Former Loose Women panellist Carol McGiffin has made a startling confession about her 2018 facelift, revealing that her younger husband, Mark Cassidy, actively disliked the results and branded the procedure 'horrible'.
The 'Butchery' That Put Her Off For Good
Carol McGiffin, 65, underwent the cosmetic surgery in 2018, the same year she married Mark Cassidy, then 43, in Bangkok. While she is ultimately satisfied with how she looks post-operation, the television personality has stated in no uncertain terms that she will never go under the knife again.
In a recent interview with Woman's Own, Carol explained her decision, citing the traumatic recovery process. "I wouldn't have another facelift, though, because I couldn't go through that again," she stated. "Poor Mark - it nearly killed him. He said it was horrible. The end result was good, but the butchery was pretty brutal - it wasn't great."
Hating Her Reflection and Husband's Honest Opinion
This revelation follows comments Carol made in her Best magazine column in October 2025, where she admitted she had "lately started to hate [her] own face". She wrote that she no longer recognised herself in the mirror, seeing instead a "decrepit old woman".
She partly blamed herself for not maintaining the results with follow-up treatments like Botox, noting she had mistakenly believed the expensive "full 'cut and paste' facelift" would last longer. She expressed envy for women like Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas, who invest in regular non-surgical treatments.
Despite her own critical view, Carol emphasised that her husband's reaction was a significant factor. Mark Cassidy, whom she first met at a Loose Women wrap party in 2008, prefers her natural appearance. "Luckily, Mark doesn't seem to mind, or he pretends not to notice," she shared, adding wryly that his own eyesight correction meant he now sees her clearly, without any blurred soft-focus effect.
A Love That Transcends Surgery
Carol, a former Celebrity Big Brother contestant, left the Loose Women panel in 2024. Throughout her candid discussion about ageing and cosmetic procedures, she highlighted the strength of her relationship with Mark, despite their 22-year age gap.
She ended on a light-hearted note, pointing out that Mark is also ageing from living in the sun, and doing so "very nicely as it happens". Her experience serves as a frank insight into the realities of cosmetic surgery, the pressure of ageing in the public eye, and the value of a partner's honest, if brutal, opinion.
