Selena Gomez arrived at the 2026 Emmy Awards looking every bit the Hollywood star, but instead of focusing solely on her dazzling Louis Vuitton gown, some viewers became fixated on her face.
Keep reading to know more.
34-year-old singer and actress Selena Gomez stepped onto the Emmys red carpet in a shimmering golden Louis Vuitton gown, only to find herself at the center of another round of online speculation about cosmetic procedures.
Some commenters wondered whether she had undergone Botox or fillers, while others speculated about weight-loss medication.
But a plastic surgeon says there are plenty of reasons why Gomez could have looked different in red-carpet photographs, and a picture alone cannot establish whether someone has had cosmetic work done. But this did not discourage netizens from commenting on her looks.
“How much Botox was put on her,” one person wrote. Another wrote, “The Botox really ruined her face.”
A Plastic Surgeon Says The Biggest Difference May Be Around Gomez’s Eyes
Dr. Omar Tillo, a plastic surgeon and medical director at CREO Clinic, said he would be “cautious” about attributing Gomez’s appearance to one particular treatment based solely on photographs.
Instead, he pointed to what he described as an apparent difference in the symmetry around her eyes. “One eye appears slightly more closed than the other,” he explained.
Because the eyes play such an important role in how people recognize faces, Tillo said even a relatively small change can make someone appear surprisingly different.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Botox was responsible.
“A number of people online have suggested that this could be fresh Botox,” Tillo said. “That is one possible explanation … but it certainly isn’t the only one.”
Botox Can Affect Brow And Eyelid Position, But Photos Can’t Prove It
According to Tillo, Botox temporarily reduces activity in specific muscles. When used around areas such as the forehead and between the eyebrows, placement, dosage, and distribution can affect the balance between muscles that influence the eyebrows and upper eyelids.
If those muscles are affected unevenly, he explained, one eyebrow can sit differently from the other or one eye can appear more open. Botox can also occasionally cause temporary eyelid or eyebrow drooping, known as ptosis, which can make facial asymmetry more noticeable.
Timing matters, too. The effects of Botox generally develop over several days and become more established during the following week or two. That means someone who has recently received treatment could still be seeing the results settle.
But again, Tillo stressed that none of this means Gomez actually had Botox before the Emmys.
Fans Also Speculated About Fillers, But The Doctor Says That Can’t Be Determined Either
Some viewers focused on Gomez’s cheeks, claiming they looked fuller and wondering whether dermal filler was responsible. Tillo said that was also impossible to determine from the available photographs.
In general, he explained, adding volume to the upper cheek can change the relationship between the cheek and lower eyelid.
Depending on the amount and placement, that can make the eye opening appear slightly smaller, particularly when someone smiles. But there are plenty of other explanations.
“Facial expression, camera angle and existing natural asymmetry can produce a very similar effect,” Tillo said.
He added that makeup, lighting and styling can also dramatically change how facial proportions appear on camera.
Selena Gomez Has Previously Addressed Botox Rumors
Gomez has faced speculation about her appearance for years.
In 2023, she directly acknowledged having Botox while responding to a fan on social media, “Hahahaha I’ve had Botox bb girl.”
The following year, she once again found herself addressing cosmetic-procedure speculation after commenting on a video from plastic surgeon assistant Marissa Barrionuevo.
Barrionuevo said she had no idea what procedures Gomez may have had and also pointed to the singer’s history of medical issues as one possible reason people shouldn’t speculate about her appearance.
Gomez eventually responded herself. She wrote, “I have Botox. That’s it. Leave me alone.”
Gomez has previously spoken publicly about being diagnosed with lupus and undergoing a kidney transplant in 2017. However, neither her medical history nor photographs can establish what, if any, cosmetic procedures she may have undergone beyond what she has personally disclosed.
And according to Tillo, even Gomez’s admission that she has used Botox in the past doesn’t explain what viewers thought they saw at the Emmys.
“Anything More Specific Would Simply Be Speculation,” The Surgeon Said
Tillo emphasized that Botox is temporary and that muscle activity gradually returns.
If Botox were responsible for temporary asymmetry, he said, that would not necessarily indicate that anything permanent had happened.
Ultimately, though, he stressed that there is a major difference between analyzing a photograph and examining a patient.
“Without examining somebody clinically and knowing what treatment they have actually received, anything more specific would simply be speculation.”
What do you think about Selena Gomez’s appearance at the Emmys? Let us know in the comments section.
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