Salaam AlaykumI am a woman and was wondering in which cases cosmetic surgery is allowed in Islam?I have a pretty big (abnormal) gap between my lips and my nose (philtrum), which makes me look very masculine, and it bothers me and lowers my self-esteem. Is it allowed for me to have a cosmetic surgery to shorten the gap?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

We have already stated in several Fataawa that cosmetic surgeries are of two types:

- A type that is intended for beauty and good looks; we have stated that this type of cosmetic surgery is not permissible;

- The second type: is the one that a person needs in order to remove harm, pain, deformity or a scar. This type is permissible and there is no sin in doing it.

The resolution of the Islamic Fiqh Academy reads:

"1) It is Islamically permissible to perform plastic surgeries, when there is a need, and which are intended to:

A) Restoring the shape of organs to the state on which a person is (usually) created. Allah Says (what means): {We have certainly created man in the best of stature.} [Quran 95:4]

B) Restoring the normal function of body organs.

C) Repairing physical defects, such as: cleft lip, severe bending of nose, birthmarks, excess fingers, excess teeth, syndactyly of fingers if it causes effective physical or moral harm.

D) Repairing acquired defects from the effects of burns, accidents, diseases and others, such as:

- Skin transplantation and grafting,

- Completely reshaping of the breast after its removal, or partly reshaping it (breast) because of its largeness or smallness, leading to a condition of illness,

-Hair transplantation in case of hair loss, especially in for women.” [End of quote]

Therefore, if the cosmetic surgery that you wish to undergo is one of these types, then there is no harm in it.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 90335, 87848, 331627, and 242377.

Allah knows best.