We Can't Get Over Cardi B's Plastic Surgery Transformation
Cardi B was a natural beauty even before she managed to leverage her musical ear and carefree personality into a successful career. And while Cardi B has transformed into the gorgeous, A-list, fashionista we see today, the famous rapper's net worth has definitely afforded her the funds to indulge in a little plastic surgery now and again. But don't take our word for it! Though it may be common to assume that every celeb with the means has dabbled in cosmetic work, this isn't a case for speculation. The New York native has always been an open book, especially concerning her various nips and tucks over the years, which have included everything from nose jobs to butt injections to breast augmentations.
And while most fans would agree that Cardi B could've gotten by without the artificial enhancements, she revealed during a 2023 appearance on "The Jason Lee Show," that she went the plastic surgery route because she wanted to look flawless. "People will be assuming that when you do surgery or something, you're insecure about yourself or you hate yourself. And that's just not the truth," she explained. "I just be feeling like if I wanna correct something, I wanna do a little something something, like I don't give f**k, I'm gonna do it. Like, I just like, I like being perfect. I like a certain type of body for myself. And if I wanna do it, I do it."
Let's look back at a few of Cardi B's most notable physical alterations.
Cardi B has had two boob jobs
During an interview conducted by Mariah Carey for Interview Magazine, Cardi B detailed the childhood insecurities that influenced her decision to get her first boob job as a teenager. "I was also really skinny when I was younger, and in the Bronx, it's about being thick and having an a**, so young boys would be like, 'Look at your flat a**. You ain't got no ti**ies,'" said Cardi. "And it would make me feel so ugly and undeveloped." Once Cardi started making money from her stripping career, she decided to get her breasts done. "Even when I was 18 and became a dancer, I had enough money to afford to buy boobs, so every insecurity that I felt about my breasts was gone," said Cardi.
This wasn't the only time that Cardi had a breast augmentation. A few months after giving birth to her first child, Kulture, Cardi got her boobs — which she says had started to sag over the years — fixed again. "I just got my boobs redone," Cardi revealed to ET. "I feel good, but then sometimes I feel like not, you know? [When] your skin is stretched out." She continued, "Yes, my daughter f**ked me up! She did, she so did." Prior to her second breast augmentation, Cardi B shared her pre-surgical hack for appearing more lifted post-birth: Tape. "I have to f**kng tape my titties up because son!" she explained on Instagram.
Yeah, Cardi may be the most candid celeb of all time.
Cardi B got illegal butt injections
Cardi B is known for many things, but one of her most famous assets is her voluptuous figure. And while old videos and photos prove that Cardi always had a curvaceous figure, she enhanced her curves with silicone butt injections. The only thing, as explained to GQ, Cardi B didn't exactly seek out the services of a board-certified, legit M.D. Instead, she paid a random woman $800 to inject silicone into her behind. "They don't numb your a** with anything," said Cardi. 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." Proving just how risky her decision was, a different customer of this same woman later "died on her table."
Although Cardi B was originally satisfied with the results, she later warned her fans against the procedure while admitting that she'd removed most of the injections. "All I'm going to say is that if you're young, if you're 19, 20, 21, and sometimes you're too skinny, and you be like: 'Oh my god I don't have enough fat to put in my a**,' so you result to a** shots. Don't," said Cardi during a livestream in 2022 (via The Independent). Furthermore, she urged her followers to get their vitals in order before considering going the BBL route. "Before you get your BBL done...you have to make sure your blood levels are alright," added Cardi.
How refreshing to see a celeb warning of the downsides of plastic surgery!
Cardi B got new teeth
Cardi B has been rocking a gorgeous, perfect smile for years. However, she debuted on "Love & Hip Hop" with a crooked, though totally endearing, smile that set her up to receive cruel taunting from haters on social media. During a 2016 interview with All Hip Hop, Cardi revealed that the public's reaction to her imperfect smile partially inspired her decision to get it fixed. "It was just something that people kept talking about," shared the rap star. "And I knew that I was going to do more things on TV. Like I have a lot more projects coming out. I didn't want my teeth distracting people from my talents. So, I was like 'f**k it.' Let me get my teeth fixed. People are like really ... can't talk s**t now. They can't ... nothing."
Of course, Cardi B's new smile didn't come cheap. As she hilariously revealed in her hit song, "Bodak Yellow," she "spent a bag and fixed my teeth." And while she never gave fans the concrete number, her dentist, Dr. Catrise Austin, told BET that a set of veneers comparable to the ones that she'd provided for the star would cost around $40,000. Fortunately, as the author of the piece revealed, Dr. Austin offered insurance for eligible patients. The downside? Veneers can sometimes fall out if the patient isn't careful — a lesson Cardi B learned while munching on a "hard a** bagel" in March of 2024.
Fortunately, Cardi B has ample resources to fix any unforeseen tooth emergencies.
She also got a nose job
Cardi B's nose isn't completely natural either. The Grammy award-winning artist has utilized surgical and non-surgical procedures on her nose. As Cardi said in her 2023 interview with Jason Lee, she first opted for non-surgical fillers to decrease the appearance of her nose before eventually going under the knife in 2020. "I always felt like I had a big nose," she revealed. "Even before I was famous, I was like 'Damn, I've got my daddy's nose.' I was always afraid to do my nose but I finally took that step." Once Cardi realized that the fillers actually made her nose look larger, she got a rhinoplasty.
During the same interview, Cardi B admitted that her friend, Kim Kardashian, who's also been accused of frequenting plastic surgery offices, was kind enough to supply her with a list of possible surgeons to help with her procedure. "I remember the time we were at Kris' [Jenner] house and Kim gave you a list of people you could call to get help," said Lee. "I called a couple of people that she gave me," she recalled, before admitting that she chose a different surgeon. Fortunately, Cardi was happy with the results and said she likes the result.
Can't argue there!