2022 wasn’t necessarily a headline year for feel-good stories, but on the lighter side of the news cycle, there was no shortage of celebrity plastic surgery talk that piqued our interest (and, quite frankly, offered a welcome reprieve from everything else happening in the world). Some stars finally admitted to having previously speculated-about procedures, while others played it more coy. From liposuction to rhinoplasty to butt injections, here are the biggest celebrity plastic surgery moments of the year.
Zac Efron finally addressed why he looked so different last year
Efron previoiusly made our 2021 celebrity plastic surgery list, when he was photographed with a dramatically fuller face and altered jawline. Fans assumed it was a result of dental work—or plastic surgery—gone wrong. But in an October interview with Men’s Health, Efron explained that a 2013 accident left him with a jaw that had to be wired shut, and his masseter muscles “got really, really big” as a result. He’d used physical therapy to mediate the effect but was taking a break from it when that infamous 2021 photo was taken, hence his altered appearance.
Linda Evangelista bravely revealed her CoolSculpting complications
Evangelista first revealed that she’d experienced paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, after multiple rounds of CoolSculpting, back in September 2021. In February 2022, she opened up further, sharing details about how the complications traumatized her, physically and emotionally, and showing photos of what her body looks like now. “I don’t look in the mirror. It doesn’t look like me,” she said in an exclusive interview with People magazine.
Simon Cowell appeared unrecognizable in a viral video
Back in April, the former American Idol judge told The Sun that he had had all the fillers in his face dissolved, admitting that he may have “gone a bit too far.” But in December, 63-year-old Cowell appeared unrecognizable in a (since deleted) Twitter video that led followers to speculate about all kinds of cosmetic procedures. “Madame Tussauds unveiled their new waxwork of Simon Cowell,” read one comment, in response to the star’s distorted features, waxy-looking skin, and overly white teeth.
Cardi B reversed her illegal butt injections
Never one to shy away from candidly discussing plastic surgery—including breast augmentation, liposuction, rhinoplasty, and plans for a tummy tuck—Cardi B most recently shared that she’d had her illegal silicone butt injections surgically removed. “In August, I got surgery and I removed 95% of my biopolymers… if you don’t know what it is, it’s ass shots. It was a really crazy process,” she said in an August Instagram Live. She also issued a warning to any followers considering a Brazilian butt lift. “Before you get a BBL done, you have to make sure your blood levels are all right. If a doctor says your blood levels are too low or you have diabetes or whatever, don’t do it,” the 30-year-old said.
Grimes hinted at elf ear surgery
When Grimes posted a bandaged selfie in September with the caption, “I did smthn crazy,” fans were quick to assume that she had undergone elf ear surgery, aka ear reshaping. The singer had previously expressed interest in the procedure, tweeting: “Also, has anyone done elf ear mods with a good outcome? I’m scared about ear cartilage having a hard time healing. Especially as a musician this surgery seems risky but I’ve wanted it my whole life. Curious about peoples experiences!” She has yet to share exactly what she had done, although her ears did look rather elf-like in a November Instagram photo.
Kristin Cavallari told fans she’d had a breast lift
35-year-old Cavallari talked openly about cosmetic procedures during an August AMA on her Instagram Stories. She told one fan who asked about injectables that she’d never done Botox or fillers but did cop to a breast lift when someone inquired as to whether her breasts were real. “Gonna keep it real with y’all: got a lift after breast feeding all 3 kids,” Cavallari responded, over a photo in a white bikini.
Kim Kardashian admitted to having gotten Botox (but not filler)
Kardashian made major headlines after gracing the July cover of Allure. In an interview with the magazine, the reality star said she’s only ever had “a little bit of Botox” in between her brows, and she vehemently denied ever getting injectable filler. “No filler. Never filled either one,” she said when asked about her lips and cheeks. She admitted to regular laser treatments, though she denied eyelash extensions. Fans, plastic surgeons, and the general social media world were abuzz after her revelations, many doubting that she was being truthful as well as criticizing the outlet for not asking more pointed questions about various plastic surgery procedures.
Bella Hadid revealed she’d gotten a nose job at 14
There’s been plenty of speculation about Hadid’s appearance and possible plastic surgeries—canthoplasty, or cat-eye surgery, in particular. But in the cover story for Vogue’s April issue, the supermodel maintained that she’s only had one surgery—a rhinoplasty at the age of 14, a result of insecurities and intense scrutiny. She also talked about regretting that decision, saying, “I wish I had kept the nose of my ancestors. I think I would have grown into it.”
Amy Schumer changed her mind about liposuction
Schumer has always spoken candidly about both her health struggles (endometriosis, a complicated pregnancy) and the cosmetic procedures she’s tried (cheek filler, CoolSculping CoolMini). In January, she posted a beach pic with a caption revealing that she’d had liposuction. A few months later, she told fellow comedian Chelsea Handler more about her decision. “I got liposuction. I never thought that I was going to do anything like that. Like, when I would hear, ‘liposuction,’ I was just like, ‘That’s so crazy to me.’ I would say that I’m not ever going to do anything,” Schumer told Handler on the Dear Chelsea podcast. She went on to say that after healing from endometriosis surgery, she decided to have liposuction—and was very happy with the decision. “I healed well, and I was like, ‘Can I get lipo?’ And I got lipo, and I’m feeling really good,” she said.
