At age 24, an acid attack left model turned activist and Loose Women star Katie Piper severely burned. Now in her 40s, it’s given her a unique perspective on ageing and beauty

Presenter, campaigner and author of Still Beautiful Katie Piper. Photo: Sophia Spring

Ahead of turning 40 in 2023, Katie Piper began to notice a certain theme in questions about this approaching milestone. “It kind of had shame attached to it,” she says. “Like, ‘How do you feel about it?’ or ‘Do you want to print your real age?’ It was a strange feeling, because obviously, for me, 40 represents surviving, still being here, being alive.”

The fact that other people framed 40 as something to fear, to avoid, even to regret, gave Piper pause for thought and the inspiration for her new book, Still Beautiful: On Age, Beauty and Owning Your Space. She felt she had something of significance to say about ageing, about beauty and ageing and, most importantly, about the beauty and privilege of ageing.

Seventeen years after surviving an acid attack, English television personality Katie Piper admits that she’s never fully been “discharged” from medical care.

The 41-year-old panelist for British talk show Loose Women recently spoke to the Mirror and opened up about her recovery over the years and her desire to get to a point where she’s healthy again.

“I’m never discharged. I have to go back for my eyes, nose, and throat,” she said. “I learned at such a young age the value of looking after your mind, your body, how our health is a privilege and how it can suddenly change.”

“I’ve had this unique experience as a 20-something where I know what it is like to be incapacitated, to be ill, to be in hospital for a long time,” she explained. “I always take myself back to that memory of ‘Do all this now, so when you are older, your quality of life is the best it can be.’

“I want to be healthy,” she added. “I take looking after my body as a job. I want the best from it.”

Katie Piper on February 10, 2025, in London.Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty

On Jan. 10, Piper announced on Instagram that she is getting an “artificial eye” because the acid attack left her partially blind. She said she “reached the end of [the] road somewhat, and the decision has been made to try a prosthetic eye shell after “many years battling with my eye health.”

“This marks the start of a journey to have an artificial eye, with an incredible medical team behind me,” Piper wrote. “As always I’m incredibly grateful to all those in the NHS [National Health Service] and private health care system for their talent and kindness.”

Piper added that she would detail her “journey” and that she’s “hopeful and nervous” about the change.

“[I] would love to hear from any of you in the comments if you’ve been on this journey or have any advice,” she wrote, including a video of her fitted with the prosthetic.

Piper’s latest health decision comes 17 years after a March 2008 acid attack arranged by an ex, when she suffered severe burns and was left blind in one eye.

In the years since she has worked as a motivational speaker and television presenter and has launched a foundation. She also released a memoir, Beautiful, in 2011.