A MAN who ran up debts of £16,000 on his credit cards in a quest to get the perfect face has revealed how much he regrets the procedures.
Liam Halewood, 36, busted the bank on cosmetic surgery in a desperate bid to look like a celebrity – hoping to launch his TV career.
But he was left miserable by the procedures he began aged 28, and now filler free, is riddled with regret.
He told The Mirror: "I just thought there is no room for real people on TV anymore.
"I thought 'how can I get this quick fix and how can I present myself to the world in a different way?'"
In just one year, the performer from Blackpool pumped himself with botox, fillers in his face and lips.
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He even had non-surgical jaw alignment and hair transplants as he desperately pursued his dream of being on the telly.
But deep down, Liam admits the life-changing procedures pointed to a darker place – he was miserable.
He explained how he was concerned at getting older and thought the vast sums spent on his appearance would pay him back in the long term.
He splashed out on the work with his credit card – but soon found himself straggling to pay it off after splitting with his ex and living alone.
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It soon dawned on Liam the monster sums spent on his face were having the opposite effect – he began losing bookings and his self-confidence spiralled.
The ordeal came to an end when his mum said he had to pack it in and believe in his raw talent – he looked in the mirror and asked himself "why am I bothering with all this c***?"
Liam – who has since appeared on BodyFixers, Four In A Bed and Xtra Factor – let his fillers dissolve and his life turned around.
For three years he has embraced his natural look – "hairy, bald, with a 38-inch waist" – and he is far happier.
But his saga has led him to campaign for far tougher restrictions to be placed on the cosmetic industry.
As well as the massive implications of using credit and payment plans to bank roll procedures, Liam wants those going under the knife to know what they are getting into.
Alongside more rigorous efforts made to increase the "cooling off time" between procedures to stop patients getting a "conveyer belt" of work done – Liam wants better aftercare.
The only follow up he got was a call warning him to avoid sunbeds.
The performer also wants to see Instagram influencers – who have millions of followers – declare when they have photo filters on to present a realistic representation of body image.
This should come alongside a bigger cap on age, with Liam explaining: "I understand wanting a fresher look at 50 but at 18-25, you shouldn't be thinking about it."
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A report published by MPs on the House of Commons’ Health and Social Care Committee demanded action to reduce the "conveyor belt" approach to non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
It aims bring forward a licensing regime for providers.
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