Why do I include celebrity analysis as part of my channel? The answer might surprise you
Like it or not, celebrity impacts heavily on our culture, especially when it comes to beauty standards. Image by marymarkevich for Freepik.
If you’ve followed my YouTube channel for any length of time, you know that sometimes celebrity analysis is a part of my content. Heading into 2026, I thought I’d take this opportunity to revisit why I do it, what educational value I think it has, and the positive ways many celebrities are now discussing their aesthetic enhancements.
We Never Really Know
First off, I think it needs to be said that it is impossible to say for certain who or who hasn’t had plastic surgery, not unless they’ve publicly disclosed it.
There’s a lot of educational value to be gained from looking at optimized celebrity photos (surgically altered or not) and as a double board-certified plastic surgeon I love educating people on which surgeries are most often used to achieve similar results, in particular for us mere mortals who don’t have a professional lighting crew following us around.
The truth is we never really know unless it’s been disclosed. Lighting, filming, photo editing, and even make-up techniques are so advanced now that it really could be just that. Image by Freepik.
And make no doubt about it.
Millions (potentially billions) of dollars each year are spent making sure actors, politicians, models, and high-profile influencers are filmed and photographed from the best angles and under the best lighting imaginable. Think an actor looks a little too good to be all-natural in their new TV series? Honestly, a talented film crew and lighting experts could really be the source, not a celebrity surgeon. There are plenty of instances where a celebrity looks perfect in a film but less so in candid videos or interviews. That’s just part of the modern, digital world we live in, without taking into consideration natural bone structure and genetics that allow many celebrities to naturally age very well (something else I cover on my channel).
Celebrity Inc
Celebrities these days aren’t always just talented entertainers. They’re people of course, with all the humanity and feelings considerations that go with that, but they straddle a strange… grey area. Person, corporation, brand? Those three things don’t always coexist well.
No one (celebrity or otherwise) should have to disclose plastic surgery. It’s a deeply personal choice.
But, like a lot of things, there's an important nuance. Companies and brands selling cosmetics have an obligation to disclose when false eyelashes are used in a mascara advertisement. There’s an intellectual argument to be made that a product purported to help hair grow should also be required to disclose if the model in the photo is wearing hair extensions. It’s not unforeseeable that photoshop and filtering will need to be disclosed in the future when selling a moisturizer or acne medication. Many companies already do.
Corporation, individuals… everything all at once? Celebrities are sometimes people, and other times a brand. It can be hard to figure out where corporate responsibility begins and personal opinions end when it comes to products a celebrity may be selling. Image by Freepik.
Companies and brands have a responsibility to their consumers for some level of transparency. If a celebrity is selling a ‘fountain of youth’ moisturizer or supplement, and they credit that particular formulation for their own uncannily youthful appearance… where does that line of responsibility and personal privacy begin to blur? At what point are the customers of Celebrity Inc owed transparency over whether cosmetic surgery factors in? Especially when products promising to change their own appearance are what’s being sold.
What’s Changed for the Better
I think a lot of celebrities are recognizing the need and appetite for more transparency. Many have come forward this past year to disclose what procedures they’ve had done. John Cena has been transparent about his hair transplant. Kris Jenner and Jane Fonda have both been very open about present and past face lifts. Meghan Fox was also willing to disclose some of the procedures she’s had on a popular podcast and Chrissy Teigen has shared with fans all the procedures she’s had done, including surgical lowering of her hairline (a procedure that’s not often spoken about). And those are just a few.
It's a really positive change to see.
Revealing cosmetic plastic surgeries doesn’t decrease a celebrity’s allure and it also doesn’t encourage fans to get surgery themselves. More than anything it gives people closure, especially if they’ve been trying to achieve similar results with the wrong tools.
But if someone has already been considering plastic surgery… well, knowing that a celebrity has had the same surgery can help demystify and ‘de-stigmafy’ the process and help people take the step towards a consultation. It also helps take discussions out of the chat groups (where unscrupulous scam artists and unqualified providers lurk) and into a doctor’s office.
The Future?
It’s impossible to predict the future. Will more celebrities come forward with what they’ve had done? I’m hopeful that this new cultural trend is here to stay because knowledge is confidence and no one should be ashamed of the procedures that give them that.
And, if you’re considering cosmetic surgery or hair restoration and want to explore your options together, schedule a consultation with me.
