Jan, 8 2026
Plastic Surgery Regret Risk Calculator
How Likely Are You to Regret Your Surgery?
This tool helps you assess your risk of regret based on key factors identified by UK surgeons. Your results will be based on:
- Your primary motivation for surgery
- Your understanding of realistic outcomes
- Your body stability and health
- Your support system and expectations
Your Regret Risk Score
More than 50,000 people in the UK had cosmetic surgery in 2025. Not all of them walked away happy. While many see dramatic improvements, others face lifelong consequences - not from complications, but from simple, preventable regret. The most regretted plastic surgery isn’t the most expensive or the riskiest. It’s the one people thought would fix something deep inside them… and ended up making it worse.
Breast Implants: The Silent Regret
When you ask surgeons in London, Manchester, or Glasgow which procedure they see the most regrets about, they don’t hesitate: breast implants. Not because they rupture or cause illness - though those happen - but because the desire to look ‘perfect’ often masks a deeper issue: self-image.
Women in their late 20s to mid-40s are the most common group. They get implants to feel more confident, to match a social media ideal, or because a partner commented on their size. Five years later, they’re removing them. Why? The weight feels unnatural. The scars itch constantly. The symmetry looks off under certain lights. And the emotional high? Gone. One woman from Leeds told her surgeon, ‘I didn’t need bigger breasts. I needed to stop hating how I looked in the mirror.’
According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), breast implant removals rose by 38% between 2020 and 2025. Many of these patients didn’t have medical issues. They just wanted their bodies back. The implants weren’t the problem - the expectation was.
Nose Jobs: When ‘Perfect’ Looks Fake
The second most regretted procedure? Rhinoplasty. Not because it’s dangerous. It’s one of the safest surgeries out there. But it’s also one of the hardest to get right - emotionally and aesthetically.
People come in wanting a celebrity nose. A tiny upturned tip. A straight bridge. What they end up with? A nose that doesn’t match their face. A nose that looks like it belongs to someone else. One man from Birmingham had his nose reduced to look like a model’s. He lost the slight bump that gave him character. Now, his family says he looks ‘like a different person.’ He stopped smiling in photos.
Surgeons call this ‘overcorrection.’ It happens when patients push for extreme changes without understanding how facial harmony works. The nose doesn’t exist in isolation. It connects to the forehead, the chin, the eyes. Change one part too drastically, and the whole face feels off.
And here’s the kicker: 23% of revision rhinoplasties in the UK are done to fix surgeries from overseas clinics. Cheap deals in Turkey or Hungary often mean rushed procedures, inexperienced surgeons, and no aftercare. The result? A nose that looks unnatural - and can’t be easily fixed.
Liposuction: The Body That Won’t Cooperate
Liposuction sounds simple: suck out fat, get a slimmer shape. But fat doesn’t behave like water. It’s unevenly distributed. Skin elasticity varies. And weight gain after surgery? It doesn’t go back to the same places - it goes everywhere else.
Women who had liposuction on their stomachs or thighs often end up with dimples, waves, or hollows. One woman from Bristol had 3 litres removed from her abdomen. Six months later, she gained 8 pounds. The fat came back on her upper arms and back. Her stomach? Now uneven, with visible indentations. She spent £8,000 to fix what she thought was a quick fix.
Surgeons say the biggest mistake? Thinking liposuction is a weight-loss tool. It’s not. It’s a contouring tool. You need to be close to your ideal weight already. Otherwise, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment - and extra costs.
Butterfly Lifts and Jawline Fillers: The Trend Trap
Instagram and TikTok have created a new wave of regret. Procedures like the ‘butterfly lift’ (a fake cheek filler trick) or ultra-sharp jawline fillers are exploding. They’re cheap. They’re quick. And they look ridiculous on 90% of faces.
Younger patients - late teens to early 30s - are getting fillers to mimic influencers. The results? Swollen cheeks that look like they’re holding marbles. Jawlines so sharp they look like cartoon characters. One 24-year-old from Manchester had fillers injected into her cheeks and chin. Within weeks, her face looked swollen and puffy. She couldn’t smile naturally. She spent £5,000 trying to dissolve the filler - and still has asymmetry.
These trends don’t age well. As skin loses volume over time, the filler looks even more unnatural. What looked ‘on-trend’ at 22 looks ‘overdone’ at 30. And dissolving fillers isn’t always perfect. Some damage is permanent.
Why Do People Regret It? It’s Not the Surgery - It’s the Mindset
Here’s what every regretful patient has in common: they believed the surgery would fix their happiness.
They thought: ‘If I look better, I’ll feel better.’
But studies from the University of Manchester’s Centre for Aesthetic Psychology show that 68% of people who had cosmetic surgery to improve self-esteem saw no long-term boost. Why? Because the root problem wasn’t their appearance - it was anxiety, depression, or past trauma.
One woman from Cardiff had breast reduction after years of back pain and bullying. She thought it would end her loneliness. It didn’t. She still felt invisible. The surgery fixed her back - but not her belief that she wasn’t worthy of love.
Regret isn’t about the surgeon’s skill. It’s about the expectation. If you’re hoping surgery will change your life, you’re setting yourself up to lose.
What Should You Do Instead?
Before you book a consultation, ask yourself these questions:
- Am I doing this for me - or to please someone else?
- Have I spoken to a therapist about why I want this change?
- Do I understand how my body will age with these changes?
- Have I seen real, unedited before-and-after photos from the surgeon’s own patients - not influencers?
- What happens if I gain or lose weight after?
And here’s a hard truth: the best plastic surgery is the one you don’t need. If you’re struggling with body image, start with therapy. Talk to a counsellor. Join a support group. Try body neutrality. It won’t make you look different - but it might make you feel like yourself again.
What to Do If You Already Regret It
If you’re already post-op and feeling trapped:
- Don’t blame yourself. Regret doesn’t mean you made a stupid choice. It means you were trying to heal.
- Find a surgeon who specializes in revisions. Not just any clinic. Look for one with a proven track record in correctional surgery.
- Get a second opinion - from someone who doesn’t sell procedures.
- Join a support group. There are dozens in the UK, from London to Aberdeen. You’re not alone.
Some people spend years hiding. Others finally speak up - and find freedom. One man from Glasgow had his nose corrected after five years of silence. He said: ‘I didn’t realize how much I’d been holding my breath - until I could breathe again.’
What is the most regretted plastic surgery in the UK?
Breast implants are the most regretted cosmetic surgery in the UK. While complications like rupture or infection happen, the biggest issue is emotional regret - many patients feel the implants didn’t improve their self-image and now wish they’d never had them. Breast implant removals have increased by 38% since 2020, according to BAAPS.
Why do people regret nose jobs?
People regret rhinoplasty when the nose looks unnatural or doesn’t match their facial features. Overcorrection - making the nose too small, too straight, or too upturned - is common. Many patients seek revision surgery because their new nose looks fake or alienates them from their own identity. Surgeons warn that 23% of revision nose jobs in the UK are to fix surgeries done overseas.
Can liposuction lead to long-term regret?
Yes. Liposuction is not a weight-loss solution. If you’re not at a stable weight, fat can return unevenly, leading to dimples, waves, or hollows. Many patients regret it after gaining a few pounds and realizing the results are asymmetrical or worse than before. The procedure works best as a contouring tool for people already close to their ideal body weight.
Are fillers like jawline enhancements safe?
Fillers can be safe when done by a qualified professional - but trends like ultra-sharp jawlines or ‘butterfly lifts’ often look unnatural and age poorly. Younger patients, especially those influenced by social media, are increasingly regretting these procedures as their faces change over time. Dissolving fillers isn’t always perfect, and some texture damage can be permanent.
Is cosmetic surgery a good solution for low self-esteem?
Research from the University of Manchester shows that 68% of people who had cosmetic surgery to improve self-esteem saw no lasting benefit. If your dissatisfaction stems from anxiety, trauma, or depression, surgery won’t fix it. Therapy, support groups, and body neutrality often provide deeper, longer-lasting healing than any procedure.
What should I do if I regret my surgery?
Don’t isolate yourself. Find a revision specialist with experience in correcting your specific procedure. Get a second opinion from a surgeon who doesn’t push more treatments. Join a UK-based support group - many are free and confidential. Healing often starts with speaking up, not with another operation.
Final Thought: Your Body Isn’t a Project
Plastic surgery can be life-changing - but only when it’s about reclaiming what was lost, not chasing what’s unattainable. The most regretted surgeries aren’t the ones that went wrong. They’re the ones done in the hope that changing your body would change your life. It rarely does.
Real confidence doesn’t come from a scalpel. It comes from knowing you’re enough - exactly as you are.
