The world’s most decorated gymnast has never been one to back down from tough conversations. Now, Simone Biles is taking that same courage beyond the competition floor, speaking openly about cosmetic procedures she kept private until recently.
At 28, Biles recently turned to social media to share something personal with her followers. She’d undergone cosmetic surgery and invited fans to guess what procedures she’d had done. The reveal? Breast augmentation, lower blepharoplasty to address under-eye bags, and earlobe repair from a childhood earring accident.
Why she decided to go public
In a conversation with People magazine, Biles made clear she feels zero regret about her choices. She’s always tried to stay authentic with her audience, and hiding these procedures felt dishonest. For her, transparency matters more than maintaining some impossible standard of natural perfection.
The under-eye bags were hereditary, something she jokingly called the “Biles eye bags” that ran in her family. During photo shoots, makeup artists constantly suggested corrective strips. She’d explain she got plenty of sleep, but these bags weren’t going anywhere without intervention. After years of hearing the same comments, she decided to address something that bothered her.
Her breast augmentation came from a different place. It wasn’t about hating her body or feeling inadequate. Living in her own skin day after day, she noticed things others didn’t. The surgery was about feeling more aligned with her own vision of herself, not chasing someone else’s ideal.
Breaking down beauty standards
What makes Biles‘s admission particularly powerful is her platform. As someone who survived institutional abuse within USA Gymnastics and has become a fierce mental health advocate, her words carry serious weight. She’s showing young women something important: you can love yourself and still choose to change things about your appearance. Those two ideas aren’t contradictory.
She wants younger generations to understand they have complete control over their bodies and their choices. No shame, no guilt, no explanations owed to strangers on the internet. In an era where influencers quietly get work done while promoting “all natural” routines, Biles is doing something different. She’s telling the truth.
The gymnast also shared a less successful cosmetic experience. On her 27th birthday, she tried Botox. The results weren’t great. She ended up with what she described as a floating eyebrow, and people kept asking what was going on with her face. Instead of pretending it never happened, she talked about it publicly. Even her mistakes become teaching moments.
The real problem with social media
Biles touched on something millions of women wrestle with daily: the crushing weight of comparison culture online. Everyone looks flawless on Instagram, and it’s easy to spiral wondering how they do it. Her answer cuts through the noise. Social media isn’t real. Those perfect faces often involve procedures people won’t admit to, filters they won’t name, and editing they won’t acknowledge.
By being upfront about her own work, Biles removes the mystery. She’s not pretending her appearance is effortless or purely genetic. She made choices, spent money, went through recovery. That honesty is rare among public figures, especially those who profit from beauty partnerships.
Rewriting the rules
The conversation around cosmetic procedures has always been messy. Women get criticized for aging naturally and judged for trying to fight it. Biles seems completely uninterested in navigating that minefield. Her stance is simple: her body, her choice, her story.
There’s also practical reasoning behind her openness. As someone whose career put her body under constant scrutiny, she knows how speculation works. Controlling her own narrative means tabloids and gossip accounts lose their power. She gets to define what happens to her body and how it’s discussed publicly.
Her willingness to name specific procedures helps too. Many people don’t actually know what lower blepharoplasty involves or what breast augmentation really means. That ignorance fuels both unrealistic expectations and unnecessary stigma. Education removes some of that mystery.
Simone Biles has already cemented her place in athletic history. Her dominance in gymnastics, combined with her courage in prioritizing mental health at the Tokyo Olympics, made her more than an athlete. She became a cultural force willing to challenge institutions.
This latest revelation fits perfectly into that legacy. By discussing cosmetic procedures without apology, she normalizes conversations too many people avoid. Young women need to see successful, confident people admit to insecurities and interventions. They need permission to make their own choices without judgment.
Biles is offering exactly that, one honest conversation at a time.