Melania Trump Is Unrecognizable In Throwback Photos After Rumored Plastic Surgery
One can't talk about Melania Trump's stunning transformation without asking the inevitable question — has Donald Trump's wife had any work done? Hailing from Slovenia, the former model looked vastly different before her time in the spotlight, so it's not a surprise that the public is curious about the secrets behind Melania's beauty.
Given that Melania's early years were nothing like her lavish life today, online sleuths couldn't help but delve into the former FLOTUS' past, scouring for evidence that might shed light on any potential cosmetic enhancements. Their efforts unearthed throwback photos that immediately started circulating on social media, where Melania is almost unrecognizable compared to her present self.
Why does Melania Trump have an alien look?
Quite a bit of plastic surgery. pic.twitter.com/dCg04iGIEP— Mynameis...Miro (@zg4ever) February 3, 2024
Despite consistently denying rumors of plastic surgery over the years, Melania's youthful photos paint a contrasting picture. Captured in 1987 as a newcomer in the modeling industry at just 17 years old, it's hard to tell it's indeed Melania posing. According to a Today report, the now-iconic photographs were taken by Stanje Jerko, a Slovenian photographer who first scouted Melania on the streets of Ljubljana. One doesn't need to look closely to notice a difference in Melania's appearance — she had a less pronounced upward eye shape, a wider and shorter nose, and a significantly smaller upper lip that moved when she smiled. As the aging process typically results in changes that go in the opposite direction, social media users had a field day pointing out the discrepancies.
Melania Trump once claimed she would 'age gracefully'
Even though she was just a teenager in her early modeling photos, Melania Trump had a noticeably different facial structure than she does today — to the point that some online didn't recognize her. Many X (formerly Twitter) users couldn't wrap their heads around Melania's throwback look, while those who weren't as confused tried guessing what she did to her face. "Way too much plastic surgery, fillers, botox, fake [breasts] and teeth, lipo," read a tweet trying to list all of Melania's possible enhancements.
While the former FLOTUS has no problem causing a stir with her outrageous fashion choices, it seems she doesn't want you to think she's had work done. In 2016, Melania tried setting the plastic surgery speculation to rest in her GQ profile, stating, "A lot of people say I am using all the procedures for my face. I didn't do anything." She then proceeded to credit a healthy lifestyle for her gorgeous looks. While Melania's typical daily diet is rich in lean fats and vegetables, food can't change your eyes into a different shape or make your nose smaller.
Furthermore, Melania shared that she was "against Botox [and] injections" while speaking to GQ. "I think it's damaging your face, damaging your nerves," she explained. "I will age gracefully, as my mom does." Despite her eyebrow-raising claims, some professionals believe Donald Trump's wife surely altered her appearance to some degree.
She likely got a nose job, according to a plastic surgeon
According to Jag Chana, a plastic and cosmetic surgeon from the United Kingdom who spoke to Express, there's no doubt that Melania Trump has done something to her face. Notably, he thinks a nose job is what primarily changed Melania's appearance. "The very minor irregularities along the bridge line are suggestive of an osteotomy, which is part of the procedure during a rhinoplasty, which narrows the nose," he said. The surgeon also pointed out her fuller top lip and wrinkle-free skin, which would both be results of injectables.
In 2018, Melania fueled plastic surgery rumors when the White House announced she was being treated for a benign kidney condition (via CNN). As Donald Trump was president at the time, all eyes were on his wife, who emerged 24 days later. The Cut spoke to Dr. Robert Tornambe, a board-certified plastic surgeon, who suggested Melania could have undergone a facelift and successfully avoided detection if she remained out of the public eye for the specified amount of time.
The matter is evidently a hot topic of conversation, as even Donald made sure to emphasize that his wife has never gone under the knife. During an appearance on the "New Abnormal" podcast, journalist Mika Brzezinski shared that the former president once assured her that "Melania has had no work done." While the truth may remain elusive, the saying "Where there's smoke, there's fire" seems fitting.