Bizarre new surgeries that give people cartoon-like features, including pointy faces, overly sculpted jawlines and Popeye-style biceps, have come under fire from surgeons.
While eye-catching looks help influencers gain thousands of followers, surgeons warn that these extreme and disturbing procedures can have “serious mental and physical health consequences,” including tissue death.
In the UK, the Offences Against the Person Act of the 1850s made it a crime to carry out extreme procedures.
But still, many go under the knife to receive these unusual procedures abroad.
Here, MailOnline explores some of the most disturbing trends in surgery on social media.
Russian ‘bazooka hands’ influencer, aka the Russian Popeye, Kirill Tereshin, 25
The social media user (left), who has 51,300 followers on Instagram, has been injecting himself with oil to achieve a ripped look rather than building his muscles in the gym.
Russian ‘bazooka hands’ influencer, also known as the Russian Popeye, Kirill Tereshin, 25, has built up a reputation online for his gigantic biceps and intense facial work.
The social media user, who has 51,300 followers on Instagram, has apparently used oil-based injections to achieve his ripped look instead of building his muscles in the gym.
“Her dramatic appearance can be attributed to regular steroid use and the alleged injection of around three litres of Vaseline into her arms,” Mr Reza Nassab, consultant plastic surgeon at the CLNQ Clinic in Manchester, told MailOnline.
But he strongly advises against such injections because they can cause tissue death.
“Injecting Vaseline or other non-medical substances can severely compromise the blood supply to muscles, leading to tissue death and other serious health complications,” he added.
Tiago Azevedo, a New York-based architect and pop surrealist painter who has 58,300 followers on Instagram, has an extreme amount of cheek filler and implants, according to surgeons.
Tiago Azevedo, a New York-based architect and pop surrealist painter who has 58,300 followers on Instagram, is another influencer getting in on the trend, posting images of his chiseled jawline, sculpted cheekbones and pointed chin online.
Looking like one of her surreal portraits, surgeons say she has had an extreme amount of cheek filler and implants.
Indonesian TikTok beauty influencer Yuni Jasminebutiq, who has 410.7k followers, is another influencer who shows off her pointed chin and narrow jawline in videos.
Experts suggest she has also had fillers, but many of her videos appear to use filters that accentuate the effect.
Commenting on the cartoonish features of Azevedo and Jasminebutiq, Mr Nassab said “it is possible that multiple fillers were used”.
TikTok beauty influencer Yuni Jasminebutiq, who has 410.7k followers, shows off her pointy chin and narrow jawline in videos.
Surgeons suggest the influencer has fillers and warn that these looks are not risk-free
He suggests that a “youthful” and “alert” expression may have been created with a brow lift using Botox or threads to elevate the eyebrows.
“Cheek fillers can add volume and create a plumper, more youthful appearance. Jawline fillers can help achieve a more defined and contoured jawline, while chin fillers can improve the overall balance and symmetry of the face,” she added.
Mr Nassab added: ‘In addition, regular lip fillers can enhance the size and volume of the lips, contributing to the exaggerated features often seen in these highly stylised appearances.
‘By combining these aesthetic treatments, people can achieve a unique and highly stylized look that resembles a cartoon character.’
Bristol-based consultant plastic surgeon Dr Nigel Mercer, who specialises in facial reconstruction surgery, explained that this look is not without risks.
He said: ‘Chin implants will cause encapsulation problems and may extrude due to pressure.
‘In addition, they can cause the roots of the teeth to resorb due to pressure on the jawbone.’
“It is impossible to know exactly what the patient thinks he will be left with when he comes out (no implant is permanent),” he added.
Harley Street plastic surgeon and medical director of CREO CLINIC, Dr Omar Tillo, said it’s not just the risk of complications, infections and tissue damage that people need to be aware of.
He added that these procedures can also have mental health consequences and believes surgeons are responsible for ensuring they conduct a psychological assessment of the patient before considering any extreme changes.
“As a plastic surgeon, it is critical to address the risks of bizarre surgical transformations like these. Such procedures, often motivated by unrealistic expectations or body dysmorphia, can have serious consequences for mental and physical health,” he said.
These extreme looks can lead to dissatisfaction, regret and irreversible changes in appearance, warns Dr. Tillo.
He added: “While prioritising patient safety and mental well-being, surgeons must foster realistic expectations and provide a thorough psychological assessment before considering any extreme alterations.”