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Series poster for Skin Decision: Before and After (2020)

Skin Decision: Before and After

2020
Canceled • 1 Season • 8 Episodes
TV-MA · English
Search on Netflix

Overview

Skin and beauty expert Nurse Jamie and plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian use the latest procedures to bring out their clients' best selves.

Seasons

Status
Canceled
Seasons
1 season
Episodes
8 episodes
First aired
Jul 15, 2020

Reviews

5 min read

The Mirror and the Mask

I’ve watched enough reality television to know the formula: the before shot is always a little too dim, the subject’s posture a little too slumped, the lighting just unflattering enough to make the "after" seem like a miracle. Skin Decision: Before and After arrives on Netflix with all the familiar trappings—two confident experts, a parade of patients with stories of trauma or insecurity, the inevitable reveal set to swelling music—but it’s the moments when it strays from the script that make it worth watching. Not because it reinvents the genre (it doesn’t), but because it occasionally remembers that the people in front of the camera are more than just case studies. They’re human beings carrying years of shame, pain, or quiet hope in their skin.

The show’s premise is simple: plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian and esthetician Jamie Sherrill (known as Nurse Jamie) guide patients through cosmetic and reconstructive procedures, blending surgical interventions with non-invasive treatments like lasers and fillers. On paper, it sounds like another entry in the long line of makeover shows that treat the body as a project to be fixed.

But Skin Decision tries to complicate that narrative. It’s not just about vanity, the show insists—it’s about healing. The patients here aren’t just unhappy with their noses or their wrinkles; they’re survivors of violent attacks, car accidents, or chronic illnesses that have left physical and emotional scars.

One woman’s face was burned in a fire; another’s body was ravaged by a rare skin condition. These aren’t the usual reality TV sob stories, either. The show lingers on their stories long enough to make you forget, for a moment, that you’re watching a Netflix series at all.

A patient sits in a consultation room, her face half-shadowed as she speaks to Dr. Nazarian and Nurse Jamie, the weight of her story etched in the lines around her eyes.

That’s the show’s strongest card: its empathy. Critics have noticed it, too. Decider called Skin Decision a "Stream It," praising the producers for handling their subjects’ stories with sensitivity, while Glamour noted that the series treats plastic surgery with "care and nuance usually reserved for other medical issues".

There’s a refreshing lack of judgment here, at least from the experts. Dr. Nazarian and Nurse Jamie don’t moralize about the ethics of cosmetic work; they treat it as a tool, like any other, for helping people feel whole again.

Audience Opinions

Broad evidence
Audience 6.1/10
"A warm, feel-good reality watch about real people choosing cosmetic changes with two trusted experts."

This American reality docuseries premiered on Netflix on July 15, 2020, and follows plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian and aesthetic nurse Jamie Sherrill as they help regular people change something about themselves, using the latest procedures to bring out clients' best selves. Episodes run 41 minutes and center on the process of cosmetic plastic surgery. It's comforting, transformation-focused viewing, with a middling 6.1 out of 10 audience rating from 24 votes.

What viewers praise
  • Likable expert duo Plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian and skin and beauty expert Nurse Jamie guide clients through the latest procedures to bring out their best selves.
  • Real-people transformation hook Each story follows regular people who want to correct something about their appearance, which keeps the makeovers relatable and uplifting.
Common complaints
  • Niche comfort viewing It's built around cosmetic plastic surgery decisions, so it works best as light reality viewing, and it rates a middling 6.1 out of 10 from 24 votes.
Recommended for
Reality fans who enjoy before-and-after makeover stories Viewers curious about skincare and cosmetic procedures in a positive tone

Buzz & Rumors

Public reports

Netflix’s "Skin Decision: Before and After" – The Unfiltered Truth Behind the Beauty Docuseries

Netflix’s Skin Decision: Before and After (2020) promised viewers a raw look at cosmetic transformations, blending medical expertise with the high-stakes drama of reality TV. But how much of the series was real—and how much was carefully crafted for the camera? latestnetflix.com's take is that the evidence paints a picture of a show that leaned into authenticity while still playing by the rules of entertainment.

The Premise: A Docuseries or a Glorified Infomercial?

The series followed plastic surgeon Dr. Sheila Nazarian and aesthetic nurse Jamie Sherrill as they guided patients through life-changing skin procedures, from laser treatments to full facial reconstructions. According to, the show was produced by Jumaane Productions and All3 Media America, suggesting a polished, network-backed approach. But was it purely educational, or did it blur the line between medical reality and TV spectacle?

The trailers (,,) emphasized dramatic before-and-after shots, hinting at emotional transformations. Yet, the series’ 6.1/10 rating on SensCritique suggests viewers were divided—some saw it as empowering, others as overly staged. Without access to full episodes, it’s hard to say how much of the "reality" was scripted, but the show’s structure—focused on patient journeys rather than behind-the-scenes chaos—hints at a more controlled narrative than, say, Botched.

The Cast: Experts or TV Personalities?

Dr. Nazarian and Nurse Sherrill were the show’s anchors, but their on-screen dynamic remains a mystery. Were they genuine collaborators, or did producers push conflict for ratings? The evidence doesn’t confirm any behind-the-scenes tension, but their contrasting approaches—Nazarian’s surgical precision vs. Sherrill’s non-invasive techniques—likely created natural drama.

The patients, meanwhile, were the real stars. The trailers (,) showcased their emotional highs and lows, but without episode transcripts, it’s unclear if their stories were fully organic or edited for maximum impact. Reality TV has a long history of manipulating timelines and dialogue, and Skin Decision was no exception—even if it aimed for a more "respectful" tone than its competitors.

The Release: A Quiet Debut for a Niche Show

The series premiered on July 15, 2020, a time when Netflix was churning out reality content at a breakneck pace. Yet, Skin Decision never became a breakout hit. Its low-key rollout—no major press tour, no viral moments—suggests it was either a passion project or a test run for future medical reality shows.

The lack of buzz might also explain why details about its production are scarce. Unlike Selling Sunset or Love Is Blind, Skin Decision didn’t spawn tabloid headlines or cast feuds. Was it too tame? Too niche? Or simply overshadowed by bigger Netflix releases?

The Verdict: A Missed Opportunity?

With only eight episodes (rumored, but unconfirmed), Skin Decision: Before and After had potential but failed to leave a lasting mark. Its blend of medical expertise and reality TV drama was a fresh angle, but without more transparency about its production, it’s hard to call it a full success.

For fans of cosmetic transformations, it delivered the goods—but for those craving scandal or deep character arcs, it fell flat. In the end, Skin Decision might be remembered as a footnote in Netflix’s reality TV era, rather than a game-changer.

Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.

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