Mar-a-Lago Face Explained: MAGA Makeover Defined By Trump's Inner Circle That Makes You Powerful

Updated Jan 22, 2026 | 06:19 PM IST

Summary“Mar-a-Lago face” is a highly recognizable cosmetic look linked to Donald Trump’s inner circle, marked by heavy Botox, fillers, sharp jawlines, and exaggerated femininity. More than anti-aging, it signals wealth, loyalty, and proximity to power, functioning as a visual status marker within Trump-world politics and culture. Read on to know more.
Mar-a-Lago Face Explained: MAGA Makeover Defined By Trump's Inner Circle That Makes You Powerful

Credits: Wikimedia Commons

Plastic surgery promises youth, but now, it is more than an anti-aging formula. This is about power and proximity to the powerful people. There is an old saying, cosmetic work does not make you look older or younger, it makes you a secret third thing. In US President Donald Trump's world, that 'thing' is: Mar-a-Lago face.

What Is A Mar-a-Lago Face?

The MAGA makeover or the 'Mar-a-Lago face' is named after Trump's Palm Beach residence and private club. This place is both, a political hub and a social stage. The look refers to a very specific combination of cosmetic enhancements that, taken together, are instantly recognizable.

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Plastic surgeon Mathhew J Nykiel told HuffPost that it represents "a recognizable combination of facial features and plastic surgery enhancements, often modelled after Ivanka Trump’s signature look.” Another surgeon, Dr Jeffrey Lisiecki, described it as marked by “overfilled cheeks that are high and firm, full lips and very taut, smooth skin.”

It is not subtle, neither it is trying to be. It is an add to that frozen foreheads from Botox, teeth that are blinding white, long lash extensions, heavy contouring of cheeks, beachy hair and a deep tan.

Is There A Mar-a-Logo Face Checklist?

What Is A Mar-a-Lago Face?

There are certain feature that those who get this facelift have in common:

  • Frozen expressions from heavy Botox on face
  • Lips are glossy and overfilled
  • Jawlines are razor sharp, with contouring or implants
  • Ultra-tight skin and wrinkle free
  • High, prominent cheeks with fillers or fat grafts
  • Eyebrows are arches along with elevated hairline

Why Does A Mar-a-Logo Facelift Matter?

The look is closely tied to Trump’s inner circle because Mar-a-Lago itself functions as a status gateway. Being seen there means access. Being accepted there means influence.

Netflix’s reality series Members Only: Palm Beach made this dynamic explicit. The show follows socialites competing for acceptance inside Trump’s “winter White House.” One cast member, Romina Ustayev, summed up the emotional payoff on camera: “I love going to Mar-a-Lago and being in the same room as the president and Elon Musk. You feel like, oh my God, you made it.”

Fitting in, visually, becomes part of the price of entry.

It is not about youth, but status. Critics have pointed out that the results rarely make women look younger. However, it is an expensive job done, which makes them high in the social circle.

Author Shanna Miles wrote on Threads after White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s lip fillers went viral, “Lip filler is a class marker. It doesn’t have to look good. It’s about looking ‘done.’”

Plastic surgeons estimate the full transformation can cost around $90,000, with top-tier work pushing the figure well beyond $200,000, not including maintenance. The financial barrier is part of the appeal. Visibility matters more than naturalism.

The Power Move Of Mar-a-Lago Face

What is Mar-a-Lago Face?

Sociologists have argued that the Mar-a-Lago face works as a political and social signal. Samantha Kwan, associate professor at the University of Houston and co-author of Under the Knife, says the look communicates allegiance.

“By investing large sums of money into these procedures, this aesthetic becomes a highly recognisable symbol that they’re a MAGA devotee,” she said.

Laurie Essig, professor of gender studies at Middlebury College, takes the argument further. “The women of the Trump movement, their facial disfigurations signal loyalty and a willingness to submit,” she said, adding that the exaggerated femininity helps prop up “the fragile masculinity of the movement’s leaders.”

Not everyone in the cosmetic industry welcomes the trend. Washington-based plastic surgeon Anita Kulkarni told The Guardian that she has had to refuse requests from clients chasing a more extreme look.

“I have to say, ‘I cannot put any more in there safely,’” she said. “If I put any more in there, you’re going to cross over from looking like the best version of yourself to looking like Maleficent.”

What is Mar-a-Lago Face?

Jennifer Newman Keagle, a Los Angeles surgeon, said patients immersed in the look may develop what she calls filler blindness. “Once you see it again and again, it becomes your norm,” she explained. “A face that erases all signs of aging.”

While many women have gotten this facelift, this does not stop with them. Politico and Axios have reported a rise in male politicians seeking jaw and chin implants to appear more virile. Essig noted that former Rep. Matt Gaetz’s altered appearance reflects a push toward hyper-masculinity.

“Gaetz’s chin has been enhanced, giving him a ‘Chad’ profile seen as necessary for any successful man,” she said.

Together, these extremes reward a narrow vision of gender that Trump himself has long reinforced.

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Two Year Old Girl Diagnosed With Childhood Dementia

Updated Mar 24, 2026 | 01:02 PM IST

SummaryLeni, 2, diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome Type B, a rare childhood dementia, faces progressive cognitive and physical decline without treatment. Her parents are raising funds, seeking trial access, and urging early screening and investment.
Two Year Old Girl Diagnosed With Childhood Dementia

Credits: GoFundMe

For most parents, the toddler years are filled with first words, wobbly steps and dreams of the future. For Gus and Emily Forrester, those moments are now overshadowed by a diagnosis they describe as “every parent’s worst nightmare.”

Their two-year-old daughter, Leni, has been diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome Type B, a rare genetic condition often referred to as childhood dementia. The disorder, formally known as Mucopolysaccharidosis type III, gradually robs children of their physical and cognitive abilities.

In an interview with ITV News, Leni’s parents spoke about the devastating reality of the condition, which has no approved cure or widely available treatment.

“All your dreams for your child's future are taken away,” her mother, Emily, said. “To be told that she has this condition, and there is no treatment and no cure and no support… it’s completely earth-shattering.”

What Is Childhood Dementia?

Two Year Old Girl Diagnosed With Childhood Dementia

Sanfilippo Syndrome is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the body’s inability to break down certain complex sugars. Over time, these substances build up in the brain, leading to progressive damage.

According to Cure Sanfilippo Foundation, symptoms usually begin appearing between the ages of one and six. Children may initially show mild developmental delays, but the disease gradually worsens, affecting speech, mobility and behaviour.

As the condition advances, many children lose the ability to talk, walk and recognise loved ones. Life expectancy is often limited to the early teenage years.

Emily explained the process in stark terms. Without treatment, she said, Leni’s body will slowly be overwhelmed by “toxic waste,” causing irreversible damage.

The Urgency of Early Treatment

For families like the Forresters, time is not just precious, it is critical.

“Early treatment is key for these children,” Emily said. “If she has to wait six months, that could mean she can no longer talk. If she waits 12 months, that could mean she loses the ability to walk.”

Although experimental therapies, including gene-based approaches, are being developed, access remains a major hurdle. Some clinical trials are expected to take place in the United States later this year, but Leni is not currently eligible.

Her parents are now campaigning for UK patients to be included in these trials, arguing that promising science already exists but remains out of reach for many families.

A Family's Fight For Hope

In response to the diagnosis, the Forresters have launched a fundraiser to support Leni’s care and potential treatment options. They have also pledged to donate part of the funds to Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Leni is receiving care, and to the Cure Sanfilippo Foundation, which supports affected families.

So far, donations have crossed $250,000, reflecting the growing awareness and concern around rare childhood conditions.

Leni’s father, Gus, said the emotional toll of the diagnosis is hard to put into words. “As parents, your role is to protect your children and provide every opportunity you can. Without any treatment, her future and her reality is very, very dark.”

Beyond fundraising, the couple is also raising awareness about childhood dementia and advocating for newborn screening programmes that could help detect such conditions earlier.

Experts working on experimental therapies say greater government investment is urgently needed. Without it, many children may never benefit from treatments that could slow or alter the course of the disease.

For now, Leni remains a cheerful two-year-old, full of life and affection. But for her parents, every passing day is a reminder of how quickly that could change, and how urgently answers are needed.

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Is Cough Really Necessary For TB? 80% Of Patients Don't Have It, Says Study

Updated Mar 24, 2026 | 01:37 PM IST

SummaryOn World Tuberculosis Day, experts warned Tuberculosis in India remains high, with many cases lacking persistent cough, delaying diagnosis. New initiatives aim to improve detection, treatment and support elimination efforts by 2025.
Is Cough Really Necessary For TB? 80% Of Patients Don't Have It, Says Study

Every year, March 24 is observed as World Tuberculosis Day to spread awareness about the infectious disease. In India, it remains one of the most pressing infectious diseases. Dr Arup Halder, Consultant Pomologist at CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI says that India still accounts for roughly a quarter to over a quarter of world's tuberculosis or TB cases. "In 2023–2024, India reported around 25–26 lakh TB patients out of an estimated 27 lakh cases, reflecting improved detection but also highlighting a persistently high burden," he points out.

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While TB incidence has fallen by about 20 per cent since 2015 and mortality has also declined to roughly 21 deaths per lakh population, it still remains well above national elimination targets for 2025.

TB Could Happen Even Without A Persistent Cough

What makes TB so difficult to eliminate? While many associate TB with persistent coughing, studies show that 80 per cent of patients do not show the symptoms of cough that is "presumed" to be a common symptom. This is why, TB could go ignored until it is too late.

A research led by Amsterdam UMC and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development analyzed data on more than 600,000 individuals in Africa and Asia and found that around 82.8 per cent of those with TB had no persistent cough. The study also found that 62.5 per cent had no cough at all. The findings were published in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.

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The study in fact noted that this could be the "probable reason why, despite huge efforts to diagnose and treat the disease, the tb burden across Africa and Asia is hardly declining". Frank Cobelens, Professor of Global Health at Amsterdam UMC and Senior Fellow at the AIGHD says, "A persistent cough is often the entry point for a diagnosis, but if 80 per cent of those with TB do not have one, then it means that a diagnosis will happen later, possibly after the infection has already been transmitted to many others, or not at all."

Another 2019 study published in Elsevier notes: "Coughing does not appear to be a necessary prerequisite for TB transmission." The study further mentions, "Frequency of cough is associated with infectivity but this does not imply mechanistic causality for TB transmission."

Does It Mean Coughing Is Harmless?

The simple answer to this is: No. Coughing does not mean harmless, especially when it is a persistent one. The study only shows that TB does not always mean persistent coughing, however, if one experiences this symptom, they should always get a test done and should not ignore the symptoms.

Researchers from The University of Texas at Dallas' Center for Advanced Pain Studies working with colleagues from UT Southwestern Medical Center note that TB coughing could cause pain. This is one of the way one can distinguish the symptoms. The findings published in journal Cell notes that before this study, "no one had even shown that TB produces an irritant that acts directly on the sensory innervation of the lungs".

Corresponding author Dr Michael Shiloh, associate professor of internal medicine and microbiology at UT Southwestern said, "People with active tuberculosis can cough for months and spread disease even when they are receiving appropriate treatment."

Read: World Tuberculosis Day 2026: Theme, Origin, And Significance

What Is India Doing To Control TB Cases?

On World TB Day, President Droupadi Murmu stressed that TB continues to pose a significant public health challenge and has affected millions of lives across the world. She urged all stakeholders to work together with collective resolve to end TB once for all.

To act on it, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda will launch a series of initiatives, including 'TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan - 100 Days Campaign', the TB Mukt Bharat App, and the TB Mukt Urban Ward Initiative. These measures are designed to strengthen the case detection, improve treatment adherence, and enhance last-mile delivery of TB services, especially in high-burden areas. The initiatives have also been aligned with the objectives of the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme.

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Bacterial Meningitis May Cause Long-term Fatigue, Vision Problems, Raise Suicide Risk: Study

Updated Mar 24, 2026 | 03:00 AM IST

SummaryThe long-term effects of the deadly bacterial meningitis among survivors include fatigue, difficulties with concentration, memory and emotional regulation, persistent headaches, issues with mobility, vision, and hearing.
Bacterial Meningitis May Cause Long-term Fatigue, Vision Problems, Raise Suicide Risk: Study

Credit: Canva

From physical problems like fatigue and vision problems, people who survive the deadly bacterial meningitis are likely to live with long-term fatigue and vision problems, as well as be at high risk of suicide, according to a new study.

The study comes as the UK is experiencing an outbreak of meningitis in Kent, that began among students who visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between March 5 and 7.

Although bacterial meningitis is treatable, it requires prompt, often immediate treatment for better recovery. Yet patients are likely to face the risk of fatal or long-term complications -- from physical, psychological, and social impacts, said researchers from the University of Otago, The Conversation reported.

The new findings, based on 16 cases from New Zealand, who reportedly suffered the fatal disease, showed that multiple chronic after-effects is permanent in some, while in others, it dragged on for years. The effects include:

  • fatigue,
  • difficulties with concentration,
  • memory and emotional regulation,
  • persistent headaches,
  • issues with mobility, vision, and hearing.
These conditions affected the patients' ability to work, study, and maintain relationships, which further affected their mental health, increasing their vulnerability for

  • anxiety,
  • depression
  • suicidality.

"Our findings demonstrate that bacterial meningitis is much more than a life-threatening infection. It is an acute disease with serious, chronic after-effects which are poorly understood and often go unrecognised," the researchers said.

Kent Meningitis Outbreak

According to the latest update from the UK Health Security Agency (HSA), 20 laboratory cases of meningitis are confirmed, and 9 notifications remain under investigation, bringing the total to 29 in the country.

The bug that causes the infection has been identified as the known strain of meningitis B, and MenB vaccines will be offered to 5,000 students living in the University of Kent halls of residence in Canterbury.

Meanwhile, the UKHSA chief executive, Susan Hopkins, said the outbreak "looks like a super-spreader" event with "ongoing spread" through universities' halls of residence.

"There will have been some parties, particularly around this, so there will have been lots of social mixing. I can't yet say where the initial infection came from, how it's got into this cohort, and why it's created such an explosive amount of infections," she added.

As per Trish Mannes, UKHSA Regional Deputy Director for the South East, even after two doses, the MenB vaccine “does not protect against all strains of meningococcal disease, nor against all infections that can cause meningitis. It also does not prevent the bacteria from being carried and spread in the community”.

The UKHSA thus warned people to be aware of the signs and symptoms of invasive meningococcal disease, and to seek immediate medical attention if they or anyone they know develops these signs and symptoms.

Common symptoms include:

  • rash
  • sudden onset of high fever
  • severe and worsening headache
  • vomiting and diarrhea
  • joint and muscle pain
  • seizures.

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