It’s not unusual for people to undergo cosmetic surgery now and then — maybe to refine their nose, enhance their lips or breasts, or simply add a little youthful glow to their face.
But Jessica Alves, once known as Rodrigo Alves, took transformation to an entirely new level — not just one or two surgeries, but around 70 procedures in her quest to look like a real-life Barbie doll.
It’s perfectly normal to want to change certain things about your appearance, but it’s also important to remember that everyone has their own kind of beauty and worth, regardless of what others think.
Many people choose surgery to make subtle changes, but Jessica went far beyond that, completely reinventing her look.
Jessica Alves’ journey began in early 2020 when she publicly came out as transgender in an interview with The Mirror.
“I was known as Ken, but inside I’ve always felt like Barbie,” the 36-year-old shared. “For the first time, I feel like my true self — glamorous, beautiful, and feminine.”
From that moment on, she began living as Roddy and embraced the use of “she” and “her” pronouns.
Coming out as transgender
Jessica began her transition with hormone treatments that helped shape her body with more feminine curves. Combined with long blonde hair extensions, dramatic lashes, and a D-cup bust, she fully embraced her new identity. By July, she officially announced that she would now go by the name Jessica.
“For years, I tried to live as a man,” she admitted. “I even had fake abs and muscle implants in my arms, but I was only lying to myself. I’ve always had a feminine brain. Now my body finally matches my mind.”
Over the years, Jessica has made numerous public appearances, including Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, and she even released a song called Plastic World with Italian plastic surgeon Giacomo Urtis. Today, she has more than a million followers on Instagram and once worked as a flight attendant before her transformation gained global attention.
Jessica Alves, formerly known as Rodrigo Alves, was born on July 30, 1983, in São Paulo, Brazil, to a British father and a Brazilian mother. As a child, her grandfather encouraged her individuality by buying her dolls and letting her dress however she pleased.
Many would say that’s the ideal childhood — one where you’re free to express yourself without the limits of societal expectations. For Jessica, this early freedom shaped her lifelong fascination with dolls, a passion that eventually became central to how she chose to show her true self to the world.
“Growing up, I was always very feminine,” Jessica said. “I loved playing with dolls, wearing my mom’s dresses and heels.” But her teenage years were tough. She struggled with her looks and felt insecure about her appearance.
“I loved to laugh, but every time I did, my nose would spread wide. It really bothered me,” she recalled. “My family used to make jokes, wondering where I got that awful feature from. That’s why my nose was the first thing I decided to change.”
Jessica later moved to London, where she studied at the prestigious London School of Economics. In 2004, she decided to undergo her first cosmetic surgery — a decision that would lead to a long, complicated journey of physical transformation.
“I was never completely satisfied after any procedure,” Jessica admitted. “Even now, I’m still not.”
Now, two decades later, Jessica has undergone more than a hundred surgeries — including nose jobs, Botox, fillers, pectoral implants, liposuction on her jaw and legs, hair transplants, calf shaping, fake six-pack implants, and arm fillers. She’s even had four ribs removed and a “cat-eye” lift.
In total, she has spent over half a million dollars altering her appearance. Eventually, her former classmates couldn’t even recognize her. Doctors noted that Jessica was struggling with body dysmorphia — a condition that distorts how a person sees themselves.
Originally, Jessica (then Rodrigo) wanted to become the male version of the Ken doll. But over time, her goal shifted — she wanted to embody the image of a real-life Barbie.
Her pursuit of perfection wasn’t without danger. In April 2016, Jessica was hospitalized after suffering from necrosis, a severe condition where the skin tissue starts to die. A hole began to form on her nose, and her septum detached. Breathing became difficult, and she had to be treated at a hospital in Málaga, Spain, where she received antibiotics through an IV every eight hours.
Doctors warned that if the infection continued to spread, it could destroy her face. “I can’t breathe through my nose and I feel awful,” Jessica said at the time. “It’s collapsed completely. I’ve been given an appointment with a specialist in London in six weeks, and I’m hoping for surgery as soon as possible.”
Two years later, she underwent a chemical peel in Spain, which involved applying acid to remove layers of old skin. But the procedure was far from comfortable. “It was quite painful, and now my face is bright red,” she said afterward. “It feels like it’s burning. Marbella is so sunny, I can’t go out for days unless I’m covered in sunblock.”
Despite surviving several frightening experiences, Jessica faced another setback in 2019 after her eleventh nose job. Her nose began to collapse again, this time due to complications from a previous Botox treatment.
“At first, I was happy with the results,” she told the Daily Mail. “But now my nose is sinking, and honestly, I’m scared. Every surgery is riskier than the last. I’m afraid one day the doctors won’t be able to fix it anymore.”
Over the years, Jessica’s dramatic transformation made headlines worldwide. Public opinion has been mixed — some admire her courage, while others criticize her choices. But for Jessica, the most important thing has always been feeling comfortable and authentic in her own skin.
She always knew she had feminine instincts, but it wasn’t until a photo shoot that she decided to begin her full transition. “Within a month, I was diagnosed with gender dysphoric disorder and started medication to transition,” she told the New York Post in January. “Before, people looked at me because I seemed strange for a man. Now, I hope they look at me because they see a beautiful woman.”
Her transition was extensive and costly. She underwent breast augmentation, facial feminization surgery, hormone therapy, and procedures to remove her Adam’s apple and six-pack implants, totaling around $35,000. She also received injections in her knees, hips, and feet to enhance her figure.
Speaking on the British talk show This Morning, Jessica explained that her transformation was almost complete. “I still need two or three surgeries to finish my transition,” she said. “Then I swear, I’m done with plastic surgery. There’s only so much one person can handle. Every time I go under the knife, it’s scary — but it’s what I have to do to truly be myself.”
Now 41, Jessica’s final procedures include a penile inversion and the removal of her testicles.
“I love my new life,” she said. “I love everything that comes with it — going to hair salons, getting my nails and lashes done, buying dresses, wearing heels, and feeling beautiful.”
Her surgical journey has taken her around the world, with nose operations in Brazil, Colombia, Iran, the United States, and Turkey. Recently, after years of struggling to breathe properly, she underwent another nose reconstruction in Istanbul. Many doctors had refused to operate, unsure of how to repair the damage. Finally, one surgeon used cartilage from her ear — and for the first time in years, she could breathe normally again.
Jessica often shares her experiences on Instagram, posting photos of her surgeries, recovery, and daily life. Despite everything she has endured, she now appears genuinely happy — and that, in the end, is what matters most.
Fast forward to 2025, and Jessica Alves is still pursuing what she calls “enhancement.” According to the Daily Mail, the 42-year-old left a Turkish hospital in October wrapped in bandages after her fifth facelift. She explained that dissolving her previous dermal fillers had left her with nearly four inches of loose facial skin. To correct it, she underwent a “ponytail facelift,” a modern, minimally invasive procedure that tightens the face and neck through small incisions along the hairline.
She was later seen leaving the hospital in a wheelchair, head covered in a scarf, assisted by staff. The images quickly went viral due to her startling appearance.
“If I pinched my skin, I could pull away almost four inches,” Jessica said. “It was so elastic, like rubber. The doctor ended up removing five inches of skin.”
Even after everything she’s been through, Jessica continues her journey of transformation — still chasing the image that makes her feel most like herself.