Quick answer: Should women be shamed for choosing — or declining — cosmetic surgery? Nikol Johnson's answer is no. Drawing on her background in skincare and a lifelong pull toward medicine, she sees cosmetic procedures as a deeply personal decision. The real problem, she argues, is the judgment women face either way: for having work done, or for aging without it.
Key takeaways
- Nikol's stance is No Beauty Rules: every woman gets to decide what feels right for her own face, body, and hair — without owing anyone an explanation.
- The shaming cuts both ways: women are criticized for having cosmetic work done and for visibly aging without it.
- Having worked as a clinical esthetician alongside plastic surgeons and dermatologists, Nikol sees cosmetic surgery as a skilled, often life-changing option that deserves research and respect, not snap judgments.
- A shaming comment aimed at her 2019 guest Carol — who shared that she'd had a facelift — is what finally spurred this conversation.
- Nikol keeps her channel a "come as you are" space and removes comments that tear other women down.
Hey ladies — this one has been on my heart since 2019, and I finally sat down to say it out loud. We need to talk about plastic surgery shaming: the judgment women get for choosing cosmetic procedures, and the judgment they get for aging without them. I'm not here to tell you what to do with your face or your body. I'm here to say the shaming has to stop.
What is plastic surgery shaming — and why talk about it now?
Plastic surgery shaming is criticizing or judging someone for choosing a cosmetic procedure — or, on the flip side, judging her for visibly aging without one. I kept seeing it pop up in my comments even when we weren't talking about surgery at all, and it started to really bother me. When I Googled it, I realized it's a documented issue with articles written about it, including an ELLE piece, "Why We Shame Women for Plastic Surgery and Why It's Important We Stop" by Alyssa Strauss, that I pulled some points from.
The moment that stayed with me was in 2019. I featured Carol on my Fierce Aging series — women in their 50s through 90s who come on my channel with no makeup and share their real beauty journeys. Carol drove hours from Northern Florida with her husband, and she gently mentioned she'd had a facelift at 66 because she felt more confident in the workplace, especially working around younger women. She wasn't apologizing; it was simply her personal choice. Then someone left a comment about her "work done," and this lovely guest felt she had to defend herself. That's what pushed me to speak up.
Where does Nikol stand on cosmetic surgery?
I come at this from a slightly different place. Growing up I wanted to be a cardiologist, then an ER nurse — I dreamed of working with programs like Doctors Without Borders. That love of medicine carried into my career as a clinical esthetician working inside doctors' offices alongside plastic surgeons, ocular surgeons, and dermatologists. I think the ability to re-sculpt and restructure to help someone feel whole again is a genuine talent, and I feel fortunate we have specialists who can do it.
It's personal, too. I had a growth in my orbital socket since I was 12 that doubled in size during IVF, and after nine surgeons over ten years turned me away, one plastic surgeon finally removed it. Was it aesthetic? Yes. Was it life-changing? Absolutely — and it was my decision to make. As Strauss's article put it, the typical cosmetic patient isn't a rich celebrity; it's your next-door neighbor hoping to feel comfortable and confident. And notice the double standard: a breast augmentation gets side-eye, while a breast reduction gets sympathy — even though both are personal, non-emergency choices about a woman's own body.
A gentle note: cosmetic procedures are personal medical decisions. They're a heavy topic that deserves real thought and research — always consult a qualified, licensed professional about what's right for you.
Why is aging without surgery judged too?
Here's the no-win part. A woman who has visible work done gets called "fake." A woman who ages naturally gets told she's "let herself go." I know this one personally — I get plenty of comments about going grey, telling me I look old or that I've given up. But going grey is my choice, and I think every stage of it is beautiful. I once met a woman in the checkout line at Victoria's Secret, a few months into growing out her silver hair, who told me she was doing it to honor her mother, who had recently passed and had gorgeous silver hair. That's her story, and it's nobody's place to shame it.
I felt the same when I featured Carmen Dell'Orefice at 91 — the video was about her morning routine, her lemon water, how she moisturizes and exercises, not about any procedures. When someone tried to reduce her to "but she does injections," they missed the entire point. Whether a woman chooses procedures or not, confidence — not any single choice — is what actually makes her magnetic at any age. You'll even hear me open this video applying one of my lip shades: I keep little mantras on my Shiny Velvet Cream Lipstick and lip gloss as a daily reminder that the only real beauty rule is feeling good in your own skin.
The bottom line
Whatever you choose — a facelift or none, colored hair or grey, filler or nothing at all — you get to own it and enjoy it, and you don't owe anyone an explanation. Shaming won't happen on my channel, because life is short and I want us all to radiate the most light we can. Come as you are. If a little lip color is part of how you feel your most confident, explore our lips edit, from lipstick to high-shine lip gloss — all formulated with mature lips in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is plastic surgery shaming?
Plastic surgery shaming is criticizing or judging someone for choosing a cosmetic procedure — or, conversely, judging her for visibly aging without one. As Nikol explains, both directions put women in an impossible, no-win position and imply their personal decisions about their own bodies are invalid or superficial.
Where does Nikol Johnson stand on cosmetic surgery?
Nikol supports a woman's right to choose. With a background as a clinical esthetician working alongside plastic surgeons and dermatologists, she views cosmetic procedures as a skilled, often life-changing option. She's careful to note she means everyday people wanting to feel better — not extreme cases — and calls it a personal decision to be respected.
Does "No Beauty Rules" mean everyone should get procedures?
Not at all. No Beauty Rules means the choice is entirely yours — to have work done or not, to go grey or color your hair, to wear bold makeup or none. Nikol's point is that no path is the "right" one, and no woman should be judged for the personal decision she makes.
Is it okay to age naturally without Botox or surgery?
Absolutely — and it's equally okay to choose procedures. Nikol celebrates every stage of aging, including going grey, and stresses that women who age without intervention shouldn't be told they've "let themselves go." The healthiest approach is deciding for yourself and extending other women the same respect.
Why does Nikol remove shaming comments from her channel?
She wants her channel to stay a safe, "come as you are" space, especially for guests who bravely share their beauty journeys with no makeup on. After watching her 2019 guest Carol feel pressured to defend a personal choice, Nikol decided she'll delete comments that tear other women down.
Should I research a cosmetic procedure before deciding?
Yes. Nikol describes cosmetic surgery as a heavy, deeply personal topic that takes real thought and research. Because these are personal medical decisions, always consult a qualified, licensed professional about the risks, benefits, and whether a procedure is appropriate for you.
