The Wildest Theories About Melania Trump's Rumored Plastic Surgery

Melania Trump has a knack for disappearing from the spotlight without warning — often at the most curious times. So much so that the internet can't help but raise an eyebrow. The most popular theory? She's sneaking off for cosmetic procedures. Now, let's be clear: there's nothing wrong with a little nip and tuck. But Mrs. Trump has been adamant about her stance on surgical enhancements. In an interview with GQ, she even turned up her nose at the idea: "I didn't do anything. I live a healthy life, I take care of my skin and my body. I'm against Botox, I'm against injections; I think it's damaging your face, damaging your nerves. It's all me."

But does the evidence back up her claims? To find out, The List spoke exclusively with Dr. Dennis Schimpf, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Charleston, South Carolina. We also compared his insights with those of other medical experts who analyzed photos of Melania Trump's appearances which sent the plastic surgery speculations into overdrive. Their verdict? Some of the internet's theories might just hold water.

According to Dr. Dennis Schimpf of Sweetgrass Plastic Surgery, there are a couple of tell-tale signs that Melania Trump may have had a facelift. "She appears to have a scar in front of her ear, known as a pretragal incision — a common approach to a facelift," he explains. He also notes subtle but significant changes in the shape of her ears and the tightness of her neck, both classic indicators of a facelift.

Backing up this theory, another board-certified surgeon, Dr. Sean McNally, has a really similar analysis (via Irish Star): "If you look real close there's two things to note. One, her earlobe has what we call a pixie shape. There also appears to be a very faint light line just in front of her ear running down to the edge of her earlobe."

Beyond the facelift, Dr. Schimpf also tells us he believes Melania Trump had an eyelid lift, known as a canthoplasty. "When comparing her recent photos to earlier ones, she originally had a rounder, almond-shaped eye, which is a more naturally youthful look. Today, her eyes appear more slanted and angled upward, typically the result of an eyelid lift with a possible temporal brow lift," he points out. This could explain why Melania Trump is unrecognizable in throwback photos that were taken before her rumored plastic surgery.

When the White House announced that Melania Trump had a kidney cyst embolization surgery in 2018, it wasn't the procedure itself that raised eyebrows — it was the five nights she spent in the hospital and the 24 days she spent out of the public eye. Given that a cyst embolization typically requires only a 24-hour hospital stay, many claimed it was just another cover-up for a plastic surgery appointment. And though Donald Trump shut down the rumors that Melania had plastic surgery, the internet would not be swayed.

So, what's the real truth? To get accurate answers, we asked Dr. Dennis Schimpf about the timelines of Melania's rumored surgeries and if she could have actually been getting a common cosmetic procedure during that time. "The overall recovery period for the procedures mentioned (facelift being the longest) is about six weeks," he says. "The vast majority of the initial swelling goes down in about 7-10 days, and most of the bruising is resolved within the first three weeks." However, beyond this close timeline, there's no other proof that she actually had plastic surgery during that time.

Melania Trump is known for her rarely expressive face, but is that just her personality — or the result of Botox? Speaking to The List, Dr. Dennis Schimpf gave an analysis that challenges Trump's anti-Botox claims. "I think more recently, she's undergone the standard things such as filler and Botox, the most likely fillers being in her lips, cheekbone region, and jawline," he explains.

Additionally, another board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Joel Kopelman (via YouTube), believes Melania Trump also had surgery to change her nose: "It looks like she had a rhinoplasty because the width of her nose has now narrowed particularly above. [...] She might have also had some work on the tip of her nose. It doesn't look quite as bulbous as it did when she was younger."

Beyond injectables, Dr. Dennis Schimpf believes her good skin isn't just good genetics — but a mix of professional treatments and medical-grade skincare. "I assume she's had multiple laser treatments, chemical peels and routinely uses medical-grade skin care," he says.

Plastic surgery isn't cheap, and if Melania Trump has undergone all the procedures experts suspect, the price tag is staggering. Speaking to The List, Dr. Dennis Schimpf provided a cost estimate that left us shocked: "Prices vary dramatically depending on where you go," he said. In NYC, Miami, and LA, procedures like these can range from $50,000 to $70,000. "In the rest of the country, cost would more likely fall between $20,000 to $30,000." He adds that this price range doesn't include Botox and fillers, which require continuous upkeep.

Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Gary Linkov gives a more detailed price analysis in a viral YouTube video. He estimates that her alleged procedures — including a rhinoplasty, canthoplasty, 18 years' worth of Botox, a cheek implant, and a facelift — could total a whopping $200,000, excluding her medical-grade skincare treatments over the years. Whether or not Melania Trump confirms these procedures, one thing is certain: maintaining a flawless, frozen, and lifted look doesn't come cheap.