Madonna defiantly faces criticism from detractors targeting her aesthetic choices. The enduring shadow of body dysmorphia has cast a long presence over Madonna, and the recent Grammy Awards brought forth a barrage of comments scrutinizing her facial appearance.
Taylor Swift, another pop icon, who herself has encountered unwarranted comments about her physique, aptly remarked, "Haters gonna hate." The scrutiny faced by women in the music industry is hardly surprising. However, Madonna's situation seems to be on a different level. Despite her brief and controversial speech at the Grammys, where she asserted that controversy signifies success, all eyes were fixated on her face at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles and among viewers at home.
The initial response from Madonna attributed the criticism to misogyny, emphasizing the societal pressure on women over 45 not to age. Yet, a few weeks later, Madonna took to Twitter with a sarcastic comeback, joking about the aftermath of surgery and posting a photo with a slightly less swollen face but maintaining her distinctive high cheekbones and sharp jaw.
This tweet fueled speculation, with both the media and social media users interpreting Madonna's bold statement as an admission of pre-awards ceremony cosmetic enhancements. The undeniable beauty of the pop queen was acknowledged, but the lingering question persisted: did Madonna's actions stem from body dysmorphia?
For those closely monitoring Madonna's aesthetic journey in recent years, her appearance at the Grammy stage was hardly surprising. In 2020, during the pandemic summer, Madonna frequently shared videos on Instagram revealing the effects of facial fillers and neuromodulators, showcasing evident facial paralysis.
Aesthetic doctor Leo Cerrud analyzed Madonna's facial evolution, highlighting excessive swelling, deformation, and extensive retouching. Cerrud pointed out multiple face lifts, various fillers (hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite, polylactic acid), and even suggested the possibility of permanent fillings. Unfortunately, most photos from that period have been deleted from Madonna's social networks.
Madonna's beauty practices have continued, with no signs of slowing down. The possibility of strategically spaced-out touch-ups, akin to Demi Moore or Brad Pitt, is plausible. Whether Madonna's pursuit of facial enhancements stems from a loss of facial harmonization or a manifestation of body dysmorphia is subjective and may warrant psychological analysis. However, her apparent comfort with her altered face remains an undeniable aspect of this ongoing saga.
