The allure and risks of SA’s cosmetic surgery craze

WE LIVE in a time where scrolling through Instagram or TikTok is like flipping through a modern-day beauty magazine.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

Flawless skin, perfect bodies and “ageless” faces seem almost ordinary, especially when celebrities like Khanyi Mbau openly share their cosmetic journeys online.

But as the allure of cosmetic procedures grows, so do questions around self-worth, societal pressure and the gap between expectation and reality.

For many South Africans, it’s easy to relate when public figures discuss hair loss (traction alopecia, anyone?), pigmentation or the desire to age gracefully.

Yet, as cosmetic surgery becomes more mainstream, the line between empowerment and insecurity gets blurry. Mbau, a household name in Mzansi, has become synonymous with transformation, sometimes controversially so.

Her openness about skin lightening, fillers, Botox and a range of surgeries (from blepharoplasty to breast augmentation) has sparked both admiration and confusion.

As reported, she’s suggested she’s had “maybe 20 plus” procedures. When the final results are revealed online, South Africans often find themselves asking: Is the reality ever as extraordinary as the expectation?

The numbers support this growing trend.

According to the Global and South African Statistics on Aesthetic/Cosmetic Procedures from the ISAPS 2023 Survey, South Africa mirrors global trends, with botulinum toxin (botox) and hyaluronic acid (fillers) being popular non-surgical procedures, and eyelid surgery, breast augmentation, and liposuction being favoured surgical procedures.

But unlike Hollywood, where the culture of “tweakments” is almost expected, South Africa's relationship with cosmetic enhancement is layered with cultural, economic and social nuances.