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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I really do not like DH new look after having cosmetic surgery!

161 replies

cinnamontroll · 01/11/2025 13:01

I’ve been married to DH for 22 yrs. We have a pretty good marriage overall I think.
3 years ago he lost a significant amount of weight (215lbs) and he looks absolutely fantastic and is in great health now. He has been approved for skin removal surgery on the NHS but they are only doing chest and arms (which is fair I think) as it’s not considered cosmetic.
He wanted to also have an upper and lower blepharoplasty on his eyes. He said it bothered him and made him look older than he was. I said I understand and wanted him to feel better about himself as he’s worked tremendously hard living a ketogenic lifestyle and I’m proud of him for this.

Last month he went abroad to have the procedure done and now it’s about 4 weeks later I have to say I hate the way it’s changed his whole eye look! He looks like he’s always staring so intensely now and it stresses me out as they just are not the same eyes I’ve loved since we were 20yrs old. The surgery itself was done perfectly and the lower blepharoplasty does look good as he has no bags under eyes anymore but the eyelid just so startling to me now. I don’t say much about it as I know he’s happy with the results but it’s so hard to get used to him looking different!
I honestly do not know whether to ever say I don’t like it or not?

To give you an idea, Bradley Cooper has recently had this done to his eyes and he gives the same kind of wide eyed look now too. Many people are commenting on this I’ve seen online and fear people may be also thinking this about him or talking behind his back about it.

AIBU to raise my thoughts about it or should I keep my thoughts about his new look to myself?

OP posts:
CoolFineDoneWicked · 01/11/2025 13:52

Gettingbysomehow · 01/11/2025 13:51

Upper blepharoplasties always look really weird on men. They shouldn't have them.
It's because they don't wear makeup. Im going for a full face lift in May but no way are they doing my upper eye lids.

They look weird on everyone.

Jollyhockeystickss · 01/11/2025 13:52

Dont buy food anymore and be out friday when they are dropped off, get home late go to bed and shut bedroom door, get up saturday and go out for the day and go round friends and come home late and repeat sunday, keep your phone off all weekend and keep doing it until hubby takes responsibility...

Allseeingallknowing · 01/11/2025 13:52

In BC’s case I wouldn't say it’s an improvement!

Gettingbysomehow · 01/11/2025 13:51

Upper blepharoplasties always look really weird on men. They shouldn't have them.
It's because they don't wear makeup. Im going for a full face lift in May but no way are they doing my upper eye lids.

Tryingatleast · 01/11/2025 13:51

Oh, just looked up Bradley cooper. He looks almost like Cillian Murphy, his eyes look creepier. Agree not to say it but it’s a pity, people really don’t realise what they don’t like about themselves is what people find comforting

shhblackbag · 01/11/2025 13:50

Uncanny is exactly it.

Caleb64 · 01/11/2025 13:49

Of course you’re not unreasonable! I wouldn’t say anything though because it can’t be undone. I recently lost 10+ stone, it’s not my partners fault I let myself get so fat and now have so much loose skin just like it’s not your fault that your partner allowed that as well. But I would be hurt if he said it. Best to just keep it to yourself if you do want to stay in the marriage.

thankgoditssaturday · 01/11/2025 13:49

God this is why people shouldn’t mess around with themselves. I don’t like the look of any celebrities post surgery. If it’s freaking you out that much it’s going to be difficult not to comment.

herbaltincture · 01/11/2025 13:49

Looked up Bradley Cooper. Yikes. It reminds me of when Renee Zelwegger emerged looking unrecognisable some years ago. But her face settled back into her own face again at some point, and presumably your husband's will too.

ILoveHolidaysAbroad · 01/11/2025 13:47

I've had this procedure. I love it.

EasternStandard · 01/11/2025 13:46

CoolFineDoneWicked · 01/11/2025 13:44

Nothing you can do about it, but I know why you’re upset - I think the upper bleph surgery always makes people look a bit uncanny. I hate it when actors do it because it removes a bit of their personality and expression, they look a bit alien, or AI. Face and neck lifts are fine, but messing around with eyes just changes a person’s look massively. They are the main source of facial expression after all.

I agree although also agree with pp there’s not much point in saying anything, he can’t change it.

CoolFineDoneWicked · 01/11/2025 13:44

Nothing you can do about it, but I know why you’re upset - I think the upper bleph surgery always makes people look a bit uncanny. I hate it when actors do it because it removes a bit of their personality and expression, they look a bit alien, or AI. Face and neck lifts are fine, but messing around with eyes just changes a person’s look massively. They are the main source of facial expression after all.

SalmonOnFinnCrisp · 01/11/2025 13:42

😲😲😲

Just googled bradley cooper!!

I couldnt articulate what exactly is different about his face but I wouldn't even recognise bradley cooper as himself if I walked pasted him in the street!!!

Re your DH
Yanbu but he cant really "undo" it so I am not sure theres much point saying anything. Maybe buy him a few pairs of sunglasses for christmas / his birthday 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

cinnamontroll · 01/11/2025 13:41

henlake7 · 01/11/2025 13:23

Im surprised this bothers you TBH.
Either he was thinner when you met (in which case appearances cant matter that much!) or he now looks dramatically different anyways after losing 200Ibs so you'd have to get used to that anyways!

He was a normal healthy weight when we met, he did spend about 10 yrs of our 22 very overweight, but like I said he took control of himself and completely changed his lifestyle as he had a bit of a health scare and it really shook him up. The weight loss was gradual obviously so it wasn’t exactly jarring to see him slim and fit again as it took over 2 yrs to achieve.

He hasn’t outright asked me “do you like it?” So I think I will just say it’s taking me time to get used to his new look if he does ask.

OP posts:
AliceMaforethought · 01/11/2025 13:38

I would say that you weren't being unreasonable, except that people on here get terribly cross if anyone dares to say that a woman's plastic surgery makes her look weird, and I hate double standards, so I'm going to say that you should embrace it and hope you get used to it.

StrawberrySquash · 01/11/2025 13:38

I do have sympathy. I had a friend who lost a load of weight and I went to see him after not seeing him for a while and he just looked so odd. Because the person in front of me just didn't look like the person in my head. And he wasn't a partner where this stuff matters far more!

I think you will get used to it in time, so I'd tell yourself that. I don't think any good will come of telling him. After all we all change as we get older, but that's gradual. The suddenness is probably part of it.

WonderlandWasAllAHoax · 01/11/2025 13:37

What would be the point in telling him?

EasternStandard · 01/11/2025 13:37

Ik what you mean about Bradley Cooper, there must be better outcomes than his, it doesn’t look the best.

Baninarama · 01/11/2025 13:36

Not much you can do BUT ageing is continuous and his eyes will look more like the old him as time goes on and gravity takes its course.

I agree that blepheroplasties seem so hard to get right. Kate Moss looked like Liberace when she had hers done - I wondered if they'd left enough skin for her to blink! Natalia Vodianova has ruined her unique look with hers, too.

OriginalUsername2 · 01/11/2025 13:33

I get what you mean. The one time DP shaved his beard off, it felt like he’d been replaced by a brother or cousin. I kind of missed him even though he was there. Strange but true.

No good can come out of saying anything. I think you will come to a point where it’s okay.

3hairspastfreckle · 01/11/2025 13:30

At 4 weeks there could still be some swelling to go down so things might look different again in another few weeks. Also you will get used to the change.

henlake7 · 01/11/2025 13:23

Im surprised this bothers you TBH.
Either he was thinner when you met (in which case appearances cant matter that much!) or he now looks dramatically different anyways after losing 200Ibs so you'd have to get used to that anyways!

JFDIYOLO · 01/11/2025 13:22

We all age.

You probably don't look like the younger version of you that he fell in love with.

Don't say you don't like it.

But do say how much you like how he is now and help him become satisfied and content in himself. You don't want him getting addicted to procedures and constantly having more and more stuff done til it starts to become grotesque.

jbm16 · 01/11/2025 13:19

What are you going to achieve by telling him, other than hurt his feelings? In my experience unless it's going to fundamentally change something there is little point, it's done now, you can't really change anything other than hope it calms down overtime.

freshlaundrysmell · 01/11/2025 13:18

Littlebobbin15 · 01/11/2025 13:03

I suggest you keep it to yourself, it’s done now so there’s no going back,

yeah, this. What is the point of telling him you don't like it?- he cant have the skin put back now can he 🤣

I am sure you'll get used to it.

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