Top Plastic Surgeon Reveals 7 Favorite Tweaks That Can Ruin Your Face FOR LIFE

Nowadays you no longer have to go under the knife to get a youthful appearance.

In recent years, the advent of 'tweakments' – small procedures that transform your face without downtime or eye-watering costs – has revolutionized the aesthetic industry, popular with celebrities and high-profile figures.

But now one of America's leading plastic surgeons has warned that the risks of these procedures are all too often underestimated.

They are not necessarily safer than the surgical equivalent, and can even be more dangerous, leading to permanent facial disfigurement.

Here, plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn, a favorite on TikTok and on TV shows like Today, Good Morning America and Fox News, has outlined his beauty blacklist – the treatments he would never recommend.

Some are dangerous, while others are simply a waste of money because they make no difference.

In his new book Younger for life, he says, “Unfortunately, doctors perform them every day in their offices and ORs, but I would like my readers to be educated on what to avoid. Buyer beware!'

1. Fillers made with something other than hyaluronic acid

More than 2.6 million Americans receive injectable fillers in their faces every year; designed to add volume to areas such as the lips and cheeks, and smooth out imperfections and lines in the nose.

Most are made with hyaluronic acid – an ingredient that occurs naturally in the body and is a major component of the skin's structure that is generally considered safe.

But Dr. Youn says that fillers commonly used today contain chemicals other than hyaluronic acid, some of which can be dangerous because they do not dissolve easily.

“The most feared complication of injectable fillers is intravascular occlusion,” says Dr. Youn.

'This is when the filler is accidentally injected into a blood vessel, especially an artery, causing that artery to become blocked.

'Any tissue supplied with blood by that artery can become ischemic, where there is not enough blood flow to survive. In that situation, the area can literally turn black and the tissue dies.'

It is a rare, but horrific, complication that has, in some cases, caused people to lose parts of their lips and noses and even become blind.

“Hyaluronic acid fillers have a natural antidote, an enzyme called hyaluronidase,” he explains.

'This enzyme can dissolve HA filler in just a handful of seconds.

'If you develop an intravascular occlusion, blood flow can be restored by dissolving the HA filler.

'If the filler is not HA filler, there is no antidote and you can just get screwed.'

2. Thread lifts

Thread lifts are marketed as a quick way to achieve the same age-delaying results as a full facelift.

The procedure involves lifting sagging, aging skin using temporary sutures, which tighten the face.

Although thread lifts are not “inherently dangerous,” according to Dr. Youn, they can be a complete waste of money.

The results are short-lived and last only six to twelve months.

“I don't believe they are inherently dangerous, but they are extremely expensive for what you get,” he says.

Dr. Youn adds, “Doctors who perform this procedure should be honest and forthright with you [about the results]but I fear many are not.'

When it comes to value for money, it is better to go for a real facelift, which has proven results and a much longer lifespan.

3. 'Facelifts during lunch'

Don't fall for this false marketing gimmick, Dr. Youn warns.

'The term is most commonly used to describe a mini lift that is performed surgically, often under local anesthesia. Scars are made around the ears and a small amount of skin is removed, sometimes with some muscle tightening and liposuction.

'Some doctors advertise them as revolutionary, less invasive surgeries to fool people into having them performed. In reality, they are just smaller versions of what most real plastic surgeons do, with a smaller result and yet often scars of the same length.'

Some people report a small improvement, but overall these rarely result in a noticeable change. Once again, there are no shortcuts and this is another occasion where only a proper facelift will do.

4. Mesotherapy

Also known as 'biorejuvenation', this treatment essentially consists of injections of various substances, including plant extracts and multivitamins, which are said to improve the appearance of the skin.

Stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Katy Perry, Cara Delevingne, Jennifer Aniston and Rihanna are all fans of the procedure. Some who offer it claim it can also melt fat.

But Dr. Youn describes the ingredients in the injections as “a witch's brew cocktail of various corrosive substances.”

He continues: 'Each doctor injects different amounts of these different substances.'

However, the risks include lumpiness, granulomas (inflammatory nodules), infection, and skin necrosis (tissue death).

In the worst case? 'Your skin is a lumpy mess with draining sinus tracts and oozing infections.

'The only injection proven to be safe to melt fat is Kybella. Everything else, be wary of the risks.”

5. Carboxytherapy

'In this treatment, a doctor injects carbon dioxide through a needle under the skin of the face, eyelids or other areas. The belief is that the CO2 causes the body to deliver more oxygen to the area, improving its appearance,” says Dr. Youn.

People have claimed all kinds of benefits, including reducing under-eye bags, tightening skin, improving cellulite and getting rid of wrinkles — all of which are completely unproven, says Dr. Youn.

'Although the procedure appears safe, there is absolutely no scientific evidence to show that it works or does anything other than make your wallet smaller.'

6. Lip implants

'Lip implants can be made from different materials, ranging from silicone rubber to silicone filled with saline to even cadaver skin. However, they all give the same result: stiff lips.'

The lips, he says, are among the softest tissues in the body, and no implant has ever been able to consistently pass the Kiss test — when you pucker up and it feels like the real thing.

'It feels like kissing a spare tire. The best ways to accentuate the lips are injectable fillers, fat injections or the Botox lip flip.' The latter is when Botox is injected just above the upper lip, which relaxes the muscles and makes the lip appear fuller.

He points to Real Housewives star Lisa Rinna, who admitted to having lip implants long ago before having them removed.

And adds, “Although it's not confirmed, I think Meg Ryan may also have had lip implants done (I'm not her doctor).”

8. Hyaluronic pen

This at-home lip augmentation device could be the fastest way to get rid of lumpy or scarred lips, doctor warns.

'The hyaluron pen is a portable device that uses compressed air to push medicines, such as lip fillers, into the body.'

'The problem is that it's not very precise in terms of placement, because it's propelling this substance with a burst of compressed air. Additionally, you have no control over how deep the filler goes, which can cause lumpy lips in some cases, and intravascular occlusion and a dead lip in others.”

Younger for life: Feel good and look your best with the new science of auto rejuvenation by Anthony Youn is published by Hanover Square Press