Fillers, botox, and microneedling. Those are just a few on a growing list of non-invasive cosmetic procedures that women are getting to make themselves look and feel more beautiful. The women that are regulars to these injection clinics believe it’s harmless. In the age of social media and artificial intelligence, women feel like they need to keep up with the Kardashians and everyone else. They see technology and advanced medicine as a way to defer wrinkles and laugh lines. One way to do that is by adding cosmetic practices like fillers or botox to their monthly self-care routine. Just like a woman goes to get her nails, hair or brows done, she also makes the appointment to keep up with her fillers. What’s worse is how the less invasive procedures can be gateways to more serious operations.

Dangers

There’s been a lot of talk as to whether people have moved on from fillers, which is the gel-like substance that can be injected under the skin to fix under-eye circles, add volume or smooth lip lines. Although the procedures for fillers are generally safe, some people have gotten too many and now suffer from “filler fatigue.” That’s problematic because removal of the filler doesn’t always make the person happy: they return to their old face which they didn’t like in the first place. What’s worse, is that the unhappy customer may go in search of something else that will be a more permanent fix. 

I argue that these types of procedures are gateway procedures. Just like some types of drugs are gateways to more addictive drugs, I think these non-invasive cosmetic procedures can make you more likely to try something more dangerous like a Brazilian butt lift or breast implants. If you are quick to do the simple procedures, you might start looking towards the more invasive procedures to fix the areas that you can’t easily fix by working out or applying sculpting makeup. 

I believe this is just one part of an endemic problem our society faces: never being satisfied. We want perfection and we want things done quickly. And even when we get what we asked for, we decide it’s not enough.

The Islamic Perspective

As Muslims, we are taught that Allah is perfect and everything he creates is perfection. He SWT makes no mistakes. When Allah creates human beings, he creates them in the manner He intended. Because of this, our attempts to change ourselves are frowned upon and possibly even haram. On his podcast, Dr. Shadee Elmasry, says that we are only allowed to change things that are broken or in need of repair. He gives the example of needing braces or adjustments to the eyes for improved vision. He told the story about a sahaba that had a broken nose and was able to get it replaced. While he didn’t give specific advice about fillers or botox, it’s important to know that generally Islam doesn’t allow us to change parts of our bodies that aren’t broken. 

I think it’s important for women especially to reflect on why they want something changed and to remember that at the end of the day it’s only Allah that we need to please.