Botched Season 8: Drs. Nassif & Dubrow Tackle Unprecedented Cases and Unmask Dangerous TikTok Plastic Surgery Trends

Prepare for an emotional and medically complex journey as your favorite real-life corrective plastic surgeons, Botched stars Dr. Paul Nassif and Dr. Terry Dubrow, return on January 18. This highly anticipated new season promises to showcase their most formidable challenges yet, pushing the boundaries of what is surgically possible. Over the years, Drs. Nassif and Dubrow have encountered an astonishing array of cosmetic complications and deformities, but the cases featured in this upcoming season are unlike anything they’ve faced before, truly testing their unparalleled expertise and unwavering dedication to their patients. In an exclusive interview, the esteemed Botched physicians delved into the intricacies of these new cases and shared their candid thoughts on the burgeoning, and often perilous, world of TikTok plastic surgery trends.

The duo, renowned for their ability to transform lives by correcting botched cosmetic procedures and congenital deformities, emphasized the extreme nature of the upcoming episodes. Their commitment to helping those deemed “unfixable” by other surgeons is a cornerstone of the show, and this season elevates that mission to new heights.

“This season is truly characterized by extreme cases that are immediately visible and profoundly impactful,” Dr. Terry Dubrow revealed. “These aren’t issues that can be easily concealed with clothing; they are deeply affecting our patients’ lives and self-esteem. Many of these are cases we actually ‘passed on’ many, many seasons ago because they were simply too difficult, too risky, or deemed beyond the scope of traditional reconstructive surgery at the time. However, our cumulative experience and advancements in surgical techniques have now made them potentially treatable.” This testament to their evolving skills highlights the profound challenges they’ve embraced.

The depth of the doctors’ commitment becomes evident in the personal stories behind these extreme cases. Each patient represents a journey of suffering, hope, and often, desperation. The decision to revisit previously rejected cases underscores the doctors’ belief that every individual deserves a chance at a better quality of life, no matter how complex their condition.

Dr. Dubrow recounted one particularly remarkable Botched case involving a young woman born with a severe congenital defect where her “intestines were outside of her abdomen.” While medical advancements in her infancy allowed doctors to save her life and successfully reposition her intestines into the intra-abdominal space, the initial trauma and subsequent surgeries left her with a severely destroyed and disfigured abdominal wall. “She’s this young, pretty woman who lives in Hawaii, a place where swimwear is a part of everyday life,” Terry explained, illustrating the cruel irony of her situation. “Because her abdominal wall was so distorted and compromised, she grew up and continues to live in a situation where she can’t wear anything that exposes her midsection. The emotional and psychological toll this has taken on her is immense. The stakes were extraordinarily high. No one would even attempt to try to fix this abdominal wall due to its complexity and the potential for catastrophic complications.” This highlights the immense pressure and the critical skill required for such a life-altering reconstructive procedure.

Thanks to his extensive “Botched training” – a term that encapsulates years of experience tackling the most challenging plastic surgery cases imaginable – Dr. Dubrow was ultimately able to devise a plan and successfully intervene, offering this young woman a chance at a normal life. Similarly, Dr. Paul Nassif unveiled details about a case this season that he anticipates will be an absolute “tearjerker” for viewers. He worked with a young woman who had suffered a devastating traumatic brain injury, which resulted in severe damage to her eye, significantly impacting her vision and facial aesthetics. “Everyone is going to cry with this episode,” he revealed, hinting at the profound emotional journey and the powerful outcome of her treatment. These cases exemplify the show’s core mission: not just to fix bodies, but to heal spirits.

The emotional weight of these transformations extends beyond the operating room. For many patients, correcting a significant physical defect or a botched procedure isn’t just about appearance; it’s about reclaiming their identity, their confidence, and their ability to live without constant physical and emotional pain. The doctors’ empathy and meticulous approach are vital components of their success.

Dr. Nassif’s patient roster this season also includes other heart-wrenching and medically challenging cases. Among them is a 4-year-old girl who “destroyed her mouth” after tragically drinking acid, requiring intricate and delicate reconstructive surgery to restore function and appearance to her developing facial features. Another truly extraordinary patient “actually has an eggplant on the side of their face” – a large, disfiguring growth that has plagued the individual for years. Dr. Nassif elaborated on the latter case, stating, “Growing up in Mexico, no one would touch that case. That probably is, of all the procedures I did, the number one procedure of the whole 9 seasons we’re going to say that, thanks to Sharp Hospital, we were able to actually get the resources and really help this patient.” This anecdote underscores the global impact of their work and the exceptional resources and collaborative efforts often required to achieve successful outcomes in such rare and complicated medical situations. These cases highlight the spectrum of congenital, traumatic, and acquired deformities that the Botched doctors confront, showcasing their unparalleled skill and innovative surgical approaches.

Beyond the operating room, the conversation with the Botched doctors inevitably turned to the pervasive influence of social media on cosmetic trends. In recent years, platforms like TikTok have become fertile ground for the rapid dissemination and popularization of various plastic surgery fads, often with little regard for long-term consequences or safety.

From aggressive buccal fat removal, designed to create a more hollowed-out cheek look, to the increasingly popular “fox eye” lift, which aims for an almond-shaped, elevated outer eye corner, TikTok is undeniably influencing countless viewers to consider going under the knife. This trend-driven approach to aesthetic enhancement raises significant concerns among seasoned medical professionals. The Botched doctors, with their unique perspective on rectifying surgical mistakes, offered their expert insights and a stern warning regarding these fleeting plastic surgery trends.

Dr. Nassif specifically addressed the risks associated with buccal fat removal, a procedure that has surged in popularity. “Let me mention buccal fat. One thing to note when we’re doing facelifts, a lot of patients now will come in with or without a facelift and say, ‘Take out my buccal fat.’ So what we want to tell patients is you have to be careful,” he cautioned. “Yes, it may be the trend right now. Yes, temporarily, it may make you look slimmer right in this area here. But as you get older, we naturally and already lose fat in the face. When you become gaunt in this area here – the mid-cheek region – it makes you look at least 10 years older, if not more, significantly aging your appearance prematurely. So, we urge extreme caution about having that procedure performed, especially if you are young or have an already slim face.” His advice underscores the crucial difference between short-term trends and timeless aesthetic principles that prioritize natural-looking, age-appropriate results.

The allure of a quick aesthetic fix can be powerful, especially when amplified by social media. However, Dr. Nassif’s warning serves as a critical reminder that decisions made today about irreversible procedures can have significant, and often regrettable, consequences in the future. The natural aging process involves fat loss in the face, and removing buccal fat prematurely can exacerbate this, leading to a hollowed, aged look that is difficult to correct.

Echoing his colleague’s sentiments, Dr. Dubrow added a broader warning about the ephemeral nature of aesthetic trends and the potentially permanent repercussions. “I’m just saying a lot of these things are irreversible. Today’s trends are tomorrow’s disasters, so you guys have just got to be really careful,” he stressed. “Don’t try anything you’ve seen on TikTok or any other online platform without professional consultation. Make sure you go to a board-certified plastic surgeon or a board-certified dermatologist for any procedure, big or small, where you’re having things done. Be really, really careful because you don’t want to kind of have to come to a Botched doctor. You know you’ve got a problem when you’ve got to come to us to fix you, meaning your situation has become dire.” This powerful statement serves as a stark reminder of the importance of prioritizing safety, expertise, and long-term well-being over fleeting beauty fads promoted on social media.

The doctors’ warnings are not merely theoretical; they stem directly from their daily experiences of treating patients whose lives have been negatively impacted by poorly advised or executed cosmetic procedures, often influenced by the latest viral trend. Their expertise lies in the challenging work of correction, making their advice particularly potent and grounded in real-world consequences.

Beyond surgical trends, the discussion also touched upon the broader cultural shifts in beauty and skincare, particularly the recent “10-year-olds at Sephora” drama surrounding young children experimenting with adult-strength skincare products. This phenomenon, which has sparked widespread debate, raises questions about the increasing pressure on young people to maintain an impossibly perfect appearance. So, do the Botched docs think this trend hints at more drastic plastic surgery trends to come for a younger demographic?

“I think so, absolutely,” Dr. Dubrow admitted, acknowledging the concerning implications of this early exposure to intensive beauty regimens. “I must say I am a little bit of a victim of TikTok and all of the sort of videos that my iPhone is showing me all the time. But everyone’s looking for the quick fix. Everyone’s looking for the next big thing you can do that’s going to make you look better, that’s going to make your selfies pop, and your social media situation more popular. The constant pursuit of perfection, fueled by curated online images, can lead individuals down a dangerous path where they seek immediate and often extreme solutions. But don’t do it. If you’re seeing it online, it’s not necessarily something that’s time-tested, thoroughly researched, or medically proven. It’s certainly not something that reputable doctors are widely recommending for the general public, especially young individuals, so be very, very careful.” This candid warning underscores the doctors’ concern about the future landscape of cosmetic surgery, particularly as younger generations grow up under the pervasive influence of social media’s often unrealistic beauty standards. New episodes of Botched air Thursday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on E!, promising to educate and enthrall audiences with both incredible transformations and vital cautionary tales.