Kristi Noem has undergone a radical political and physical transformation since becoming a MAGA missionary — although the latter is much more revolutionary and obvious. Kristi’s ever-shifting appearance has sent plastic surgery chatter into overdrive, with the public, the media, and professionals speculating on what she’s had done and at what cost.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Niccole, Medical Director of California’s CosmetiCare Plastic Surgery Center and MedSpa told Nicki Swift in May 2025 that, in his expert opinion, Noem’s rumored face filler makeover comes with a hefty price tag. Dr. Niccole estimates she’s spent at least $25,000 to date, hypothesizing that in addition to Botox and fillers, Noem’s possibly undergone neck and facelift operations too. Obviously, the cost will continue to rise with the inevitable top-ups, tweaks, and/or further procedures. Then, there are the flowing locks. They’ve drastically added to her metamorphosis, and Noem is nearly unrecognizable without her hair extensions. Don’t believe it? Check out her “Snow Queen” beauty pageant pic — you can thank us later.
Noem actually was the 1990 South Dakota Snow Queen. Talk about icy foreshadowing … pic.twitter.com/vlSBGY1SUA
— South Dakota Standard (@DakotaStandard) March 16, 2021
Noem confirmed she’d had cosmetic surgery — sort of, kind of, not really — in a March 2024 video thanking a Texan dental practice for fixing her teeth. The controversial recording/advert resulted in her being sued for failing to “[disclose] that she has a financial relationship with [the dental] company.” Oopsie! Perhaps it’s little wonder she’s staying schtum about other possible procedures. Still, looking at photos over the years, Noem’s rumored plastic surgery transformation is head-turning and, well, seemingly pretty hard to deny.
Noem was a curly blonde and fresh faced cowgirl in her 1992 wedding photo
If anyone doubts that plastic and/or cosmetic surgery is purportedly behind Kristi Noem’s mega MAGA makeover, we present exhibit one: her wedding photo. Kristi was a fresh-faced 20-year-old when she walked down the aisle with Bryon Noem, a fellow South Dakota native, in 1992. She was all big hair, don’t care, with huge blonde curls emerging from under her custom-made white bridal stetson complete with veil.
Resplendent in gigantic sparkly pearl drop earrings, Kristi grinned for the camera with gay abandon. Her skin was wrinkle-free and glowing, as you’d expect for somebody just out of their teens; her thick brushed eyebrows were natural, and her bright red lipstick perfectly complemented her sparkly teeth. But what really stands out is the size of Kristi’s (fairly thin) chops. Lips lose collagen as you age, causing them to decrease in volume and shrink. However, Kristi’s have gotten considerably fuller and plumper over time, seemingly pointing to her being an anomaly or a cosmetic filler fan. Employing the principle of Occam’s Razor can help decide which.
Noem was a choppy brunette with a suspiciously plumper pout in 2011
Kristi Noem was elected to serve South Dakota in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010. By then, the staunch Republican and firearms fanatic had upped her political game and changed her fresh-faced farm girl look to better fit her new status. The big bouncy blonde curls, glowing skin, thick brushed eyebrows, and natural-looking lips were a distant memory. (Noem would always remain loyal to her cowgirl stetson, though — albeit minus the bridal veil).
Instead, when Noem took to the stage to address the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in February 2011, she was rocking a short, choppy brunette no-nonsense ‘do, a noticeably plumper pout, over-plucked brows,and thick foundation that looked decidedly Trumpian in hue. However, despite her evolving MAGA makeover already well underway, Noem looked more like a harried soccer mom than a rising political power player.
Noem was all wide-eyed, frozen-faced and frazzled extensions in 2019
By 2019, Kristi Noem had scored a golden ticket into Donald Trump’s inner sanctum. And as the newly elected governor of South Dakota’s presence at the White House grew, so did the plastic surgery makeover rumors. Noem’s purported face filler had everyone talking, sparking debate over whether she’d submitted to the syringe or somehow managed to naturally produce a whole load of collagen, all by herself overnight.
Either way, Noem was looking decidedly wide-eyed and frozen-faced in 2019 when she was snapped gazing at Trump while plotting to eliminate yet more safety measures, employee rights, and pesky regulations that she claimed were stunting business growth in the U.S. The dodgy double-drawn hustle appeared to be going from strength to strength, though, at least judging by Noem’s fried hair extensions.
Noem was strangely google-eyed, plumped-up and wrinkle-free in 2020
Kristi Noem’s rumored plastic surgery makeover had gone into overdrive by August 2020, along with COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. As the pandemic wreaked havoc around the world, the Republican National Convention went virtual (as did the DNC), forcing Noem to address participants remotely via a screen on day three and miss her moment on stage.
Still, on the plus side, at least it meant that the staunch anti-masker didn’t have to cover up. Instead, Noem could remain blissfully bare-faced, allowing everybody to fully appreciate her ever-widening eyes, chiseled zygomatics, plumped-up cheeks, meaty maw, newly tattooed brows, and carefully coiffed and curled hair extensions.
Noem was twinning with Melania on a 2024 White House date night
Donald Trump definitely has a “type” — when it comes to the women in his innermost reaches, anyway. Margo Martin, Hope Hicks, Karolyn Leavitt, and 47’s lawyer, Alina Habba, all seemingly transform into Melania Trump wannabes the deeper their MAGA roots grow and the more Donald attention they crave. So, it was a no-brainer that Kristi Noem would follow suit. And follow suit she did with her rumored plastic surgery transformation, resulting in her twinning with the FLOTUS during a White House soiree with her husband, Bryon Noem, in February 2024.
“Date night at the @whitehouse! With some of my favorite friends invited too. Thank you @realdonaldtrump and Melania for bringing America’s Governors together,” Kristi captioned a selection of photos on Instagram, showing her frozen face, lowered brows, puffed-up pout, and almost waist-length hair extensions.
Noem’s mega MAGA metamorphosis was complete by 2025
Kristi Noem’s rumored plastic surgery transformation was complete by 2025. And, when you look at the before and after photos, it’s easy to understand why all the speculation over her appearance started and why it continues to grow. Noem really did look like a completely different person in June when she headed down to Costa Rica for a meet-up with President Rodrigo Chaves Robles.
Like so many others in the Trump world, Noem has undergone a mega MAGA metamorphosis. Emerging from her South Dakota cocoon with a Mar-a-Lago face and a steely determination to spread the word of Donald throughout the states and beyond, in her native language: American.
