After Dakota Johnson’s Sparks Surgery Speculation With Dramatic Transformation, Doctor Weighs In
Following an appearance alongside Taylor Swift at the MTV VMAs and a few other events to promote her new film, Verity, the internet is flooding with rumors that Dakota Johnson had surgery.
The comments on social media include some opining that she “doesn’t look like the same person,” and “I think she got surgery on her eyes because they used to be hooded,” with another insisting, “Oh, please, she had work. Brow lift. Upper blepharoplasty; she either had a hairline reduction, and/or wigs and hair extensions to cover her higher forehead. She had buccal fat removal, under the chin and neck lipo.”
Others though, have come to the actress’s defense and believe a change in her hairstyle is making her look so different, writing, “Dakota Johnson trimmed her bangs and immediately there’s plastic surgery allegations.”
Those commenting on Johnson’s appearance and assuming she had cosmetic procedures 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, “When you compare older photographs of Dakota with more recent images, there are a few differences that stand out. Her eyes appear more open, the upper part of the face looks slightly more lifted, and there also seems to be less fullness through the cheeks and lower face.
“The eye area is probably one of the most noticeable differences. In older photographs, Dakota had more hooding of the upper eyelid, whereas now there appears to be greater visibility of the upper lid and the eyes look more open. That type of change can be consistent with an upper blepharoplasty. By removing a small amount of excess skin from the upper eyelid, you can create a more open appearance without significantly changing the rest of the face.”
Dr. Tillo continued, “From photographs alone, however, it isn’t possible to say whether she has undergone the procedure. Her face does look leaner and more sculpted in some of the recent images, particularly around the cheeks and jawline. Buccal fat removal can create more definition beneath the cheekbones by reducing some of the volume in the lower cheek, so I can understand why people are making that comparison.
“However, facial fat naturally changes as we age and relatively small changes in body weight can also have quite a noticeable effect on somebody with a naturally slim face. I wouldn’t say photographs alone provide enough evidence to suggest she has definitely undergone liposuction.”
Could Johnson’s hairstyle actually be behind her different look as some suggested?
According to Dr. Tillo, “Hair can make a surprisingly big difference to how we perceive somebody’s facial proportions. A fringe essentially changes the visible height of the forehead and creates a new frame around the eyes. That can make the upper third of the face appear shorter while drawing more attention towards the eyes and cheekbones.
“So the people saying her bangs are contributing to the change aren’t necessarily wrong. I think they could certainly be enhancing the effect. But when you compare photographs over a longer period, there do appear to be differences in areas such as the eyelids and facial volume that wouldn’t necessarily be explained by a haircut alone.”
The surgeon concluded, “If Dakota has had cosmetic work, my impression would be that we’re potentially looking at a number of subtle changes rather than one procedure that has completely transformed her appearance. The eye area looks more open, the brows can appear slightly higher, and there seems to be more definition through the cheeks and lower face. When those changes happen together, they can alter the overall balance of the face quite significantly.
“At the same time, we have to remember that we’re comparing photographs taken years apart, often under completely different conditions. Makeup, weight changes, ageing, hairstyles, lighting, camera lenses, and even facial expression can all make someone look different. Without examining Dakota personally or knowing her medical history, it isn’t possible to confirm whether she has undergone any of these procedures. We can only discuss which treatments could potentially create the changes people are seeing.”
