Speculation that Lea Michele had undergone buccal fat removal started swirling in December 2022, when she uploaded a series of selfies dolled up and striking sexy faces to Instagram (seen above). Fans noticed her cheekbones seemed more pronounced, a look often achieved with the cosmetic procedure that removes fat from the lower cheeks. Some social media users were quick to judge. “Her career will be over before the buccal fat removal trend,” one user wrote in the comments section.
Others, however, suggested Michele’s hollow cheeks may have a natural cause behind it. “Faces lose volume as they age, it’s possible she’s just aging naturally,” another commenter argued. The rumors about Lea Michelle continued to pop up, mostly when she posted makeup-free photos. In April 2023, Michele received similar commentary after sharing a professional shot highlighting her facial structure. “It’s like someone drew sharpies down your beautiful face,” one user wrote in the Instagram post.
Some have suggested that Michele may have achieved the hollow-cheek look with makeup. Following the 2022 selfie controversy, makeup artist Ehlie Luna set out to see if she could achieve a similar effect with contouring. “I love offering [my social media followers] the option to test the look out with makeup before they make the decision [to get surgery],” she told the New York Post. But because Michele hasn’t confirmed or denied the rumors, the question of whether she had plastic surgery will remain a mystery.
