A lip flip here, eye lift there, and pretty soon you’ll look like a whole new person.
Unfortunately, for several women who have undergone extensive cosmetic surgery, when it comes to airport security checkpoints, officials are pretty sure they are a different person. At least, when compared to their official passport photos.
In a recent report from The New York Post, UK influencer Ashley Stobart says she is frequently stopped at security checkpoints and asked if she has additional proof that she is who she says she is.
Additional security scrutiny
Where an airport security official might scrutinize a photo if there is a difference in makeup or hair color, the influencer is one of several women who have taken to social media and podcasts to air their grievances.
In a recent episode of the Nip & Tuck podcast, Stobart says she was stopped by an official who insisted the woman in her passport photo could not possibly be her.
“I got stopped, and they were, like, ‘This is not you; have you got like credit cards on you and stuff?’” Stobart said, according to the Post.
A more widespread issue
Stobart is far from the only online personality who has experienced increased scrutiny after going under the knife.
According to the Post, Janaína Prazeres, an influencer who has had over 20 cosmetic procedures totaling about $1 million, says she has also had her appearance scrutinized while attempting to travel.
Recently, she said airport officials attempted to block her from entering the U.S. because her appearance had changed so dramatically.
“I always knew this could happen at some point because my appearance has changed a lot over the years,” the model said in the Post report.
@janaina.prazeres3 Be you, for you! #musa #saopaulo #luxurylife #luxury #beauty #redlips ♬ Lovin On Me – Jack Harlow
She described the event as a “shock,” as she never expected to be stopped at the airport for doing nothing wrong.
Another model, Gessica Kayane, says she nearly missed a flight home to Brazil due to her change in appearance. The change, a result of a breast lift and augmentation, nose job, lip filler, and fat removal from her face, left her unrecognizable when compared to her passport photo, the Post report states.
What can you do if you receive heavy cosmetic surgery?
With cosmetic surgery and other procedures altering appearance growing in popularity, professionals in plastic surgery and facial recognition security have advised updating passport photos to make travel easier.
In a 2024 report from The National, experts advised that facial recognition software used at airports and by airport security officials would have a much easier time validating the identity of airline passengers if their passport photo matched their existing faces.
This is because many airline security checkpoints utilize facial recognition software that determines identity based on facial geometry, which can be fundamentally changed by cosmetic procedures.
If updating a U.S. passport, it can take up to four weeks to apply for and receive travel documents with your new face reflected. Expedited services can reduce the time to two to three weeks, according to the U.S. Department of State.
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