Experts Believe Donatella Versace Had Several Plastic Surgeries & She Once Confirmed She Got Botox on Her Face

Donatella Versace's glamorous look is almost more iconic than the models and celebrities who model her designs. Encouraged by her brother Gianni, she made her first cosmetic change at 11, peroxiding her locks.

It is not Donatella Versace's frequent trips to her colorist that land her on lists alongside Michael Jackson and Jocelyn Wildenstein — the infamous "Lion Woman of New York" — for celebrity plastic surgeries gone wrong. Her body remains trim while the shape of her face morphs.

Her deep awareness of aesthetics and addictive personality could contribute to what some experts have called an overreliance on Botox and fillers. But it is her confident maximalist visuals that keep her, and Versace, relevant in a changing fashion sphere.

Donatella Versace's Appearance Has Radically Changed over the Years

Donatella will always be associated with her brother Giovanni who heavily influenced her look from when she was a child. In turn, she served as his muse, a term she was not a fan of when he launched his fashion house. She said of her brother:

"I was his doll and his best friend. He dressed me up in cool clothes, took me out to discos and clubs from when I was 11. I loved it. It was the best time of my life."

Judging from photos, her natural aging process was halted towards the end of 2012. Her skin appeared smoother, and lines under her eyes smoothed out in January 2013. Her face has morphed into a new shape over the years, from an oval to a heart shape.

In late 2014, an image of the designer, then 59, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, went viral. With the heat of the country's summer beating down and the flashing lights of photographers, one social media user compared her skin to a "melting scented candle."

Months later, with the benefit of temperature control and studio lighting, she looked regal as an unlikely model in a 2015 Givenchy ad campaign.

In the 2020s, the blonde bombshell's look has softened a bit, possibly by improving medicine and makeup artistry techniques. However, she is still the woman who said in 2010 that "natural has something to do with vegetables."

Experts Believe That Donatella Versace Had Several Cosmetic Procedures

After celebrity-studded events, fashion experts tend to analyze the looks. However, following Donatella's appearance at a 2014 launch in Sao Paulo, medical specialists were called upon. Mark Norfolk, Clinical Director for Transform Cosmetic Surgery, said:

"If you look at her eyes, they appear half shut – you see this in women who have too much Botox in their forehead and filler in their cheeks."

Assessing the viral image, plastic surgeon Dr. Steve Fallek opinioned, "She's pretty much had it all. Botox, fillers, lasers for the skin," with minimal recovery time. He also spotted work done to lift her face, eyes, and brows. The event landed her the nickname, the "human waxwork."

Dr. David Rapaport is convinced that she had a facelift between 2011 and 2014, pointing out that, in "front of her temple area, you can see a fine linear scar." Her nose is a feature that he reckons remains untouched by a scalpel.

This barrier placed between Donatella and the world extends to her public persona.

On studying Donatella's face in a 2002 photograph, Vickie Smith of Absolute Aesthetic believes the Italian had fillers injected frequently at that point and there is a strong likelihood she had more invasive procedures.

Donatella Versace's Look Is Her Armor

Having dealt with the murder of her beloved brother, the scrutiny faced with taking over said brother's fashion house, and kicking an 18-year cocaine addiction, Donatella had curated her outward appearance as armor.

She maintains that her signature look of long blonde hair, skin-tight clothes, and glowing skin is "so people would talk about how I look, not about what I have inside." She said there were "things happening in my life, and I didn't want to explain."

The designer admitted in 2012 to getting Botox but maintains that her powerfully toned body is the "result of hard work." She loves her long-time trainer for not listening to anything she says, and goes along with her on vacation, as she works out at least four times a week.

This barrier placed between Donatella and the world extends to her public persona. Most profiles of her from the past ten years note that the Italian star is an introvert. However, her frosty public persona cultivated in the late '90s has thawed over time.

The designer appreciates personality, and it is telling that she was one of the early adapters to hiring famous models in the '90s. The queen of opulence who embraced the boisterous side of her personality and brand said in a 2020 profile:

"Toned-down, that's not me. Take it or leave it."

People Discuss Donatella Versace's Plastic Surgery

No one has more to say about Donatella Versace's appearance than the designer herself. She once quipped that she maintains her youthful look by sleeping in a deep freezer. But other commentators have not been as light-hearted or funny.

The late columnist Clive James dryly wrote in 2016 that the Italian's face has transformed into that of boxer Mike Tyson. He quickly stated that he was not one to mock her as he had also gone under the knife to plug the holes left when his carcinomas were removed.

A Twitter user pointed out the eerie similarities between Donatella's jaw-line and that of Mickey Rourke, wondering who imitated who. Another frequent tweeter used the designer as a case study on the dangers of plastic surgery.

An armchair expert questioned her self-esteem, musing, "I wonder what she actually sees when she looks in the mirror. She needs help."