Zhou Chuna, known online as Zoey, became the youngest person in China to undergo plastic surgery when she was just 13 years old. Born into a wealthy family in Shanghai, Zoe’s life took a turn when her parents enrolled her in a top international school where classmates bullied her, calling her “dark-skinned girl” and “squinty-eyed girl” because of her single eyelids, flatter nose, and darker skin tone.
Rather than reassuring her daughter, Zoey’s mother made things worse. “It’s one thing that your grades are bad in school, but you also don’t look good either compared to your classmates. So what good are you anyway?” her mother told her.
These words cemented Zoey’s belief that her appearance was the root of her problems, and she began planning to change it entirely.
At 13, Zoey threatened to drop out of school if her parents refused to let her get surgery. When that was not enough, she threatened to cut off her relationship with her father.
Eventually her parents gave in, and her first procedure was a double eyelid surgery. When she returned to school, the boys who had bullied her were suddenly friendly and welcoming. That response confirmed everything she believed: looking better meant being treated better.
Over the next two years, Zoe underwent eight surgeries on her eyes and six on her nose. By 16, she had undergone over 380 procedures in total, including cheekbone shaving, jaw shaving, liposuction, chest augmentation, rib removal, and over 20 canthoplasties, which are eye-corner surgeries designed to widen the eyes. She also underwent a high cranial top surgery where fillings were placed in her head. She spent roughly 3 to 4 million yuan, approximately $400,000 to $600,000, on these procedures while still a teenager.
The physical consequences were severe. Constant exposure to anesthesia across more than 80 general anesthesia sessions affected her brain and led to memory loss.
Excessive liposuction caused her skin to sag across her body. Jaw shaving damaged her facial nerves, leaving her unable to make facial expressions. Her eyelids, stretched from repeated canthoplasties, could no longer fully close during sleep.
Zoe eventually appeared on a show called Super Speaker Youthful Days, where she gave a speech titled “The Price of Plastic Surgery.” She admitted to everything publicly and urged others not to follow her path. “Cherish your body,” she said. “I’m still so young and my memory has declined because I had over 80 general anesthesias in 2 years.” She added, “Instead of getting plastic surgery, I should have gotten my brain fixed.”
But shortly after the show aired, she posted online announcing plans for more surgery. Despite the irreversible physical damage, the cycle of online attention kept pulling her back. Today, Zoey remains active on social media, continues attending fashion events, and has not ruled out further procedures.
