There’s a big difference between trying to look great and undergoing surgery after surgery in search of a body that looks like it’s aging backward.
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I’m a girl’s girl. My daughters and I love to talk about skin care, makeup and fashion. We’ve reached a point in our culture where makeup is art and Sephora is a one-stop shop for tweens and menopausal women alike.
The global makeup market is projected to be worth more than $100 billion in 2025. But achieving the perfect look goes beyond makeup and into costly, painful cosmetic treatments and surgeries. I fear it sends a toxic message to girls and women about beauty and their worth.
Has cosmetic surgery become too popular?
After he saw photos of Khloé Kardashian at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez’s Italy wedding, a British aesthetician praised the pop star and business woman as the “standout face” among the star-studded guests.
Kardashian didn’t hesitate to confirm she’s had cosmetic work and actually listed on social media each cosmetic procedure she’s had done. The list is extensive and expensive, and included everything from a nose job to something called “salmon sperm facials and peptides.”
“In 2025 there are many other things we can do before surgery,” Kardashian posted. “But when it’s time, and if I choose to, I know some great doctors.”
Khloé Kardashian seems to have taken a cue from her sister Kylie Jenner, who recently revealed her exact breast implant order after a social media influencer complimented her.
Their mother, Kris Jenner, also recently underwent the knife, opting for breast augmentation, a facelift and earlobe reduction. The fact that the matriarch of the Kardashian family looks years, if not decades, younger, has created a stir.
It’s not just wealthy celebrities who are getting cosmetic surgery. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the United States performed the most procedures worldwide in 2022, with more than 7.4 million procedures.
Have we gone too far in fighting the aging process?
Kardashian’s list of procedures touched a nerve among women. For example, a headline at Elle magazine reads: “Khloé Kardashian’s Plastic Surgery Confessions Are Just Pretty Privilege Repackaged.”
I appreciate that Kardashian at least admitted that her gorgeous look isn’t natural. It might help prevent women from adopting unrealistic beauty standards for themselves.
Yet, her admission that she’s had procedures that cost tens of thousands of dollars to look the way she does sends a toxic message to females: You aren’t beautiful the way you are. To be admired and adored, you must alter your body over and over.
Don’t get me wrong: I empathize with that desire. I’m 43, and I gave birth to four babies in about six years. I miss the flat stomach I had at 20. I have stretch marks, too. If I furrow my brow, I can see a wrinkle developing between my eyes. The signs of aging are here − and don’t get me started on my hormones.
When men age, they often look wise and more distinguished. But society doesn’t view women that way. As women, we are held to a high standard of beauty, and I can’t really blame men for that. It’s actually women who often pressure other women − and we tend to be hard on ourselves. We want to look young and beautiful for as long as we can. It’s a deep, inner longing.
But there’s a big difference between trying to look great and undergoing surgery after surgery in search of a body that looks like it’s aging backward.
I want my daughters to look and feel their best. But I also want them to accept and love themselves. I fear Khloé Kardashian’s message, as well-meaning as it might have been, contradicts that.
Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.
