Cat-eye thread lifts have gone viral on Instagram but is it a good thing?

Instagram influencers in conjunction with high profile female celebrities such as the model Bella Hadid and the Kardashian sisters are fuelling a viral trend which is encouraging followers - of which there are millions - to go for a "cat-eye thread lift". So what is it? You may well know if you are one of those Instagram followers but to many people they will be a mystery. 

My cat with upward slopping eyes (slightly). Photo: MikeB.

Bella Hadid with cat eyes. Are they genuine? Photo: Getty.

It is a minimally invasive plastic surgery operation in which a dissolvable thread is placed under the skin in the corner of the eye which allows the surgeon to lift up the area at the corner of the eye to give the appearance of a cat eye.

For me, having some knowledge about the domestic cat, there is a weakness in this because not all cats have eyes with slope upwards at the outer edges. I think that it is a false presumption to say that they do. Some do, like my cat but others don't like the famous Persian cat or the shorthaired version, the Exotic shorthair which you see below.

The round eyes of an Exotic SH. These eyes don't slow upwards at the outer edges. Photo: Instagram.

The same applies to many other purebred cats which are known for their big round orbit-like eyes. These are meant to mimic the eyes of a baby and therefore there is no way that they can be like the eyes of a cat. 

Also, it is said that you can achieve a similar result by shaping your eyebrow and drawing an eyebrow in. That's a good idea I would have thought. It should be added, by the way, that domestic cats don't have eyebrows which also kinda undermines the analogy of having the eyes of a cat.

Also, there is an underlying problem to all of this which is that it is not mentally healthy, if we are honest, to encourage young women and teenagers to focus too heavily on their appearance. It is not mentally healthy for these teenagers to try and do the impossible anatomically. 

I say that with respect because a lot of these photographs on social media are digitally manipulated for a start off. And if they aren't there may be lots of professional make up and in any case a cat-eye thread lift is not a great thing for a young girl to desire. I would much rather they learn to love themselves, to boost their self-esteem without resorting to artificial and invasive methods which are only temporary anyway.

This minor operation fades after a few months because the thread is meant to dissolve. So what happens when your face goes back to the way it was? You might become depressed and have do it again so how much does it cost? What it might cost about $1000 in America. So where does a young woman find that on a limited budget? Another reason why she is liable to become anxious. Anxiety can lead to depression and stress. You can see where I'm going to.

My attention immediately is drawn to that wonderful icon of beauty, Brigitte Bardot. She said that she gave her life to men when she was in her beautiful prime and now that she is in the autumn of her life she gives her life to animals and their welfare. 

Brigitte Bardot. Photo in public domain (believed).

And, I believe that she has never had plastic surgery. Her face is lined and she's put on some weight which is typical of a woman of her age. However, she is still beautiful. Her beauty is in her character, her attitude and her love for animals and no longer in her physical appearance. 

She battles against the authorities sometimes and perhaps other residents in her neighbourhood in striving to improve the lives of animals. I admire her tremendously and I hope that many others do. She deserves it.

All teenagers should look to her for inspiration and not the Kardashian sisters or Bella Hadid.