Social media is turning surgery into content gold. TikTok clips of nose jobs rack up millions of views. Surgeons livestream operations. Instagram is filled with “before-and-after” shots dressed up with trending music. For patients, it’s reassuring - surgery feels less mysterious, more accessible. For surgeons, it’s a marketing dream.
But behind the polished feeds lies a mess. Hate speech, trolling, and toxic debates are infecting the what could and should have been a digitally open operating room. Patients who share their surgical journeys - cosmetic, reconstructive, or gender-affirming - often get buried under cruel comments. Some are mocked for their appearance, others are attacked for their identities. Instead of finding support, they’re increasingly handed abuse.
And the surgeons? They’re not just dealing with trolls - they’re turning on each other. Online, professional disagreements explode into public feuds. One doctor critiques another’s technique; another fires back with insults thinly disguised as “education.” Patients watching from the sidelines see the gloves come off, and it doesn’t inspire confidence.
Doctors are also being reported or “cancelled” for posts that reflect their personal views rather than their medical practice. Sometimes the criticism is deserved. Other times, it’s mob justice - fuelled more by outrage than facts. Careers can take a hit over a viral pile-on.
Meanwhile, the platforms are failing at their job. They’ll happily flag a legitimate surgical explainer as “graphic” but let hate-filled comments sit untouched. The result? Patients feel unsafe, and surgeons feel censored.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: social media is making surgery a spectacle. The question is whether it will remain a place for learning and connection - or continue sliding into a digital colosseum where doctors fight, patients bleed in the comments, and the crowd cheers the chaos.
If you value real medical conversations online, don’t just scroll past the hate. Call it out. Support the voices doing good work. And if you’re a surgeon? Remember: you’re not just representing yourself - you’re representing your profession.
Mr Ravi Vohra
Director of Communication, Media & Engagement
