Colonisation of the nose: How rhinoplasty is redefining confidence in South Asia and the Middle East

Sara had an uneventful childhood, without cutting remarks on her looks until she entered university. “I never knew that a nose could be a standard of beauty,” she says. She still remembers how her “friend” would make fun of her nose and “jokingly” body-shame her “in normal conversations.”

"I became very insecure and even considered saving money for rhinoplasty and other procedures,” Sara recalls. Things reached the point where she realised the problem was not her nose or her body.

“It turned out I only needed to get rid of my friend, and everything went back to normal.”

The privilege of mental silence while staring into one's own reflection is not something that many women enjoy.

Nose job for a better life

The new year in Iran began with the country lowering the eligible age for cosmetic surgery to 14 for girls and 16 for boys, down from the previous age of 18. The change in eligibility has been deemed “scientifically appropriate” for the procedure, Ibrahim Rezmpa, a board member of the Iranian Rhinology Association, told Anadolu Agency.

This decision takes into account factors such as physical and emotional development.

Going down the rabbit hole, it turns out that plastic surgery, particularly rhinoplasty, is very common in Iran, and its demand continues to increase with existing social pressure, media influence (particularly from the West), and cultural norms that push the youth to meet beauty standards which often paves the way for better marriage proposals or better job opportunities.

As of 2022, Iran ranks 12th globally in cosmetic surgeries. However, doctors claim that the actual number of surgeries could place Iran among the top five worldwide, as many procedures go unreported.

These beauty standards do not only prevail across several Middle Eastern countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, but extend well into South Asia, where the measure of beauty, historically skewed by racism during the colonial era, was never fixed.

A similar trend has been prevalent in Pakistan's entertainment industry, with a number of celebrities subtly revealing their nose surgeries — and most of them owning up to it.

Sarwat Gilani openly discussed her rhinoplasty, which was an accidental route taken after a fall she suffered, requiring reconstructive surgery.

Actor Zahid Ahmed, in a confessional YouTube video in 2020, openly expressed regret over his rhinoplasty, which did not go as he had planned. He shared how his insecurities about his nose were self-created, and he would feel "conscious" and "nervous" when the camera focused on his left side, thinking his nose lacked symmetry. He shared his experience as a cautionary tale for people to carefully consider such decisions, encouraging them to embrace themselves.

In 2023, however, actress Naimal Khawar faced heavy criticism on social media after fans speculated she had undergone plastic surgery, including a nose job and lip fillers. Naimal responded only after a few supporters spoke out in her defense, thanking them and adding, "I wish more people could show kindness on social media."

Walking, talking ‘Snapchat filters’

The dorsal hump, high bridge, prominent projection, bulbous tip, and wide nostrils are features society often sneers at.

Mashal, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, only considered rhinoplasty after her classmates, extended family, and “desi aunties” criticised the nose on her “perfectly fine” face while she was living in Pakistan for higher education.

“I’ve heard comments like, ‘You’re pretty overall, but your nose ruins your beauty,’ and ‘You should get your nose fixed—it makes your side profile ugly.’

“I lost my confidence and stopped going out. People used to stare at me weirdly, which made me uncomfortable,” she recalls years later. 

These standards loom over Mashal’s life in Saudi Arabia as well, where, as she describes, women focus heavily on achieving facial symmetry and striving for a “doll-like appearance with extraordinary features.”

A study published by the National Institutes of Health, titled Interest in Rhinoplasty and Awareness of Postoperative Complications Among Female High School Students in Taif, Saudi Arabia, shows a sharp rise in rhinoplasty procedures in recent years. As of 2024, they account for 30 percent of “all” cosmetic surgeries in the country, with social media strongly influencing young women to change their appearance.

“You’ll see lip fillers, Botox, eyebrow tattoos, fox eye lifts, and jaw lifts very commonly here.

“If I could sum it up in one statement, I’d say they’re turning themselves into a Snapchat filter. They’re obsessed with Snapchat filters,” Mashal remarks.

‘Rhinoplasty transformed me’

For 35-year-old Nida from Lahore, the decision to opt for rhinoplasty was not about seeking social validation or meeting beauty standards. “It was about removing a barrier that had been holding me back for years,” she reveals.

Nida considered rhinoplasty in her 20s. “I always knew I wasn’t completely happy with my nose. For years, I found myself editing photos or avoiding the camera altogether, worried about how it might look.”

Although she knew convincing her loved ones would not be easy, and that some might see it as superficial, she felt it was deeply personal. “It wasn’t about vanity—it was about feeling comfortable in my own skin.”

Despite her nerves, Nida was “determined” as she believed it would make a difference in her life. 

“And it did—rhinoplasty transformed the way I saw myself. It wasn’t just a physical change; it was a shift in how I felt every day. No longer having to worry or feel insecure about my nose was truly life-changing.

“Some might not understand, and that’s okay.”

For Nida, rhinoplasty was about removing a psychological barrier holding her back. “My confidence soared, and I finally felt free to embrace myself fully. Sometimes, self-love means making the changes that allow you to show up as the best version of yourself—and for me, this was one of those changes.”

A study by Army Medical College titled A Comparative Analysis of Body Image, Life Satisfaction, and Self-Esteem of Patients Before and After Rhinoplasty found that rhinoplasty significantly improved how people perceived themselves, with life satisfaction increasing fivefold, body image improving by 19 times, and self-esteem rising 26 times after surgery.

The middle class showed the most motivation for rhinoplasty, and younger participants were more driven by aesthetic changes.

Dr Namrah works at HBS General Hospital, Islamabad, as an ENT specialist and head and neck surgeon. She performs rhinoplasty not only for beautification but also because many of her patients have genuine issues with  breathing and suffer from nasal blockage.

She, however, points out that a number of factors are taken into consideration before performing rhinoplasty. “We have a thorough method to streamline our patients and filter out those who have body dysmorphic disorder.”

Patients who are diagnosed with body dysmorphia are referred for psychotherapy.

“As a result, the satisfaction level is generally high among my patients. It helps them feel better about themselves, and they usually feel much happier after the procedure.”

The Current reached out to a women's support group, asking them to share their experiences of being shamed for their noses and how it affected their lives. Here's what they have to say:

"I am in my early 20s and yes, I do consider it [rhinoplasty] sometimes. I might get it later on in life if my parents fail to convince me otherwise. This conscience regarding my imperfections mainly stems from what I've seen around me, particularly the 'acceptable standards of beauty' both in real life and on social media. Yes, that societal pressure does overwhelm me sometimes, but I think practising positive affirmations helps me shake off those notions. It's hard to accept that, but then I think I'm just beautiful and unique the way Allah made me." - Fatima

"I had an issue, but somehow I'm okay with it now. Interestingly, I did nothing, yet people still think I have gone through nose surgery. I have a big, fat nose, but now I know my angles and realise that I am more than my nose. So it's perfect." - Faryal

"Comments were plenty, but I was too lazy to be bothered. Never believed in public opinion." - Zareena

"I was 13 when my aunt made a comment about my imperfect nose. I spent the next 2 years with my hand in front of my nose, fully believing it was an offense to people talking to me. I love it now, wouldn't want another. We only think Kim Kardashian is beautiful because she isn’t real— I mean, all that plastic. Natural beauty just isn’t acceptable anymore. It wasn't the case back in the '80s and '90s, when you saw all sorts of faces in the cinematic world. Now, they're all cookie-cutter images.

 

Love my nose. Love the dorsal hump. I think we need to appreciate women with larger noses. Actress Mahira Khan looked beautiful to me before she changed her nose." - Shafaq

"I have enough money to afford one, and it’s become so common now that it almost feels expected, especially here in Saudi, where every girl looks perfect thanks to access to good surgeons. It’s like getting veneers. I’ve definitely been resisting it since my husband isn’t happy about it, plus I know I got my nose from my dad, which I should’ve been proud of. But for some reason, it made him look super attractive, or so people said. It doesn’t have the same effect on me, though, I feel. I haven’t accepted it because, with so much perfection around me, it’s getting harder to live with my own imperfections over time." - Hafsa

*For privacy reasons, all names in this article have been changed or omitted.