Christopher Maloney, the singer who finished third on the 2012 series of X Factor, has issued a stark warning about the risks of cosmetic filler after undergoing under-eye surgery to correct loose skin. The 48-year-old, who has spent over £160,000 on cosmetic procedures, shared a graphic image of his swollen and stitched face on Instagram, revealing the aftermath of his latest operation in Poland.
A Painful Lesson on Fillers
In his Instagram post, Maloney cautioned fans: "The filler, I had lots of loose skin, so beware, do not get filler underneath your eyes because you'll end up here. Mind you, that may be better because if you do, then you'll end up here. But pain-free, fantastic, only took an hour, and I look about 12." The procedure, known as blepharoplasty, involves reconstructing the eyelids and removing excess skin.
Fan Reactions and Support
Fans were taken aback by his appearance, with one commenting, "You need to leave your face alone!" Another urged kindness, writing, "Be kind. If you can't be kind why say anything? He's a lovely person." His surgeons quickly defended the results, with Europe Surgery stating, "Guys this is what people look like 1 hour after eye surgery. You have to wait a week for the results."
The Root of the Addiction
Maloney has been open about his struggles with body dysmorphia (BDD), which he attributes to severe trolling during his X Factor stint. In a 2015 interview on This Morning, he recalled: "I was getting really bad trolls... they were telling me they were going to kill me, shoot me. I was called Mr Potato Head, that I was ugly, that I had a big nose... at the end of the final, I did have a breakdown." Despite therapy, he turned to surgery to cope with his feelings.
Uncontrollable Urge for Surgery
After his 20th surgery in 2023, Maloney confessed: "My body dysmorphia, my anxiety and depression have taken over my life. In the past 12 months it's gone into overdrive. This is my 20th surgery in seven years... I know it's excessive but I just can't help it. I need to stop but I can't. I started counselling but I'm really down and depressed dealing with this. I'm not doing this for vanity reasons, it's an uncontrollable addiction."
For emotional support, contact the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
