Watching the plastic-surgery victim Vishal Thakkar's story on YouTube shattered my heart. It's difficult to see someone forced to deal with so much sorrow for the rest of their lives as a result of a fast non-thinking decision.
“I was too selfish,” Thakkar, who is from New York, says of his decision to undergo nose surgery in Oklahoma, following his divorce in 2006.
Personally, I thought he looked fine before the surgery that changed his life.
Thakkar is now missing the end of his nose, requiring him to wear a medical mask to cover the gaping hole in his face.
As a result of a surgery gone wrong, he had to undergo 11 surgeries within 53 days in which tubes were inserted to assist with breathing.
The outcome raises the question: why would anyone put themselves through all of this?
I don’t get how people can do this to themselves not knowing if they’ll come out of the operating theatre alive. People spend a fortune on such trivial surgeries while others have no water to drink and die of hunger and thirst every day.
God asked us to value the body we have and not put it through anything that will harm it. Plastic surgeons don’t give you 100 per cent assurance of success – there is a risk it could go wrong. While you’re playing with your body, others are wishing to have a healthy one, freed from disease and illness.
Iran is known for having one of the highest percentages of women lining up for nose jobs. In my opinion, the more natural, the more beautiful you are.
Why would you want to be something you’re not? People these days want to have supermodel bodies, even though appearances aren’t everything. Teenagers must be taught that it depends on your genes; your body can only go to a certain extent. Of course, plastic surgeries can be performed on your lips, nose or teeth, but what many people may not know is that there are some chemicals that are not compatible with everyone’s body. They’re risky for one’s health and, after several years, the side effects may show. You may enjoy it for a year or two but, similar to everything else, it won’t last – it’s a temporary fix.
It’s a choice you make; you risk your health when instead you could choose to live a happy life with no well-being issues. Everyone needs to be careful when making huge decisions such as this since it’s your body, the one you’ll have to live in for the rest of your life. My advice: learn to live/love your age, instead of wanting to look younger. Learn to look great in your own skin.
Shamma Al Marri, 18, is a first-year general education student at Zayed University-Dubai. She is planning to major in international relations or psychology
If you are an Emirati woman with a good story to tell or an interesting issue to debate, contact Shireena Al Nowais on salnuwais@thenational.ae.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
