5 Celebrities Who Have Undergone Plastic Surgery
In Hollywood, the pressure to maintain a flawless physical appearance is constant. For many public figures, cosmetic surgery has become a tool to preserve youthful features and correct perceived imperfections under constant public scrutiny.
Media exposure and the pressure of beauty standards have led numerous celebrities to alter their appearance in search of reinvention. However, not all procedures deliver the expected results.
While some opt for subtle enhancements, others have undergone more visible transformations that have placed them at the center of public debate, fueling criticism, speculation, and questions about the limits of plastic surgery.
The cases of these 20 celebrities highlight that cosmetic procedures are not without risks and that even carefully planned interventions can lead to unforeseen consequences.

1. Madonna

Singer Madonna, an undisputed pop culture icon known worldwide as the “Queen of Pop,” became the subject of intense media scrutiny following her appearance at the 2023 Grammy Awards, where she presented one of the awards.
Her look during the event sparked a wave of speculation across social media and entertainment outlets regarding possible cosmetic procedures. Although the artist has never publicly confirmed undergoing plastic surgery, several cosmetic surgeons have suggested that she may have had procedures such as facelifts and neck lifts, blepharoplasty to refresh her eyes, brow lifts, buccal fat removal, and rhinoplasty.
In recent years, her appearance—described by some as “puffy” or “pillow face”—has been attributed by specialists to the use of dermal fillers in her cheeks, lips, and temples, as well as Botox injections to smooth forehead lines.
Following the controversy surrounding her appearance at the ceremony, Madonna responded ironically in an Instagram post, writing: “Look how cute I am now that the swelling from surgery has gone down. Lol.”
Public reactions were swift. Some fans expressed concern, while others voiced harsher criticism. “I can’t understand who she sees when she looks in the mirror. It’s a complete illusion,” one user wrote. Another commented: “This shows how empty most celebrities can be. She has all the money in the world. She should stop ruining her face to stay in the spotlight.”

2. Kim Novak

Kim Novak is an American actress and one of the great figures of classic Hollywood, whose career peaked in the 1950s with iconic films such as Vertigo, Picnic, and Bell, Book and Candle.
Her appearance at the 86th Academy Awards in 2014 drew widespread media attention due to noticeable changes in her face. The actress later confirmed that these changes were the result of fat injections in her cheeks, a procedure she underwent in an effort to counteract the signs of aging.
The controversy intensified when Donald Trump, then a businessman and public figure, posted a message on X (formerly Twitter) suggesting that Novak should sue her plastic surgeon.
In a 2020 interview, Novak addressed both the cosmetic procedure and the public reaction it generated, admitting that she regretted having the injections. “In 2012, I had fat injections in my cheeks, and it was the worst thing I could have done. When Donald Trump got involved, it turned into a scandal,” she said.
According to several plastic surgeons, Novak may have undergone additional cosmetic procedures, including a facelift, rhinoplasty, and Botox injections. However, these claims have never been confirmed by the actress.

3. Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, best known for portraying Rocky Balboa in the Rocky franchise and Barney Ross in The Expendables series.
The actor has explained that in the 1990s he underwent facial surgery to treat nerve damage caused by a birth injury, a condition that affected his speech and resulted in mild facial asymmetry. According to Stallone, the procedure helped correct those physical effects.
Over the years, however, plastic surgery specialists have suggested that the actor may have undergone additional cosmetic procedures, including facelifts, brow and neck lifts, Botox injections, dermal fillers, and eyelid surgery.
Although these procedures have not been confirmed by Stallone, changes in his appearance have continued to attract media attention and debate on social media, where some users have criticized the excessive use of cosmetic treatments.

4. Amanda Lepore

Amanda Lepore is an American model, singer, and performance artist who has become an iconic figure in New York’s nightlife and fashion scenes.
Throughout her career, Lepore has spoken openly about the cosmetic procedures she has undergone. She has stated that she had her first rhinoplasty at the age of 15. Between 1986 and 1988, she received multiple silicone injections in her lips, later acknowledging that she went too far—particularly with her lower lip—and subsequently underwent a reduction.
According to various accounts and as detailed in her 2017 book Doll Parts, the activist and prominent figure in the transgender community also underwent cheek augmentations, double eyelid surgery, and breast implants, aiming to achieve a deliberately “doll-like” appearance.
In the same publication, Lepore claimed to have “the most expensive body in the world,” referring to the significant sums she has spent over the years on surgical and cosmetic procedures.

5. Pete Burns

Pete Burns, lead singer of the British band Dead or Alive, was one of the most recognizable pop figures of the 1980s, largely due to the international hit You Spin Me Round (Like a Record).
Throughout his life, Burns underwent a large number of cosmetic procedures—estimated at more than 300—many of them corrective surgeries following failed operations. These practices had a significant impact on his health.
Burns stated that his first operation was a rhinoplasty in 1984 to correct a nasal imperfection. Over time, that initial procedure led to a series of additional surgeries, including multiple nose operations, cheekbone implants and subsequent removals, as well as lip augmentations, as he explained on the program Botched Up Bodies.
Although the artist never publicly expressed regret, various sources reported that the accumulation of surgeries and related medical treatment led to serious health complications, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms affecting multiple organs.
In the early 2000s, Burns was hospitalized on an emergency basis following a failed lip filler procedure. He spent 10 days in critical condition and required intensive treatment with blood thinners, which later caused damage to his teeth.
Following the incident, Burns took legal action against the surgeon responsible and was awarded £450,000 in compensation, equivalent to approximately $606,783.