won’t decide to cross the line and keep tinkering with her face. I think she looks beautiful the way she is.
Done Wrong
Lisa Rinna is the only choice for this category. Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton have also had bad lip injections but they’ve got nothing on Rinna. While it could be argued that she’s crossed the line with a few of her procedures, her lips are probably the biggest offender. At least Lisa was able to see that, recognize it and try to correct it, having surgery to have her dramatically over enlarged lips reduced. She is also quite honest about her various cosmetic procedures, also expressing regret over her use of facial fillers. These days she’s looking a bit more natural and a lot more beautiful.
Facial (Botox and related procedures to reduce wrinkles)
We’ve all seen those expressionless, frozen in time faces that result from overuse of Botox and other such injectables. Done right, the patient’s face will still look like a human face instead of a Barbie doll. They will still be life and character in the face but wrinkles and other signs of aging will either be reduced or eliminated.
Done Right (Tie)
Virginia Madsen and Courtney Cox really seem to understand where the line is between giving Mother Nature a little push back and going way to far. With both women, it would be hard to tell they get injections at all. Their faces are warm and expressive but wrinkle free. The thing I love most about both of these women is that they’re completely honest about their use of injections to stave off Mother Nature. That’s gutsy and honest. Unlike…
Done Wrong
Nicole Kidman claims she’s only tried Botox a few times but didn’t like the results because she couldn’t move her face. I’m not sure I buy that. The woman’s forehead never moves. I love Nicole Kidman. I think she’s an incredibly underrated actress but there is no way this woman hasn’t had more than a few Botox injections.
Overall Plastic Surgery Wins
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton has had a ton of work – so extensive is the list that I won’t even bother trying to share it here. What I like about Dolly is her sense of humor about the work she’s had done and her honesty about it. I don’t think for a second that she regrets having any of the procedures she’s had done. This is the woman, after all, that has admitted she sleeps in make up in case she has to leave her house or hotel room in the middle of the night.
Janice Dickinson
Janice makes her money from her looks. She’s a supermodel – the world’s first, if you’re to take her word for it. While she’s admitted to numerous surgeries (including a tummy tuck, face and neck lifts, liposuction and Botox), she has more or less stuck to procedures to maintain her looks instead of to enhance them. She uses surgery as a way to ‘hang on’ to what she’s got and despite all of those operations and procedures, she still looks mostly normal.
Kathy Griffin
After an eye-lift, a nose job, liposuction and a facelift, Kathy now says she tried not to worry about her appearance as much as her job is to be funny, not gorgeous. What I like about Kathy work is that it all looks fairly natural. She doesn’t look phony or cartoonish. If you don’t think Kathy is a win, check out the fails, look over the pictures then look at Kathy again. I’m sure you’ll agree with me then.
Sharon Osbourne
I count Sharon as a plastic surgery win as opposed to a fail, but only barely. She is a few procedures short of crossing the line. For now, though, while she does look a bit plastic at certain times, she mostly just looks youthful and beautiful. She’s admitted to spending more than ₤120,000 on cosmetic work which includes a brow lift, a tummy tuck, a leg lift, a butt lift, liposuction, a facelift, breast augmentation and stomach stapling but somehow, she still looks human. You can tell she’s had a little work done, but she is certainly on the win list.
Overall Plastic Surgery Fails
David Gest
David Gest has said he regrets the surgery he’s had. I can’t imagine why. I don’t know what more to say about this one other than to offer my apologies if the above photo gives you nightmares.
Heidi Montag
I don’t think anything really needs to be said about these poor folks. Heidi Montag looks pretty in a typical, plastic, Hollywood kind of way, but she looks nothing like the girl she used to be before Hollywood got its hands on her. After ten procedures in one day, that’s really no surprise.
Joan Rivers
Joan Rivers often jokes about all of the work she’s had done. She’s a comedian (and a hilarious one) so that’s her job. It’s a little sad to look at her though because it’s impossible to think she’s even a little bit comfortable in her own skin. It looks like it hurts the poor woman to blink. I understand wanting to fight Mother Nature but Joan Rivers seems to want to murder Mother Nature, dismember her body and bury it where it can never reach Joan again.
Jocelyn Wildenstein
Nope. I don’t even have any comments for this one. The picture speaks for itself.
Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers has said that he regrets having the work he’s had done because his eyes have lost the warmth they once had. I’m inclined to agree. Kenny has called himself the bionic man with no original working parts and I think that’s probably pretty accurate.
