Erika Kirk's Face Transformation Since Her Pageant Days Is Hard To Ignore

Following the untimely death of her husband Charlie Kirk, Erika Kirk has found herself on the world stage. Now, a look back through her pre-fame days shows that some of her interests haven't changed — she loves to get glammed up today just as much as she did when she was Miss Arizona USA in 2012, though she's now one of the worst offenders of the "Republican hair" trend. Side-by-side comparisons of her face from circa 2012 suggest that she's kept up with her skincare routine over the years, but has she turned to cosmetic procedures to continue looking radiant? We asked a professional.

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"Looking at how her face has changed from her 2012 pageant photos to how she appears now, the shifts are mostly in areas that usually reflect careful maintenance rather than dramatic surgery," notes Dr. Frederick Weniger, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Speaking exclusively to Glam, he explains that her smooth and relaxed upper face may indicate Botox injections. "The middle of her face appears a little fuller, especially through the apples of the cheeks and the under-eye area, suggesting light filler for support," the surgeon says. "Her lips look slightly more consistent in shape and volume than they did in her early 20s, which can also come from periodic filler."

Moving on to Erika's lower face, Dr. Weniger points to the sculpted silhouette of her jawline and makes an informed guess that this may come down to filler or tightening treatments. In terms of actual plastic surgery, he says that she may have "had a very subtle rhinoplasty refinement or a light upper-eyelid touch-up, but neither stands out strongly enough to say with certainty." While we don't know for certain, he believes the changes in her face lean more toward nonsurgical treatments.

Whether you agree with her politics or not, Erika Kirk looks great as she is, and she never has to have any cosmetic procedures if she doesn't want to. But if she did want to defy the effects of the natural aging process as the years go on — beyond avoiding the clothing colors and patterns that make you look older, that is — Dr. Frederick Weniger has a few tips. "As she moves into her late 30s and 40s, the goal becomes keeping what she already has rather than changing anything," he tells Glam exclusively. "Light Botox can help her keep her forehead and eye area smooth without taking away expression. Any filler she uses down the road should be placed very sparingly, mainly to keep the cheeks supported and soften the under-eye area if it ever starts to hollow." 

To maintain her skin quality, Dr. Weniger suggests that non-invasive treatments such as IPL, fractional laser, or radiofrequency microneedling could be helpful. IPL in particular is one of the ways to reduce signs of aging on your hands, too, not just your face. "Most women eventually notice a bit of heaviness in the upper lids, and a very subtle upper eyelid procedure later on can keep the eyes looking awake," he adds. "As for the lower face, maintaining her jawline with tightening devices or gentle contouring would help her keep that clean line she has now. If she ever develops early jowling in her late 40s or 50s, a small, well-timed lower facelift can address it before it becomes pronounced." Overall, Dr. Weniger recommends opting for smaller, well-planned procedures gradually rather than going for a massive facelift. That said, sometimes bigger facelifts can work wonders — just look at how Kris Jenner's face has changed over the years.