Jarring Side By Side Photos Remind Us Just How Much Michelle Obama's Face Has Changed

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You cannot watch an episode of Michelle Obama's "IMO" podcast (co-hosted by her brother, Craig Robinson) and ignore the fact that she's looking ah-mazing. Perhaps it's the weight loss — Michelle is rocking a noticeably leaner, more sculpted look amid rumors of her divorce from Barack Obama — or the post-White House glow, but the former First Lady has never looked better. Or maybe it's something else? In August 2025, the "Becoming" author joined her brother for an interview with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on their sports podcast, "All the Smoke," to discuss, among other things, their upbringing in Chicago and how their podcast came together. Looking at her face up close, it's hard not to notice how much Michelle's face has changed — could it be that she's had a little help from plastic surgeons?

The transformation becomes even more noticeable when you take a look at side-by-side photos of Michelle during her White House years versus today. Despite being in her early 60s (she turned 61 in January 2025), the mother-of-two actually looks way younger now than she did in her 40s, 18 years ago, when Barack decided to run for president. And sure, some of it could be makeup and styling magic, but her current appearance suggests Michelle may have had a few cosmetic enhancements. "In recent photos, her skin appears tighter and more contoured, especially around the jawline and cheeks, leading to speculation about a facelift or other cosmetic enhancements," Dr. Corey Maas of The Maas Clinic told NewsNation about Michelle's new look. "However," he added, "it's also worth noting that she seems to have lost some weight, which can naturally enhance facial contours and define the jawline." But what has the former FLOTUS said about getting plastic surgery?

"Women should have the freedom to do whatever they need to do to feel good about themselves," Michelle Obama told People in 2014 while discussing beauty standards and aging (via ABC News). "Right now, I don't imagine that I would go that route." However, she adds, "I've also learned to never say never." 

True enough, she seemed to have taken her own advice when it came to cosmetic procedures, as experts alleged she had likely dabbled in a few non-invasive treatments like Botox, lasers, and possibly even fillers. And you know what? Good for her! As she wrote in her book, "The Light We Carry," in which Michelle talks about dealing with self-doubt, "I personally have plenty of mornings when I flip on the bathroom light, take one look, and desperately want to flip it off again."

That, coupled with an active lifestyle and a balanced diet, seems to be Obama's secret to looking and feeling her best. "I don't obsess about what I eat," she previously told People, noting she balances that out by always keeping her body moving. In her book, the former FLOTUS also encourages practicing self-compassion in moments of self-doubt and insecurity. As women, "There are societal signals all around us telling us that there is something wrong with some part of us. We're supposed to age gracefully. ... Our face isn't supposed to wrinkle." On days she's feeling down, she tries to quiet those negative thoughts by focusing on things she loves about herself instead. "And that's just a small simple tool," Obama insisted. "It doesn't require a gym membership. It doesn't require anybody else."