‘You can’t control everything’: the rise in plastic surgeons asked to create ‘AI face’ | AI (artificial intelligence)

‘You can’t control everything’: the rise in plastic surgeons asked to create ‘AI face’ | AI (artificial intelligence)

‘You can’t control everything’: the rise in plastic surgeons asked to create ‘AI face’ | AI (artificial intelligence)

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/23/rise-in-plastic-surgeons-asked-to-create-ai-face-cosmetic-surgery

Publish Date: 2026-05-23 07:00:00

Source Domain: www.theguardian.com

Here are six key points summarizing the article regarding the rise of “AI face” and its impact on patients seeking cosmetic surgery:

  1. Rising Concerns Among Plastic Surgeons: Plastic surgeons like Dr. Nora Nugent and Dr. Alex Karidis are increasingly worried about patients coming in with unrealistic expectations shaped by AI-generated images of ideal beauty.

  2. Unrealistic Standards from AI: Patients are arriving with images beautified by AI that set impossible and often prohibitively expensive standards for cosmetic surgery, like hyper-symmetry and flawless skin.

  3. Surgical Limitations: Surgeons emphasize that cosmetic surgery cannot replicate the microscopic precision of AI. Detailed adjustments that AI can make to pixels cannot be safely or effectively achieved through surgery.

  4. Psychological Impact of AI Imagery: AI-generated images have a strong psychological impact, often becoming ingrained in patients’ minds, affecting their perception of achievable results.

  5. Feasibility of Procedures: Surgeons like Dr. Karidis note that when patients request dramatic changes based on AI recommendations, they often overlook the practical limitations and risks associated with such procedures.

  6. Risk of Unrealistic Expectations: Surgeons caution that even if patients undergo extensive surgeries based on AI suggestions, they may not achieve the depicted results and may face significant financial and recovery burdens.