“Plastic surgery serves no purpose” – Pope Francis speaks on cosmetic surgery and bodyshaming

Pope Francis has condemned the practice of body-shaming while acknowledging that he himself engaged in it during his youth.

During a conversation with a woman from India who shared her teenage experiences of feeling embarrassed and inferior due to her body shape, he offered the following response:

“Irrespective of whether one is fat, thin, short, or tall, what truly matters is living in harmony and finding inner harmony within your hearts. Each individual possesses their unique beauty, and it’s essential for us to learn how to appreciate it.”

Before providing this response, the Pope shared a personal anecdote about a childhood friend who faced weight-related teasing and bullying. He recounted how he and others had mistreated this friend, which led to his father taking him to their classmate’s house to apologize for their behavior.

In recent years, Pope Francis reconnected with this childhood friend, who had become an Evangelical pastor and had since passed away.

During the conversation with university students, Pope Francis also expressed his views on cosmetic surgery, stating that it has no lasting purpose because physical beauty will inevitably diminish.

He referenced a famous quote from the 20th-century Italian actress Anna Magnani, who said, “Please don’t retouch my wrinkles. It took me so long to earn them.”