Losing 150 Pounds Didn’t End My Body Dysmorphia—Surgery Did

Winter*, a 30-year-old woman living in Glasgow, Scotland, thought losing 150 pounds would make her happy. Instead, it opened the door to devastating new insecurities.

She underwent gastric sleeve surgery, the most commonly performed weight-loss procedure worldwide. To qualify, patients must have a BMI of 40 or higher and be in class III obesity, formerly known as “morbid obesity.” An estimated 42% of Americans are obese, but just 9-10% fall into class III.

Winter’s dramatic weight loss left her body with excess skin, and she rapidly entered a different world of body dysmorphia. This time, though, she didn’t delay finding a solution: she tackled her concern head-on with an extensive series of surgeries.

She spoke to The Looker about her experience and what she would tell others struggling with similar concerns.

After I dropped 150 pounds five years ago through a gastric sleeve surgery, my body was sagging to such a degree that I felt like I was being punished.

Yes, I had finally lost the weight—something I had wanted for so long. But instead of looking (and feeling) good, I appeared to be prematurely aging. It was a lot of loose skin, and I felt like my face had taken a hit.

I had just graduated, was at the start of my career, and wanted to look my best.

The body dysmorphia after losing weight lasted for years. Looking in the mirror, I could see myself: really slim, but drowning in loose skin, and my face was falling.

“This isn’t what I thought it would be at all,” I thought. “I’ve lost weight, and I’m literally being penalized for it.”

It felt awful, so I decided to make a change.

The Path to Confidence

I considered undergoing cosmetic surgery for two or three years, though I didn’t think it was possible because these procedures are so expensive. I was a full-time student, and I just didn’t think it was financially feasible.

I had overcome seemingly prohibitive costs before. A few years earlier, I decided to buy a house. I locked in, grinding away for six months until I reached the amount I needed. Eventually, I saved up enough to put a deposit on a house.

The realization hit me: I pulled this off once. I could do it again.

I worked four jobs to afford the surgeries. I buckled down and worked nonstop. I sold a lot of clothes on Vinted, flipping streetwear for profit. Ultimately, I reached my goal again.

Going Under the Knife Again (and Again)

I underwent five procedures in 2021, all in Istanbul, Turkey, with the work primarily focused on my body. I had a circumferential tummy tuck (a tummy tuck that went 360 degrees around my torso); a breast lift and implant; liposuction all over my torso, and a surgical lip lift as well. These cost around $8,000.

Even after addressing the loose skin on my body, my face was still falling; I decided to change that, too. Surgeons in the U.K., I felt, didn’t take me seriously—as though they thought I was too young for a facelift. I found doctors in Turkey to be more open-minded.

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I took six months to pick my surgeons. I wanted to ensure they’d always listen to me, and would be okay telling me to slow down if that’s what they thought would be best. When I consulted with potential surgeons, if they tried to upsell me on other things, I’d no longer consider them. They shouldn’t be upselling procedures as if they were just products.

Several years later, in May 2025, I underwent another five procedures on my face. This set cost significantly more, totalling around $21,000.

These included a midface lift (a fairly new type of facelift that targets only the midface; it’s considerably less invasive than a full-face lift). I also had a rhinoplasty, a canthoplasty (what some call a cat eye procedure), an endoscopic brow lift, and a fat graft to my cheeks.

I spent a lot of money on the surgeries for my face. It was on the higher end of what Turkish surgery should cost, but I didn’t want to cheap out on my face, so I was glad to pay out.

More than anything, I am so happy with the work I’ve had done.

The biggest difference: I don’t experience cognitive or body dissonance when I look at myself anymore. I used to look in the mirror and feel really sad and upset because it didn’t match the idealized version of myself in my head.

Now, when I look in the mirror, it’s exactly what I expected to see, so I can just get on with my day. I don’t have to worry, like, “Oh my nose didn’t look the way that I expected,” or, “Oh, those lines are really deep.”

Instead, when I see my reflection, I accept what I look like, then just get on with it. It’s really nice.

The Response From Others

There’s no part of me that regrets the surgeries. In my opinion, looking good is a currency. To be clear, this does not factor into how I treat others. Still, I am very aware of other people’s motives toward me.

I’ve noticed a difference in how people treat me now compared to before—and it is a really ugly change. I’ve been blown up online quite a bit. But I am loved by my friends the same way I have always been.

My advice for anyone else would be to make sure you’re in a good place for it. Don’t do it because somebody else told you that you needed it done. Don’t do it on a whim. Make sure that you’ve done your research.

I feel a great deal of responsibility when I recount my experience; for me, it is essential to share my story with integrity.

I’m a huge believer in self-love, whatever that means to you. If you can, try your best to love and accept your features. But if you can’t, don’t let anybody else shame you into feeling like you can’t have surgery. It’s on the table.

*Name has been changed.

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