Joe Biden Can't Escape The Plastic Surgery Rumors

Rumors about Joe Biden's purported plastic surgery use have been fueling the rumor mill and late-night lineup for decades. 

The rumors about Biden, who's the oldest sitting president in the history of the United States, first gained traction in 2008, 12 years before he won the 2020 presidential election. Dr. Oleh Slupchynskyj of the Aesthetic Institute theorized that Biden had Botox and, possibly, a lateral brow or eyelid lift in a conversation with the New York Post. However, Biden's camp quickly shut down that notion through his then-spokesperson, David Wade. "Completely untrue, completely unsubstantiated, completely stupid," said Wade. "I'd remind Dr. Slupchynskyj that the last doctor who made a diagnosis based on something he saw on television was Bill Frist, and it cost him his credibility."

Could Biden's team have been lying about his plastic surgery use? Of course, but there's really no way to know for sure. That same year, then-late-night talk show host Jay Leno made a joke about Biden's physical transformation and his purported possible plastic surgery procedures in response to the Post's article. "Some medical experts believe Joe Biden may have had Botox," Leno began, as noted by Vanity Fair. "You know how they can tell? His expression didn't change when they asked him about his hair plugs." However, this was far from the last time that plastic surgery rumors followed Biden.

Becoming the President of the United States didn't shield Joe Biden from the long-standing rumors about his supposed plastic surgery transformation. In August 2023, Dr. Gary Motykie, a noted cosmetic surgeon, took to Instagram to dish out his expert analysis on Biden's look. Dr. Motykie suggested that Biden might have indulged in some serious cosmetic upgrades, including a brow lift and a facelift — and, apparently, it wasn't cheap! "I would estimate that Joe Biden would've spent up to $100,000 in today's dollars on plastic surgery if he were to have undergone these procedures here in Beverly Hills," he said, according to the New York Post. The doctor also theorized that Biden may have gotten a hair transplant to boot.

Four years earlier, the Washington Examiner r turned to several plastic surgeons who assessed that Biden was likely familiar with a scalpel, with at least a facelift under his belt. Their opinions were based mainly on surgery scars that were purportedly visible on his face. "Oh he's had a facelift, there's no question," said cosmetic surgeon Dr. Arthur Perry. "The scars come too far from his ear. This is very hard to correct." 

Additionally, cosmetic surgeon Dr. Cap Lesesne expressed certainty that Biden had received a facial tune-up. "The problem with Biden's surgery is that it's obvious," they explained. "I've operated on several high-profile individuals, and I'd never let them look like that. Those are classic facelift scars. It's probably been over a year. I kind of feel bad for him." Dr. Lesesne also revealed that, in their opinion, Biden should've had the scars removed.

Donald Trump has often fanned the flames of speculation regarding Joe Biden's alleged plastic surgery. In September 2020, mere weeks before the presidential election, the then-president lashed out at his opponent's decision to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic and took a jab at Biden's purported plastic surgery history. "I mean, honestly, what the hell did he spend all that money on the plastic surgery [for] if he is going to cover it up," Trump quipped during a campaign rally, Metro reported. "He feels good about the mask. I wonder in the debate, it will be him and I on the stage, is he going to walk in with a mask?" he added.

Of course, Trump isn't the only politician to accuse Biden of going under the knife. During a 2023 appearance on Fox Business, Representative Greg Murphy also spoke about Biden's appearance while speculating about his cognitive health. "Let's look at Joe, he's had so much plastic surgery, so much botox, so much filler, that's on the outside," said Murphy in July 2023. Murphy also implied that Biden was declining mentally. "I deal in a surgical field that has a lot of older patients, and I have seen patients through the years decline mentally. It's just a fact, it's what happens," he added before pointing to Biden's purported communication issues and fluctuating moods.