Sculpt my body: It's a cosmetic cosmos

When Tanasha Donna showed off the results of a new cosmetic procedure last week, it created a buzz.

The Kenyan model and singer’s recent tweaks involved getting lip fillers. A procedure reminiscent of that done by the celebrated American reality star Kylie Jenner, which grew to become much talked about and an instant staple in popular culture.

Followers of the La Vie singer noticed that she had had lip injections after she showcased the aftermath of it in Snapchat posts that quickly made their rounds on social media.

On the uploads, her lips were completely swollen, prompting online users to start start discussing cosmetic surgery and its pros and cons.

As fans weighed in, Tanasha shared that she would speak more about the lip filler journey on Instagram and showcase the healing process.

Lip fillers work to plump up one’s lips, leaving them round and visibly fuller. They are desired by different age groups of people for varying reasons, per Allure Magazine.

“Generally speaking, dermal fillers fall into two main categories: hyaluronic acid filler, which is most commonly used for lip injections, and biostimulators,” dermatologist Macrene Alexiades told the magazine, adding that doctors tend to favour hyaluronic-acid-based fillers because they are temporary, reversible and build upon the foundation of hyaluronic acid that is already found throughout the body.

One public figure who spoke about Tanasha’s procedure is controversial city preacher Victor Kanyari, popularly known as Pastor Kanyari.

The outspoken pastor questioned Tanasha’s choice to have the aesthetic procedure done on a TikTok Live session.

“Today I saw Tanasha Donna with small lips and I wondered why she wants to have a big mouth and I heard she had an operation to make her lips bigger,” Kanyari said.

“Can I get someone to explain to me why women like having big mouths, behinds and bosoms?” he posed.

His comments seemingly irritated Tanasha, who responded by asking Kanyari and like-minded individuals to learn more about aesthetic procedures.

“This was day two of filler and my lips were still swollen. The swelling has subsided by far. Fillers are also not permanent, educate yourselves on cosmetology before yapping, Tanasha wrote, captioning a picture of her showing her noticeably less-swollen lips.

The singer, who is also the mother of a young son shared with Tanzanian star Diamond Platnumz, continued to trend on Instagram and TikTok for the better part of the week.

The mother of one has since made a full recovery, as documented on her Instagram account.

“Healed and happy,” she captioned a stunning picture today, where she glows in an orange dress and a bleach blonde bob hairstyle, her lips slightly full and plump, but not swollen.

More local celebrities have dipped their toes into the waters of cosmetic procedures. Some seek solutions for weight loss, butt enlargement, hair transplants and more.

Celebrated actress Catherine Kamau alias Kate actress was open about her decision to get a gastric balloon procedure in 2022 as an alternative way to lose weight.

According to Kenya Laparoscopic Surgery Services, ‘a gastric balloon, also known as an intragastric balloon or belly balloon, is a soft balloon that is inserted into one’s stomach through the mouth using an endoscope, non-surgically.

It is an endoscopic treatment for obesity that together with a balanced diet and physical activity helps lose weight.’

The actress, however, had the gastric balloon removed after just four months, and she continues to share her weight loss and fitness journey with fans on social media.

Content creator Milly Wa Jesus took viewers to her doctor’s consultations on season one of the reality show Oh Sister! as she considered getting a gastric balloon inserted.

And media personality Willis Raburu lost over 40kgs through a gastric bypass surgery in 2022.

Raburu reflected on his decision to undergo the cosmetic procedure in an Instagram post.

“I remember when I thought about doing the gastric bypass surgery. It was intense, but I was suffering. My confidence was low, my pressure was high, I had tried the gym, but kept bouncing back and honestly the cost will make you think twice but I learned that it’s an investment in myself,” he wrote.

He championed for insurance companies to consider adding such procedures to the list of services they cover and help those in need to get the surgery done.

The Messy In Between podcast host Murugi Munyi is another popular personality who underwent a cosmetic procedure. 

While showing off her newly sculpted frame on an Instagram photo in 2022, Murugi said she had decided to get the ‘work’ done as a gift to herself for her 32nd birthday.

“After my third child, my weight went to 120kg and I knew I had to do something. I was discouraged, being in front of the camera, my belly was something that was always on my mind. I had to think of how to ‘swallow’ and hide it,” she said in an interview, adding that exercise dropped the weight down to 88kgs, but cosmetic surgery finished the job.

Murugi added: “It was just under Sh600,000. It was quite affordable. There are hospitals where the surgery can cost Sh1 million. Getting lipo in Africa is still a taboo, but in the US and the UK it is very common.”

Businessman and popular social media personality Jimal ‘Rohosafi’ got a hair transplant last year, adding to the growing list of Kenyan personalities exploring aesthetic procedures.