The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has warned that patients are increasingly using AI tools such as ChatGPT to generate "flawless" images of their own face, creating distorted and unrealistic expectations of what cosmetic surgery can achieve. Because these AI-altered images depict the patient's actual face, they can feel more achievable than traditional inspiration photos, even though the results often bear little relation to what is anatomically or surgically possible. BAAPS says this "AI face" trend risks reshaping perceptions of normal or desirable appearance, with surgeons finding it increasingly difficult to manage expectations shaped by algorithm-perfected images.

A BAAPS survey of 178 cosmetic surgeons found that 15 per cent had encountered a patient bringing an AI-idealised self-image to a consultation, a figure the association's president, Nora Nugent, expects to rise as AI becomes more embedded in daily life. The "AI face" look typically features flawless skin, exaggerated symmetry, sculpted cheekbones and more defined jawlines, achieved by manipulating images at a pixel level in ways surgery cannot replicate, since real procedures must work within a patient's existing anatomy, healing capacity and bone structure. BAAPS is urging anyone considering surgery after using AI to alter their appearance to have a thorough consultation with a qualified surgeon to establish realistic and safe expectations.