10 Changes in Appearance That Many People Now Regret

Fashion is a very moody and fickle thing. Very often, while trying to be trendy, we buy the most unexpected things. This doesn’t damage anything but our finances. But sometimes, beauty standards require us to change something in our bodies. And this is always risky: a popular trend might be forgotten soon, but the changes we’ve made to our bodies will remain with us indefinitely.

We at Bright Side have made a list of popular body modifications that left a mark on our minds and on our bodies.

Eyelash extensions

Getting eyelash extensions is a standard and pretty harmless procedure if you follow certain rules. It’s better to avoid having them for a long time. You should maybe get them for a special occasion and then remove them afterward.

According to eye doctors, eyelash extensions can lead to a decrease in the speed of the growth of your natural lashes. Another danger is dry eye syndrome. Also, before the procedure, make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction to the glue that the lashes require.

• First, when I started with extensions, I loved them! But 6 months later, I decided to stop when I thought that they fell out way too easily and looked really ratty after the second week. The aftermath is not pretty when they’re removed. My lashes looked like some of them were cut off by scissors because they were weakened at various points. © sadiebenz / Reddit

Eyebrows

The trends that dictate which eyebrow shape is popular change with the weather. About 30 years ago, really thin eyebrows were trendy. Then, they were replaced with big eyebrows and it seems that this cycle is never-ending.

Now, microblading and tattooing are very popular procedures. It’s convenient: you get it once and then you just update it once every few months. Of course, which artist you go to is really important. If you end up with asymmetric eyebrows, you will need a lot of time before everything goes back to normal.

• When I was in high school & during my first year of college, I plucked my eyebrows until they were pencil-thin — I thought they looked good at the time. Now, I look back at that time where thin eyebrows were a trend and I don’t understand how I didn’t see that they did not at all suit my face. © Joy Keeler / Quora
• I decided to get microblading. At first, the artist recommended doing black eyebrows (I’m ginger and I have pale skin). I insisted on a mix of auburn and cocoa. Unfortunately, he used the wrong ink and the cocoa color disappeared so I ended up with orange eyebrows. This color is still with me. © Elle Hayes / Quora

Piercing

Piercings were really popular at the end of the ’90s and the beginning of the 2000s. Pierced noses, eyebrows, lips, and other body parts looked really attractive and intriguing.

The most popular spot for piercing was the belly button. Celebrities were the first people to start the trend. When ordinary girls saw pictures of famous singers with rings in their belly buttons, they ran to piercing artists to have the same thing done.

• I regret my navel piercing. My piercing got caught on clothing and was ripped clean out, leaving a ragged scar. And my tongue piercing caused a great deal of damage to my teeth. © Christi Zelaya / Quora

Tattoos

Tattoos are quite normal and there’s nothing unusual about them. If you’re lucky enough to find a talented artist, you might end up with a true masterpiece on your body. With tattoos, you can hide scars and cosmetic skin defects, which is great. The most important thing to do is choose a picture you really like so you can still enjoy the tattoo after whatever is trendy is gone.

• I was impulsive and wanted one NOW. I didn’t do my research and make sure that I went to a good shop. I didn’t even heed the warning signs I saw that were telling me that the place I was at was not good. Going to a sketchy place to get a permanent addition to my body was a very bad decision. Yet, I went anyway. I got the album cover of my favorite band at the time. The tattoo did not turn out very well. I kept it there for about 3 years or so. I then got it covered up. Depending on the tattoo, that can be a rather difficult process or very simple. Thankfully, my first tattoo was pretty basic and only black, so it wasn’t too difficult to cover. © Ashley Starr / Quora
• I almost immediately regretted my Chinese lettering tattoo (...that as always, didn’t say what it was supposed to)...I finally covered it up with an awesome raven! © niky45 / Reddit

Stretched ears

This trend is not as popular as regular piercing and it also looks way more unusual. With special rings, ordinary holes are stretched to really big sizes.

The only problem is that these holes never really heal. To get rid of the hole, you will need surgery with stitches.

• I can tell you from experience the wrong way to stretch your ears. The main thing you do not want to do is force it! I used a taper to go from 7/8″ to 1″ and forced it through causing the top of my lobes to split. It was hell getting it to heal and the scar tissue will not allow the holes to close any smaller than 5/8″ no matter how long I leave them out. As a general rule though, it requires plastic surgery to have your earlobes fixed. © Daniel Caldwell / Quora

Tanning

The bronze color of the body was believed to be very attractive for a long time. In the summer, everyone would spend the entire day on the beach. In the winter, when there was not a lot of sunshine, people often went to tanning salons.

All that sunbathing was bad for the skin, and led to early wrinkles, dry skin, and irritation. And these are not the worst of the possible side effects.

• I was in school in the 2000s and it was the era of glamour when girls wore high heels and my classmates went to tanning salons all the time. They looked like they lived in the desert all the time. It didn’t look healthy at all. Our chemistry teacher tried to explain to them that it was not good for their health, but they didn’t listen. Anyway, 12 years after we finished school, they already look much older than everyone else: wrinkles, saggy skin. It’s great that tanning is not trendy now.

Acrylic nails

This is a very popular procedure that people started doing in the previous century. Acrylic itself is not dangerous, but when using it you still have to let your nails rest. The acrylic cover protects the nails from damage, but the nails themselves become thin and vulnerable.

• Unfortunately, acrylic nails ruin your real nails for years. My nails became thin and brittle. © Katie Gall Costa / Quora
• I used to get acrylics but they were awful for my nails, and I gave up on them. If the cover gets off the nail a bit and some moisture gets in, a fungus might even appear. You will have to go to the salon and apply acetone. You can’t remove the cover on your own because you might accidentally remove the upper layer of your natural nail (or even the nail itself). © Sandy Andina / Quora

Colored lenses

Colored lenses make the eyes look completely different. This is a totally harmless accessory if you buy it after visiting an eye doctor. You should only buy these things from certified companies, or you might damage your eyes permanently.

• I’ve been wearing contact lenses for more than 15 years. Once, I decided to order some cool colored lenses from a company I didn’t know. I had to remove them after several minutes. I felt like there was sand in my eyes. They continued hurting afterward and I had to wear glasses for a week.

Dermal piercing

Dermal piercing on your skin look very attractive. You don’t need to buy rings, bracelets, or necklaces: you can put them right into your skin.

The most important thing is to choose the right spot. Your fingers, lips, back, or shoulders are not the best options. Clothes and other things will get tangled all the time and the skin will most likely get injured.

• Even with my excellent track record of healing piercings, my dermals still rejected about 4 months after I got them. Granted, they were near where my bra strap would rub, but I believe they would have rejected even if I had moved them over an inch. These were the most painful to get and were the only piercings I have ever retired. If you attempt dermals, make sure to get them in a location where there will be minimal irritation. © Cheyenne K / Quora

Permanent makeup

Permanent makeup is a great solution for people that are allergic to beauty products. But the main disadvantage is in its name. You can only remove the makeup with laser correction. So, you need to choose the best professionals to do this procedure.

• I was talked into getting eyeliner on my lower lash line and got a blowout. I now look like an ex-con with a tear on my eye. © Anonymous / Quora
• Do not do permanent eyeliner!! It will damage your Meibomian glands and lead to chronic dry eye disease. It’s very risky. © b***sinseats / Reddit

• Honestly, avoid permanent makeup. Event semi-permanent changes colors, as you get older the tattoos also sag... Speaking from experience. © snapplesss / Reddit

Trying to find your own unique style is an interesting task. The most important thing is to understand what you want and not what fashion is dictating.

Have you ever changed your appearance because you were trying to follow fashion trends? Do you regret anything?