The fillers that once gave his cheeks an exaggerated fullness appeared to have vanished. More surprisingly, the wrinkles on his forehead had returned, hinting at a reduction in his previously rumored Botox treatments. His hair, once styled to resemble a bird’s plumage, now lay flat, and the bronzed complexion that once characterized him had faded, leaving his face pale in comparison. It seemed as though Gaetz had lost contact with his Mar-a-Lago makeup artist.

Admittedly, the harsh lighting of the room may have contributed to his paler appearance. Historical photos of Gaetz without filters reveal that his facial transformations were often stark, suggesting this might be another such instance. Alternatively, the former GOP star, known for his over-the-top cosmetic procedures, might be intentionally presenting a different image as he embarks on a new chapter as a reporter for One America News Network.

In an exclusive discussion with our sister site, The List, in December 2024, a cosmetic expert analyzed Gaetz’s dramatic transformation. Comparing images from the 2020 and 2024 Republican National Conventions, Dr. Mariano Busso, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist from Beverly Hills and Miami, speculated that extensive Botox and cheek fillers contributed significantly to the changes in Gaetz’s appearance. Although Dr. Busso did not personally treat Gaetz, he noted the politician’s most striking feature, his eyebrows, was likely a result of overdone Botox.

While exclusively speaking to our sister site The List, in December 2024, a cosmetic expert broke down Matt Gaetz’s shocking transformation. After comparing photos of the former congressman from the 2020 and 2024 Republican National Conventions, Dr. Mariano Busso, a board certified cosmetic dermatologist based out of Beverly Hills and Miami, who did not personally work on Gaetz, professed that heavy Botox use and cheek fillers were likely to blame for his drastic face transformation. In fact, the expert believed that the disgraced politician’s most noticeable feature, his eyebrows, could also be chalked up to botched Botox. 

“Botox was performed very heavily on the center of the forehead, resulting in a drop of his central eyebrows,” Dr. Busso pointed out. “The lateral aspect of the eyebrows was left with movement, giving that Mr. Spock’ look with pointy lateral eyebrows.” While Gaetz may have decided to give the Botox and face fillers a bit of a rest more recently, it doesn’t seem like he’s completely ready to let go of his Mar-a-Lago look altogether. In a video shared to One America News Network’s account on X, formerly known as Twitter, shortly after his D.C. appearance, he looked a little bit more like the man we have become accustomed to seeing. 

This was predominantly thanks to the warm lighting, heavy bronzer, and gelled hair. So, there is a strong chance that Gaetz looked pale in the press briefing room because he skipped out on going to hair and makeup during his big day Washington. Ultimately, only time will tell how long he will be able to resist the pull of Mar-a-Lago facial procedures.