Celebs Whose Careers Skyrocketed After Plastic Surgery

In the glittering world of celebrities, looks mean everything. Plastic surgery is as common as red carpet appearances, and for a select few, a little cosmetic help can mean a massive career boost. Some swear it’s just “a little contouring,” but the before-and-after pictures don’t lie. A mysteriously refined nose, impossibly perfect cheekbones, or a jawline that appeared overnight can take the average Joe to movie star in an instant.

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Just look at Kylie Jenner, for example. The owner of Kylie Cosmetics and youngest member of the Kardashian-Jenner family practically built a billion-dollar empire just by getting her lips filled. Kim Kardashian’s story of fame is eerily similar, but instead, she famously got her butt done. Cardi B essentially rose to rap royalty thanks to her pre-fame Brazilian butt lift. For those hoping to be rich and famous, these plastic surgery transformations aren’t just for vanity; they turn regular people into stars. Let’s take a look at some celebrities whose careers skyrocketed after plastic surgery.

As the youngest member of reality TV’s royal family, every one of Kylie Jenner’s awkward stages, style switches, and rumored cosmetic enhancements was broadcast to millions. As she grew older, Jenner became one of the most popular faces in Hollywood and a beauty mogul with her company, Kylie Cosmetics. Still, Jenner’s rise wasn’t just thanks to her famous last name. Her real breakout moment came when fans couldn’t stop buzzing about her suddenly plumper pout at just 17. Rumors of lip fillers exploded across the internet, and just like that, Jenner went from the cute little sister to It-girl. Jenner came clean about the enhancement in 2016. “I’m not against plastic surgery,” the star wrote on her eponymous app (via Harper’s Bazaar). “But as of now, I only have lip fillers … But I’m also someone who says ‘never say never.”

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After having two children and experiencing postpartum depression, Jenner reflected on her past cosmetic decisions. In her cover feature for British Vogue’s “Big Fashion Issue,” she admitted that she regrets her breast augmentation at 19. “I wish I never got them done to begin with,” Jenner confessed. “[I] recommend anyone thinking about it to wait after children.” Additionally, Jenner opened up about feeling intense pressure to “make the right decisions” at a young age, shedding light on the scrutiny and expectations that come with fame. “I don’t know who I would’ve been without all these eyes on me,” she emotionally lamented.

R&B singer SZA is known for her soulful blend of dreamy vocals and confessional lyrics. This vulnerability often transfers to her fashion choices, where SZA uses her sensuality paired with bold and expressive fabrics to speak directly from her heart. Yet, despite how beautiful she is, SZA has insecurities. Her look has drastically changed since her 2017 debut and many fans have speculated that she underwent a nose job, and a Brazilian butt lift — a cosmetic procedure that uses fat transfer to enhance natural curves without implants.

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In the intro of her “SOS” album, the singer addressed the rumors: “That a** so fat, it look natural / It’s not,” she sang (via Genius) Moreover, in her song “Conceited,” she tells the world, “I just got my body done, ain’t got no guilt about it / I just heard your opinion, I could’ve did without it.” The singer later told Elle: “I always wanted a really fat a** with less gym time,” adding that it was completely her choice. “I didn’t succumb to industry pressure. I succumbed to my own eyes in the mirror and being like, No, I need some more a**.”

In her Elle chat, SZA described her butt as her favorite accessory. “I treat my butt like a purse,” she said with a smile. “It’s just there to enhance whatever else.” While her talent is undeniable, her evolving image has also played a role in shaping her public persona.

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Summer Walker went from quiet Instagram baddie to R&B sensation faster than you can say “viral.” Walker’s sultry voice, fresh, no-makeup glow, and effortlessly cool vibe captivated online audiences, launching her into mega-fame back in 2020. Before long, fans began to notice that Walker’s beauty was changing, specifically her nose. As speculation grew, so did Walker’s music career and her fashion. Her once effortless, earthy style is now much more glamorous and sensual, and her curves seemingly evolved to match. The internet went wild with rumors that she underwent another full-body reconstruction after her pre-fame BBL.

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Walker eventually confirmed that she “obviously” got a nose job (per Instagram) but called out haters for focusing on her looks rather than her talent. “Instead of lying and acting like I ain’t had no work done like a lot of y’all, I was just wondering why we let the media’s yearly unrealistic beauty standards affect us all into wanting to be something we’re not,” she reminded her followers. Still, the Atlanta native remains candid about the work she’s had done. “I dead can’t believe I was this skinny lmao thank God for a** shots,” she commented on a before and after collage of herself (via Instagram). The singer, who was most recently spotted with a surgically constructed dimpled on her face, prompting concern from fans, doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.

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Before she was a global icon, in the 2000s, Kim Kardashian was best known as Paris Hilton’s style assistant and occasional red carpet sidekick. After a certain scandalous tape thrust her into the spotlight, it was her killer curves that kept the public’s attention. Her infamous derriere literally broke the internet, and paparazzi couldn’t get enough, pushing Kardashian further and further up the A-list. Soon, she wasn’t just a reality star; she was a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Her curvaceous figure became one of the most recognizable silhouettes in Hollywood, temporarily changing the face of beauty.

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Through high-profile relationships, sister drama, and feuding with Taylor Swift, the media’s focus remained on Kardashian’s rear. In 2011, the star famously x-rayed her butt to prove that it was all natural, and she finally admitted to butt injections in 2016 — but only to treat her psoriasis with cortisone. She’s also confessed to getting some Botox over the years, though she’s recently “chilled” (via US Magazine). Still, experts aren’t so convinced. “It’s possible she had some liposuction of her mid-section to further enhance [her behind],” says Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, Dr. William Bruno, via his website.

It’s clear that Kardashian would do just about anything to stay beautiful and relevant. In an interview with the New York Times, Kardashian joked: “If you told me that I literally had to eat poop every single day and I would look younger, I might, I just might,” (via Page Six).

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With her sculpted features, fierce runway presence, and chameleon-like talent, Bella Hadid quickly became one of the most in-demand models in the industry. Her time as a Victoria’s Secret angel gave Hadid major star power, setting the stage for high-profile campaigns with luxury brands like Fendi, Dior, Chopard, and Coperni and cementing her status as a highly sought-after supermodel. Over the years, Hadid has walked in hundreds of shows and even walked alongside her sister, Gigi, who has had her own transformation.

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Hadid’s impact goes far beyond the runway. Her edgy, experimental street style made her an It-girl while her unfiltered honesty about mental health and her heritage as a Palestinian made her a relatable role model for fans. In 2022, Hadid opened up about her activism and how she regrets getting a nose job at 14. “Fashion can make you or break you. And if it makes you, you have to make a conscious effort every day for it not to break you,” she told Vogue. “I wish I had kept the nose of my ancestors. I think I would have grown into it.”

Now 28 years old, Hadid still denies having any cosmetic surgery beyond her nose job, insisting she’s never touched fillers or even Botox. So, what’s the secret behind her sexy, fox eyes and her ever-evolving look? According to the model, just good ol’ fashioned face tape. She also swears by a snatched ponytail.

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Blake Lively is best known as the effortlessly chic Serena van der Woodsen on the CW’s “Gossip Girl.” Her classic looks, beachy blonde waves, and statuesque physique made her a beauty icon, while her natural charisma and marriage to Ryan Reynolds helped her become one of Hollywood’s most admired A-list stars. However, those aren’t the only things that helped Lively rise to the top.

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Many social media users clocked Lively for having a nose job early on in her career. When she first debuted on screen in 2005, the tip of the actor’s nose looked wider and angled downward. By 2006, she had also seemingly filed down her canine teeth. By the time “Gossip Girl” rolled around, Lively’s nose appeared noticeably slimmer and more refined. As her career blossomed, so did her look. Soon, people began to notice that Lively’s eyelids looked different. They accused her of having undergone eyelid surgery or a blepharoplasty to rid her of extra eyelid fat and to open up her face for makeup. Though the actor has never come clean about going under the knife, it’s clear from the before and after photos that the shape of her nose is different.

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Kaley Cuoco has been turning heads since her early days on “8 Simple Rules” in 2002, but it was her role as Penny on “The Big Bang Theory” that made her a TV bombshell. As the friendly, down-to-earth hottie to a group of socially awkward scientists, Penny brought warmth and wit to the show’s geeky universe. The “Pretty Girl Next Door” eventually became a fan favorite, especially as her relationships with the scientists evolved. Cuoco almost didn’t get cast for the role, making her success all the more magical.

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In 2014, Cuoco got real with Cosmopolitan. She admitted that she got breast implants when she was 18, calling the procedure “the best decision I ever made.” Cuoco got the augmentation done in 2004, when she was still on “8 Simple Rules.” Afterward, the hopeful actor saw a major career boost. In 2013, Cuoco was named the second highest-paid actor on television, raking in $11 million. Over the coming years, she would continue to rank highly on the Forbes list, usually sitting at No. 2 or No. 3 behind Sofia Vergara and Mariska Hargitay.

Dolly Parton is more than just a country music legend; she’s an American icon. Her signature look — towering blonde hair, dramatic eye makeup, and sparkly, rhinestoned outfits — is as iconic as her music. Paired with her unforgettable figure, they’re what makes her recognizable.

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Parton first hinted at having her breasts done back in a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters, four years after her first presumed augmentation in 1973. By then, her career was at its peak. “Is it all you?” the singer was asked in reference to her full-figured chest (via New Beauty). “A lot of people say I have, a lot of people say I haven’t,” Parton toyed. “I always say that if I hadn’t had it on my own, I’m just the kind of person that would have had it made.” In 1992, Parton confirmed that she had had her breasts lifted along with a few other unspecified procedures. 

Today, the singer is completely open about getting something done here and there. At 77, she looks as amazing as ever. She tries not to overdo it, but, as she puts it, “If something is bagging, sagging, or dragging, I’ll tuck it, suck it, or pluck it,” she told the United Kingdom’s Saga Magazine with a laugh (via Prevention). She specifically enjoys the help of fillers, Botox, and Juvéderm. “Only when I have to do something a little more, and even then, I try to be careful,” the star said on The Howard Stern Show. 

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Eiza González is a beautiful Mexican actress and singer. After making waves in telenovelas like “Lola … Érase una vez” and “La Máquina,” González seamlessly transitioned to the Hollywood scene thanks to her charisma and adorable looks. Before long, González landed career-making roles in 2017’s “Baby Driver” alongside Ansel Elgort and 2022’s “Ambulance,” earning her the title of beautiful leading lady. Before landing these major, roles though, González looked quite different.

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In a 2011 interview for the show “Hoy,” years before her big break, González admitted that she had gotten a nose job for aesthetic reasons. “She said she just didn’t like the way she looked,” Us Weekly reports. Fair enough. Since then, González’s appearance has continued to evolve, sparking rumors of additional cosmetic procedures. Some social media users dubbed her “The Michael Jackson of Mexico” and suspected she was addicted to plastic surgery. The hate got so bad that González had to respond.

“The one thing that I had operated on, and I say it and I’m not going to hide it, is my nose,” she stated in 2013 (via RadarOnline). “And you can go ask López Infante her plastic surgeon if he’s done anything else to me! … I’m not going to talk about this again!” She kept her word and never spoke publicly of it again. Although, it’s not entirely unlikely she continued to get procedures through the years. “Her jawline seems less square and wide,” Dr. Yael Halaas, a plastic surgeon based New York City, suspects (via SheFinds). “This can be achieved by using Botox in the muscle there.”

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Before her fame, Cardi B was just Belcalis Almánzar, a stripper from the Bronx, New York. After posting comedy videos to Instagram, her bold personality and unfiltered humor lit up social media, helping her become a star long before she ever laid down a track in the studio. After getting her first big paycheck, Cardi B famously “got a bag and fixed [her] teeth,” as she raps on Bodak Yellow, but nonetheless, her enhanced figure became a key part of her public image. The rapper is known for her enviable curves just as much as she’s known for her humor and music — and that’s no coincidence.

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In a 2018 interview with GQ, the “Be Careful” rapper revealed that right before she made it big, she had a shady butt injection surgery done in a basement in Queens. She was just 21 years old at the time. The underground butt-enhancing treatment cost Cardi $800 and was meant to help her make more money as a stripper. Because she “didn’t have enough meat” on her body for a traditional fat transfer, liposuction wasn’t an option. Instead, she opted for fillers to be injected into her derriere with a painful and dangerous procedure. “They don’t numb your a** with anything,” she described to GQ. “It was the craziest pain ever. I felt like I was gonna pass out. I felt a little dizzy. And it leaks for, like, five days.” Thankfully, Cardi’s rap career blew up after that, so the pain might’ve been worth it in the end.

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After years of smaller roles in TV and film, Lisa Kudrow struck gold in 1994 as the quirky, lovable Phoebe Buffay on “Friends.” The lovable role catapulted Kudrow into global stardom, earning her multiple awards and paved the way for her to start her own production company, Is or Isn’t Entertainment.

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Before her big break, Kudrow underwent a nose job that was life changing. Though she was still in high school, the “Friends” actor says the procedure made her life much easier. “I went from, in my mind, hideous, to not hideous,” she told The Saturday Evening Post (via ABC News). “I did it the summer before going to a new high school. So there were plenty of people who wouldn’t know how hideous I looked before. That was a good, good, good change.” The remaining years of high school were still difficult, socially, for the budding star, but she never regretted her nose job. Years after her rhinoplasty, Kudrow, who almost quit “Friends,” landed her most famous role as Phoebe, and the rest was television history.

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