Ashley Tisdale is letting go of the shame she still harbors about her rhinoplasty procedure.
In a personal essay shared to her lifestyle site Frenshe on Thursday, Jan. 28, the High School Musical star admitted she felt "triggered" by a recent interview in which she was seemingly asked about going under the knife nearly 15 years ago. Back in 2007, Ashley went public with her nose job in an attempt to de-stigmatize the procedure—especially when it comes to alleviating health issues like a deviated septum.
"I didn't do this because I believe in plastic surgery," she described at the time. "I did this to help my health. I literally almost could not breathe out of the right side of my nose."
Now at 35 years old with a baby on the way, Ashley says her old wounds have been reopened.
Looking back at the self-described "very traumatic" ordeal, Ashley writes that she never anticipated such intense public scrutiny. "To be clear, it was not about changing my appearance," she shares, adding, "It wasn't a big deal to me nor was it like I was dreaming of the day I'd get a nose job. On the other hand, I have ZERO judgment towards anyone who does look forward to that day—your body, your choice."
"Plastic surgery wasn't culturally accepted then like it is now," she adds. "When I got it done I was scrutinized, judged, and made to feel ashamed over my decision. I made a decision that was no one's business (and is STILL no one's business) and for that decision, I was constantly made to feel bad about it."
Despite some painful emotions coming back up, the star says she'll take those lessons and pass them on to her baby girl, who is due later this year.
"At the end of the day," Ashley writes, "I'm having a daughter, and I hope her choices aren't met with judgment or shame. It's taken years for me to process this experience—an experience that I didn't think was that big of a deal either."
In August 2020, Ashley revealed she got her breast implants removed after experiencing symptoms related to Breast Implant Illness.
She shared on social media at the time, "I can't say I'm the proudest of the choices I made in the past but I don't regret it because it got me here today."