Side-By-Side Pics Of Carrie Underwood Show Her Face Transformation From American Idol To Now

Like many stars, Carrie Underwood is no stranger to plastic surgery rumors, but some fans claim she has become unrecognizable since her early days on "American Idol." Underwood rose to fame in 2005 after winning season four of the singing competition. Since then, she's held onto her star status in the world of country music. And, in a fitting decision, she became a judge on "American Idol" in 2025, replacing Katy Perry. Clearly, she's come a long way, but so has her look, hence the fan speculation about plastic surgery. 

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When looking at side-by-side photos, it's clear how much Underwood has changed since her 'American Idol' debut. In 2005, when she was a budding star, she leaned towards beauty standards of the time, which consisted of thin eyebrows and pink-tinted eyeshadow. Two decades later, in March 2025, when she stopped by "The Drew Barrymore Show," she revealed a different look. Her lips were plumper, while her makeup looked noticeably more dramatic, complete with full brows and false eyelashes. 

Dr. Daniel Barrett, who goes by @barrettplasticsurgery on TikTok, broke down Underwood's transformed face, though he has not personally performed any procedures on Underwood. In his opinion, Underwood got lip filler; he also noted that her cheeks appear fuller and that her forehead looks completely smooth, pointing to possible use of filler and Botox. He added that Underwood likely has not had any serious plastic surgery such as a chin implant, though it's possible she's had other work. Despite these allegations, the singer herself has denied having had any kind of cosmetic procedures for vanity purposes. However, Underwood did have a different kind of facial surgery because of an accident.

According to Carrie Underwood, her changed appearance was the result of necessary surgery following a bad fall in 2017 that left her with a chipped tooth, a split lip, and a broken wrist. As the singer explained on "Today," the accident happened when she tripped on a step outside of her home in Nashville, Tennessee, while walking her dogs at night, causing her to fall right on her face (via People). Later, on The Bobby Bones Show, Underwood remarked, "If I had fallen anywhere else I would be perfectly fine, but it was one step that messed everything up." Underwood had to receive 40-50 stitches on her face after the dangerous fall. Unsurprisingly, as her face was healing, it was bruised, but she made a full recovery with minimal scarring. 

While this is the only facial surgery that Underwood has ever confirmed, Dr. Sabina Hanoman-Singh speculated to Hello! that Underwood has likely opted for anti-aging treatments. "Starting with her upper face, [Underwood] may have had anti-wrinkle injections. These injections can smooth out forehead lines, frown lines, and crow's feet while also preventing new wrinkles," Dr. Hanoman-Singh speculated. She also surmised that Underwood has opted for laser treatments to improve skin texture and may have had dermal filler to enhance her skin's volume. But Underwood is not alone in her evident transformation. Fellow music star Taylor Swift looks transformed in side-by-side pictures; the same goes for Christina Aguilera, who has also been the topic of plastic surgery rumors. While these women might not admit to going under the knife, there's an obvious change.