Something in the water in Calabasas lately has suddenly been causing an influx of celebrities—namely, the Kardashian-Jenners—to be shockingly candid about all of their cosmetic procedures, past and present. It started with Kylie Jenner, who, a month ago, went viral for casually dropping the exact specifications of her boob job in a TikTok comment, followed by the family momager, Kris Jenner, who later came out and revealed that the same plastic surgeon responsible for Kylie’s breast augmentation also did her facelift 14 years ago. Now, it’s Khloé Kardashian who’s speaking up in the name of body transparency and opening up about the work she’s had done.
Earlier this week, London-based aesthetics doctor, Dr. Jonny Betteridge, shared an Instagram video comparing an old photo of Kardashian to a few more recent ones. He explains that the star’s appearance has changed over the years due to weight loss before guessing which cosmetic treatments he believes she’s had done. Per the video, Dr. Betteridge assumes the Good American founder has had a brow lift, a blepharoplasty, a rhinoplasty, lip filler, a face and neck lift, and a chin implant. It didn’t take long for users in the comments section to share their own opinions on her appearance, but before anyone could speculate further, Kardashian hopped in to set the record straight.
“I take this as a great compliment,” she started off. “First off I think these photos are about 15 years apart, but here’s a list of things that I have done. I’ve been very open in the past about what I have done so here we go.” She then proceeded to rattle off the exact procedures she’s had done, which include a nose job, laser hair removal “for the hairline and everywhere else,” Botox and Sculptra in the area that a tumor was once removed from her face, Sofwave laser “for skin tightening,” and filler, though she followed that latter part up by making clear that she hasn’t gotten filler in the last few years.
“I hear it never goes away, so I’m sure it’s still there but calmed down,” she said. Kardashian also gives credit to thread lifts “underneath my chin and neck,” losing 80 pounds over the course of her reality TV career, getting regular facials (including that of the salmon sperm variety), and using peptides and vitamins in her daily skincare routine for her appearance these days.
(Image credit: Dr Jonny Betteridge)
Shocking as it is, Kardashian’s admission follows a chorus of other celebrities who have come out and revealed more or less of the same things in recent weeks, opening up about botched surgeries, Brazilian butt lifts, regular aesthetic treatments, and more.
With all of the heat that’s been put on the Kardashian-Jenners over the last decade regarding their role in creating and upholding unrealistic beauty standards, there’s no telling why half of the family has now chosen to be so open about their beauty treatments and plastic surgeries, especially since they’ve mostly stayed mum about them before. Maybe it’s the fact that, in the age of young influencers who make a living off of oversharing, they’re all becoming aware of the social currency that comes with appearing more honest and relatable online. Maybe it’s also the fact that society’s opinion on plastic surgery as a whole has shifted in the last decade, and admitting to going under the knife and/or getting Botox and aesthetic injections doesn’t always come with the same level of judgment it used to. Or maybe it’s the fact that society’s obsession with perfection and youth is causing beauty fatigue, and the only way to stop ourselves from burning out is to remind young women that said perfection doesn’t actually exist. (It’s likely a perfect storm of all of these things, but I digress.)
While it’s a highly-debated topic, I’ve always fallen on the side of plastic surgery being a personal choice, and that no person—not even a celebrity—owes anyone transparency about their body, since doing so won’t stop them from being desirable, nor will it discourage other people from following in their footsteps—but it’s still refreshing to see so many of them having the courage to share at all. That said, should you have the desire to act on getting Botox, filler, or any of the same cosmetic procedures that the Kardashians and other celebrities have come forward about in recent weeks, always make sure you’re doing your research and consulting with a licensed professional before making any moves. And above all, make sure you’re getting surgery for the right reasons (which is personal to only you) and not for anyone else—especially if it’s only because a Kardashian chose to.
