This Month in Aesthetics: Kim Kardashian Talks Botox and Filler, Sonja Morgan Gets Liposuction, a 90 Day Fiancé Star Is Botched, and More

Every month, we strive to bring you a balanced mix of breaking news (Cardi B’s Insta announcement of the plastic surgery she wants next, for instance) and advice you can always use, like what to do if you don’t like your butt augmentation or important things to know about stitches. Invariably though, there’s an intriguing headline or viral post that doesn’t make its own stand-alone story yet is still worthy of a share.

Which brings us here, to the latest installment of This Month in Aesthetics, an ICYMI recap of industry-molding moments that we’d be remiss not to acknowledge—from Kim Kardashian’s latest sound bite to a new drug for vitiligo patients to TikTok drama between Stranger Things fans and a nurse practitioner. 

Kim Kardashian says she gets “a little bit of Botox” but has never had filler

In the latest issue of Allure, Kim Kardashian said she has only “a little bit of Botox” in between her eyebrows and claimed that she’s never had filler. “No filler. Never filled either one, ever,” the 41-year-old said in reference to her lips and cheeks. She even denied having eyelash extensions, though she did cop to regular laser treatments. “It’s hard to explain because I am at peace, but I would still do anything to look and feel youthful,” she told the magazine. The response on social media—from both the general public and plastic surgeons alike—ranged from joking disbelief to harsh criticism, with many questioning why the magazine never asked about plastic surgery procedures she may have had.

There’s a new Emsculpt Neo handpiece to treat the lateral abdomen

One of the most popular body-contouring procedures on the market (it touts an 84% Worth It Rating among RealSelf members) can now be used to treat the lateral abdomen. BTL, the maker of Emsculpt Neo, just announced the launch of a new handpiece, appropriately named the Edge. The applicator is intended to treat the sides of the abdomen, to help tone oblique muscles as well as improve posture and core discomfort. Emsculpt Neo can currently be used on the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, arms, and calves; the Edge handpiece will be available starting in September.

Real Housewives of New York City’s Sonja Morgan visits Sono Bello for micro-laser liposuction

The RHONY star visited the New York City location of Sono Bello (a company offering various types of laser liposuction treatments with locations nationwide) and documented her appointment on social media. “I’m here at Sono Bello, they do liposuction with laser. And it’s really all about sculpting. I’m going to have the fat sucked out of these stubborn areas that bother me, because I’m active, I’m in shape, I love my body, I just want to tweak it,” she said in an Instagram video posted on Sono Bello’s page. (She shared the experience on her Instagram Stories as well.) Morgan has also been named as a new ambassador for the brand.

A TikTok nurse catches flak for detailing the cosmetic work she’d give Stranger Things actress Natalia Dyer

Nurse practitioner and TikToker Miranda Wilson went viral after posting a video detailing exactly how she would use injectables on actress Natalia Dyer (best known for her role as Nancy Wheeler on Stranger Things). Among her suggestions: masseter Botox to slim her jawline, chin filler to “help fill out her chin and make her face more of a heart shape,” and a Botox brow lift. 

Wilson went so far as to Photoshop before and after photos of the actress in the since deleted clip (which was reposted on Twitter and elsewhere). After Dyer’s fans blasted Wilson for her critique, Wilson posted a follow-up video explaining her intent. “Hoping to clear the air that I was not suggesting that Natalia NEEDED any of that work it was just an example. Of course Natalia is absolutely stunning the way she is…that’s why she’s so successful. Her photo was simply an example. Im sorry if peole [sic] took that as being mean or rude, that was not my intent at all,” she wrote.

90 Day Fiancé alum Larissa Dos Santos Lima reveals she had a botched tummy tuck

Earlier this month, the reality star took to Instagram to share that a botched abdominoplasty left her without a belly button. “Today, I would like to take the first step in slowly opening up about a plastic surgery procedure I received that is botched. Like so many other people in this situation, I’ve been scared and embarrassed to speak out. It’s been over a year now since I’ve been botched. I did not want to speak of this before, but I’m tired of being silent in my sadness with no where [sic] to go to fix the problem. My inspiration to open up is @lindaevangelista. Now, I have the courage,” she wrote in a since deleted Instagram post. She followed that up with another (also now deleted) post detailing the results of an abdominoplasty gone wrong. “​​When I got abdominoplasty, My belly button was removed and disposed [sic] without my consent. I did 3 very painful revisions to create a belly button. Unfortunately, it was never fixed,” she said.  

The FDA approves a first-of-its kind repigmentation treatment for vitiligo

An estimated 70 million people around the world have vitiligo, an immune-mediated disease that results in patches of white skin across the face and body, but there’s been no treatment for repigmentation until now. Ruxolitinib (brand name: Opzelura) is the first FDA-approved topical treatment for nonsegmental vitiligo. Data from the clinical trials showed that 30% of patients treated with the cream had more than a 75% improvement in facial vitiligo after 24 weeks of use. It also showed to be effective for repigmenting areas of vitiligo on the body.