Supermodel Adriana Lima, 45, has captivated fans with her latest appearance at Madrid Fashion Week, with many remarking that she looks "better than ever" and reminiscent of her earlier modeling career. The former Victoria's Secret Angel attended the closing party at the Reina Sofía Museum on Friday, sporting a black backless dress and her hair slicked back into a ponytail.
Lima's appearance comes after a period in 2023 when her facial features drew significant attention and online speculation. At the Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes premiere in Los Angeles in November 2023, some fans found her unrecognizable. In response to the scrutiny, Lima shared a makeup-free selfie, explaining, "This is the face of a tired mom of one teenage girl, two pre-teens, one active boy, a one-year-old learning to walk, and three dogs... Thanks for your concern."
However, her recent turn in Madrid has elicited a wave of positive comments on social media. Fans lauded her transformation, with one user writing, "People will kick you at your lowest and call it critique. Former Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima took all the postpartum mockery, went dark for a year, and trained seven days a week like an absolute machine. Discipline is the only clapback that matters." Another commenter noted, "Back to the Victoria's Secret era," while others expressed surprise, with some stating it was "completely different person" or "This isn't Adriana Lima!"
Experts have offered insights into Lima's recent aesthetic changes. Dr. Frank Agullo, a board-certified plastic surgeon, observed that Lima now displays "high, defined cheekbones, the visible hollow below them, a sharp jawline, and natural lips that are not overdone," resembling her look from her Victoria's Secret days. However, Dr. Agullo, who has not treated Lima, suggested that the transformation is likely due to factors such as weight loss, the potential dissolving of facial fillers, and possibly radiofrequency treatments for skin tightening, rather than surgical intervention. He noted, "From the photos, it doesn't look like a face that has had surgery, but a face that has lost the excessive volume and allowed the deeper structures to show through."
Dr. Masoud Saman, also a surgeon, agreed with the assessment, telling the Daily Mail, "Lighting and makeup play a role too but if I were to guess, I'd say she has had a lot of dermal filler dissolved but I see no evidence of facial surgery." Dr. Riaz Agha, a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon, elaborated on methods for facial rejuvenation. He explained that while dermal fillers can restore volume and enhance contours, they do not lift sagging tissue. Facelift surgery, he noted, can reposition underlying tissues and remove excess skin for improved definition around the jawline, offering a different result than fillers alone. Botox can address expression lines, and procedures like laser resurfacing or chemical peels can improve skin texture and fine lines. "The aim should be to help someone look refreshed while preserving their own features," Dr. Agha concluded.