Cosmetic Surgery: TikTok influencer Abby Morgan shares why she decided to have breast augmentation at 18

Known for her fashion, beauty and lifestyle content, Abby Morgan now has nearly 50,000 followers on the social media platform. In the past two years she has attracted brand sponsorships, including attending a Pretty Little Thing event.

Abby has been open and honest about the procedures she has undergone including, filler in her lips, jaw, chin and cheek at 17 and a breast augmentation at 18. Speaking to NationalWorld, Abby now 20 years-old shares her cosmetic surgery journey and the influence social media had on her.

How has TikTok influenced your views on beauty and self-image? 

Social media plays such a big part in people’s lives, both positive and negative. There are so many different facial filters and photo editing apps nowadays which are setting beauty standards so high for a lot of people, mainly girls. Luckily, I’m now old enough to understand that everything you see online isn’t real life. However, if you were to ask me this 2 or 3 years ago, I would’ve thought completely differently. 

When I was a lot younger, it was only celebrities who edited the way they looked, but now anyone can do it and that’s the scary part. Cosmetic surgery has become normalised. I think this does have a big impact on how you view yourself. You do sit there and think ‘why don’t I look like that’ ‘why isn’t my skin that smooth’ etc. 

A lot of girls go viral on social media for being ‘TikTok pretty’. They could be lip syncing to a song for 15 seconds and within a few hours have millions of views. However, somebody else could do the exact same thing and get 100 views. It makes you think if she’s gone viral, why can’t I?

What was the motivation behind you getting these procedures?

Since the age of 17 I’ve had facial fillers which have tweaked the way I look. It’s only recently that I’ve stopped doing this as I’m starting to feel a lot more confident in my natural looks. The influence of other girls motivated me to get fillers. If you see your favourite influencer get filler, you want the same because it looks so nice and you see how it makes them feel so good. You feel it will instantly do the same for you.

As soon as I turned 18, I had a breast augmentation. I’m super glad I went through this surgery because it’s something I’ve wanted to do for as long as I can remember. What people don’t realise is that it doesn’t now solve all your body image issues. You may have a body that you’re happier with, but when you look in the mirror and see your face, there will be features you aren’t happy with. 

Cosmetic surgery will not change the way you view yourself. I am super happy with the results, and yes, I do feel more confident, but there are still days I wake up and think ‘you’re not that pretty today’. 

How did you decide on these specific procedures and where to get them done?

It didn’t take me very long once I had something in my head. Of course I will research and look at complications, but afterwards I will just do it. 

When I had facial fillers in my lips, jaw, chin and cheeks, I went to a registered NHS nurse who does aesthetics on the side of her full time job. If I was to give any advice to someone wanting fillers, I would always make sure you go to someone who’s a registered NHS nurse.

When I had breast augmentation, I made sure I chose the right surgeon and company because it was such a big surgery. I went to The Private Clinic of Harley Street in London. I found this through recommendations on social media and through people I know who’ve had it done. It did mean paying a little extra but I’d rather do that and know it was getting done properly.

What was the recovery process like? Were there any changes you didn’t anticipate?

When having breast augmentation, the recovery process went really smoothly for me. I had the best support system and after care from my surgeon and his colleagues. It took 6 weeks to recover, but the first week was definitely the hardest as I couldn’t drive and was bedbound. The hardest part was sleeping sat upright and not being able to shower for a week! After this first week, I was completely fine to drive again, have showers and go back to doing things normally. I definitely do think where you go has a big impact on how you feel after the surgery. 

What advice would you give to young people who are considering cosmetic surgery?

You don’t need to do it for anyone else other than yourself. Make sure the decision is for you and only you. Research into the risks and find the best clinic for you. 

How do you think society and social media could better support young people in feeling confident about their appearance?

Truthfully, I don’t think this can be helped, given the size and influence of social media. Society nowadays can be cruel. If social media creators were more honest about procedures they’ve had done, people would understand this isn’t ‘natural beauty’.

For some people Cosmetic surgery can act as an on the surface fix to suit the TikTok trends, but it’s clear from Abby that issues surrounding body image sit a lot deeper than what fillers can fix.

Although it can enhance your confidence, it is extremely important to research procedures first and consider all aspects from who your surgeon will be to the aftercare process and maintenance of procedures. It’s not just about getting a good price as cheaper may cost you more in the long run.