People are speculating about Zac Efron's 'new' face - here's why it can be dangerous to speculate about celebrity bodies

• Zac Efron surprised fans after appearing on Facebook with swollen cheeks and a more prominent jaw.
• Fans speculated that the actor got cosmetic surgery.
• Experts urge caution in making quick judgments about celebrities' altered appearances.

Zac Efron surprised the internet during a Facebook Watch appearance over the weekend, revealing a much more prominent jawline and larger lips.

Many Twitter users speculated Efron, who appeared on Facebook Watch for "Bill Nye's Earth Day Musical," might have gotten cosmetic surgery.

But it's nearly impossible to know what's actually going on. Dermatologist Dr. Muneeb Shah said Efron could have gotten anything from fillers to implants, while some doctors on TikTok even suggested Efron had dental surgery done.

Shah told Insider that while it may be entertaining to speculate, people should be careful before jumping to conclusions about a celebrity's personal life, especially their health.

Efron did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

You never know what's happening behind the scenes

When Khloé Kardashian's unedited bikini photo went viral, celebrities spoke out about how the constant critical gaze pointed at their bodies can negatively impact their mental health and self-image.

And when actor Chadwick Boseman appeared to have lost a significant amount of weight in 2020, people were quick to point it out without realizing the "Black Panther" star was fighting a private battle with colorectal cancer.

"The fact that Boseman had been criticized for his weight loss speaks to how superficially most people view others when their sole basis for judgment is the images they see online," Kelly Coffey, a certified personal trainer and health coach, previously told Insider's Gabby Landsverk.

"It's up to us to remember that what we see doesn't represent anything close to the whole story. It's on us to practice being respectful of and compassionate toward all people and all bodies, always."

Changes in appearance don't tell us anything about a person's health, mental or physical, which is important to keep in mind when discussing a celebrity's body.

"Either way, if [Efron] did have work done, it just goes to show that all of us, regardless of how we are perceived by the public, have things that we may want to improve or change," Muneeb said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with more detail on the dangers of speculating about celebrity bodies.