Dame Helen Mirren has dubbed it “horrific” when young people undertake plastic surgery.

Talking to America’s InStyle magazine, Helen discussed how she felt about plastic surgery in connection to herself, adults and the younger generation and although she understood a desire to better one’s appearance, she felt it destroyed rather than accentuated young beauty.

“The only thing I don’t like on young people is plastic surgery…The purity of youthful beauty is so fantastic to me that it’s horrific when young girls get fake things.”

However, in the past Helen has defended the decision of women who have undergone plastic surgery and believes it should be the informed decision of the individual.

“You go, I don’t want to look at that face anymore and I understand that absolutely. I think people should be allowed to do whatever they want to make themselves feel happy.”

Commenting upon her own appearance Helen had this to say, “”I’m not beautiful. I was never beautiful. I just clean up nice! Sexiness is different. I don’t mind being sexy – but on my own terms. I’ve always felt very comfortable about my sexuality. Women don’t lose their sex appeal as they get older, it just moves into a different kind of arena. I don’t mean full-on sex appeal – that’s really for the young. No, it’s some kind of indeterminate thing – an appreciation of life and wisdom and other things, perhaps. There should be a special word for it.”

Many people share Helen’s opinions and the rise in easily accessible aesthetic treatments mean that a large number of both young are old are changing their images surgically. Whether they actually need it or not seems to be down to the individual, but for Helen, youthful beauty should be left well alone.