Famed celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Nassif dropped a major teaser about an upcoming episode of his hit E! reality show Botched in an interview with Arabian Business in Dubai.
While staying tight-lipped on details, Nassif expressed that season 8 will feature “one of the most incredible transformations” and that it will be “the episode of the whole series in season 8.”
“It involves a face,” he revealed.
The hit E! reality series Botched follows Nassif and Dr. Terry Dubrow as they work to correct bad cosmetic procedures. Now in its eighth season, which made its debut on streaming service OSN + in Dubai this week, Botched has covered a wide variety of botched surgeries.
Among the most common are botched breast augmentations, where implants have been placed too high or cause uneven sizes. The show also depicts cases involving distorted faces from dangerous fillers, nose jobs gone wrong and butt augmentations that require reconstruction. Beyond fixing procedures, the doctors also perform touch-ups for those seeking improvements.
Since its debut in 2014, Botched has grown immensely popular for its outrageous makeover stories, drawing millions of viewers per episode in the US alone. Now with its Middle East launch, the acclaimed series can expect an even broader fanbase anticipating extreme transformations.
“This season is going to be fun. There’s a little bit more playing around that I do with Terry Dubrow, and the stakes are high again this season, like every year, but in season 8 you’re going to see an incredible transformation in one of the episodes.”
When asked if he was referring to a recent viral video showing a patient with a severely deviated nose due to years of cocaine abuse, Nassif denied that being the “episode of the whole series.” Though he did not confirm the exact case in question, Nassif alluded that the case would be quite shocking. Fans are eagerly anticipating being stunned once again by the groundbreaking work of Nassif and fellow Botched star Dubrow.
Dr. Paul Nassif teases return to Dubai
Nassif weighed in on the growing plastic surgery market in the Middle East. Having previously practiced in Dubai, he expressed hopes to return soon, and to also launch his skincare line NassifMD.
“Having Botched in the UAE is something that we love because I have a lot of patients that come to Los Angeles from the UAE. I used to practice in Dubai pre-COVID and we’re working on maybe coming back in a year to practice and see some patients in Dubai or Abu Dhabi once again.”
The UAE’s market for cosmetic and aesthetic procedures has grown exponentially over the past few years and is expected to continue to do so given the rising popularity of both invasive and minimally invasive procedures. Estimates suggest that over the next seven years, the market is anticipated to reach a value of over $427 million, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.3 percent.
In Dubai specifically, Gen Z is driving a surge in demand for cosmetic procedures, namely like botox, fillers and liposuction, outpacing Millennials and Boomers, experts told Arabian Business earlier this year.
When asked about how young is too young to start botox, Nassif emphasised that preventative botox should only be done if there’s a need for it.
“My answer to this question has changed over the years. I used to say wait until you need it, but if you’re someone who is frowning all the time, eventually that contraction of the muscle will cause you to get lines there. So if you want to have a little bit of Botox, maybe twice a year to treat a certain overactive area, you can do it [because] there’s a reason. But if you’re someone who already looks fantastic, you don’t have any bad facial movements, there’s no need for it.”
Link between illegal fillers, social media and body dysmorphia
Underground “botox parties” performing illegal procedures have long posed serious health and safety risks globally. While such illicit events were a significant issue in the past, especially in Dubai, recent efforts have helped curb the problem. However, Nassif made clear it remains an ongoing concern not just in the UAE but worldwide.
At these underground gatherings, uncertified practitioners would conduct procedures like Botox injections and fillers without proper oversight or approved medical grade products. This led to botched results and even threatened lives. While regulations have pushed many of these dangerous activities underground, Nassif still frequently sees the aftermath.
“We’ve had cases on Botched from the very beginning involving unapproved fillers without FDA quality controls,” he said. Hyaluronic acid provides a safe, dissolvable option but underground injectors often use silicone, cement or other industrial oils that can destroy tissues or prove fatal.
Three core factors that still fuel these risky practices according to Nassif include emulation of celebrities, distortion of beauty standards on social media, and online bullying exacerbating insecurities.
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“As the surgeon, you have to make sure the patient’s request is appropriate and the expectations are realistic, and also figure out why the patient is doing it. Because the doctors have to also be a psychiatrist and or psychologist,” he explained.
“When we have a patient with body dysmorphia, or plastic surgery addiction, any of these things, no matter how great the results might be, lead you to a failed result because if the patient has one of these psychological issues, you’re working on someone who’s already kind of damaged and you need to fix that psychologically rather than using a scalpel.”
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