Adriana Lima’s recent appearance has left some in shock, and now there’s a debate raging online about her striking transformation with fans divided over her look.
On Sept. 18, the former Victoria’s Secret Angel attended the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Madrid closing party at the Reina Sofía Museum. Lima donned a black floor-length gown that featured a high neckline and a sleeveless cut. She wore her hair in a sleek, tightly swept-back ponytail. The 45-year-old accessorized with delicate drop earrings and a slim, sparkling bracelet.
Many fans complimented that she looked great, writing, “I’ve fallen in love again, so beautiful,” and that Lima was “back to the Victoria’s Secret era.” However, others had their suspicions about how young and different she looked and began pointing to photos from three years earlier during The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes premiere in Los Angeles.
The commenters attacked the model‘s appearance, posting (without evidence), “We’d recognize an Ozempic arm anywhere. If she was doing that much sports, she’d have gained some volume in her shoulders.”
A second chimed in, “It’s nice to have plastic surgeons on speed dial,” while a third said, “She must have one to Kris Jenner’s plastic surgeon because she looks amazing.” And another added, “Looks like Buccal fat pad removal.”
Those critiquing Lima’s appearance likely aren’t doctors and therefore what they post is purely speculation. So what does an actual medical professional think?
Dr. Omar Tillo, plastic surgeon and Medical Director at CREO Clinic, told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “The first thing I would stress is that we cannot diagnose cosmetic surgery from photographs. Adriana Lima has not confirmed having a facelift or any of the other procedures being discussed, so it would be wrong to say that she has.
“What we can do is look at why people perceive such a significant difference. Compared with photographs from 2023, her face now appears considerably leaner and more defined, particularly through the cheeks, jawline and around the eyes. Those particular areas are interesting because there are several cosmetic procedures that can create similar changes.”
He added, “A facelift or brow lift could potentially affect the position of the facial tissues, blepharoplasty can change the appearance around the eyes, while buccal fat removal can create greater definition beneath the cheekbones … I wouldn’t say from photographs that she has had buccal fat removed. In somebody who has become significantly leaner, natural facial fat loss can create a remarkably similar appearance.”
“But weight loss can also alter several of those areas simultaneously, which is why photographs alone aren’t enough to tell us what has happened. Weight loss could certainly account for a substantial part of the difference people are seeing, and I think that needs to be considered before jumping immediately to surgical explanations.”
Dr. Tillo concluded, “I think the online debate actually demonstrates why we need to be careful when analyzing celebrity transformations. Some people are absolutely convinced they’re seeing a facelift, while others are equally convinced they’re simply seeing weight loss. Photographs alone can’t settle that argument.
“Ultimately, her three-year transformation is likely to keep generating speculation, but without a clinical assessment or confirmation from Adriana herself, it isn’t possible to separate the effects of weight and body composition, ageing, styling and any potential aesthetic treatment with certainty.”
Lima gave birth to her son Cyan in August 2022, a year before those 2023 photos from the movie premiere circulated and led to scrutiny over her weight from internet trolls.
At the time, the supermodel told People, “Every day I have to remind myself that, ‘Listen, accept who you are. Accept your body.’ It’s a transitional body right now because I had a baby … Every body has a different reaction with pregnancy and post-pregnancy.”
