A side-by-side comparison of Jennifer Lopez and Betty White has sparked discussions about society’s changing beauty standards and the relationship between physical appearance and health.
X user @TaraBull compared a recent photo of Jennifer Lopez, 56, with an image of Betty White that she claimed was taken when the late actress was 55.
A side-by-side image of J-Lo and Betty White ignited a debate over how beauty standards have changed across generations
Image credits: CBS/Getty Images
“What changed?” Tara asked fellow X users.
A community note later clarified that Betty was between 62 and 70 in the photo, not 55, and that the image was taken from her show, The Golden Girls.
But comparing the two stars at age 55 would still offer a stark contrast in what “aging gracefully” looked like in the 1970s and now.
“Nothing ‘changed’ except the culture stopped valuing dignity and started worshipping filters, fillers, and thirst traps,” one observer responded. “The 2025 look is ‘Age with a marketing team.’”
Another user summed up the difference in a single word: “Surgeons.”
J-Lo has faced plastic surgery speculation for years. In 2021, she denied ever going under the knife to alter her appearance.
“For the 500 millionth time… I have never done Botox or any other injectables or surgery!!” the singer responded to a fan who commented on one of her Instagram selfies.
In contrast, Betty openly admitted to undergoing a cosmetic procedure. In her memoir, If You Ask Me, the iconic star revealed that she had eyelid surgery in 1976 to tighten up the loose skin around her eyes and appear younger.
Social media users attributed the contrast to modern cosmetic procedures and lifestyle choices
Image credits: CBS/Getty Images
Analyzing photos of the two actresses, one user speculated that J-Lo exercises more than Betty did at her age, writing, “Go to the gym everyday and you will look at least 10 years younger!!”
“People stopped drinking and sm*king so much, and better skincare and health care overall,” someone else chimed in.
“This isn’t only happening to celebrities; the common people also look younger,” a separate netizen agreed.
According to the NHS, sm*king makes skin age faster, causing wrinkles and sagging, in addition to increasing the risk of lung cancer and heart disease.
Meanwhile, another group maintained that the answer doesn’t lie in healthy lifestyles or cosmetic procedures, but rather in the actresses’ different fashion and beauty choices, which are a reflection of their respective generations.
“Betty looks older because of hairstyle & dress. We no longer allow our age to dictate how we are supposed to appear,” one viewer noted.
Some commenters emphasized that J-Lo’s fashion and hairstyle made her look younger than Betty at the same age
Image credits: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
For those who prefer the short-haired “Betty White look” for women in their fifties or sixties, today’s fashion trends have gone too far.
“The over-s*xualization of literally everything,” replied one user. “Sadly, nothing has been spared, not even aging gracefully.”
Beyond culture and lifestyle, researchers pointed to a specific gene that may explain why some people look more youthful
Image credits: Ron Galella/Getty Images
While lifestyle and cosmetic choices can certainly help a person retain their youthful looks, there is another factor that may explain why some people appear younger than their peers, one that cannot be acquired.
According to a 2016 study published in the journal Current Biology, the answer may lie in a specific gene called MC1R.
“You meet two people you haven’t seen for 10 years, and you happen to notice one doesn’t look a day older than you remember and then the other person you think ‘Wow what happened to them?’” Dr. David Gunn, a senior scientist involved in the study, told the BBC.
To answer this question, experts at Erasmus University Medical Center used images of 1,693 makeup-free people. These images were independently assessed to see what age people thought they looked.
Investigators then analyzed the DNA of all 2,693 participants to identify genetic differences that stood out among those perceived to be younger than they actually were.
The evidence pointed to the MC1R gene. Researchers suggested some variants of MC1R led to people looking, on average, two years younger than those with other forms of the gene.
The gene is critical for making melanin, which affects skin pigmentation and helps protect against UV radiation. It’s also known as “the ginger gene,” as some of its variants can cause red hair. MC1R is also associated with pale skin and light eyes.
Jennifer has denied going under the knife, while Betty admitted to plastic surgery
Surgeons
— Tuto🪁 (@eltuto98) December 25, 2025
Still, experts cannot explain why the gene affects how young someone looks. They hypothesized that different MC1R variants might alter skin damage from the sun, but concluded this wasn’t the case. The researchers reportedly adjusted their data to account for different skin tones.
“Most subjects were not sunbed users and had white as opposed to pale skin color or white to olive skin color,” the study reads.
Professor Ian Jackson, from the UK Medical Research Council’s Human Genetics Unit, said the study was “interesting” but left some unanswered questions, including how effectively the experts adjusted their data.
“My gut reaction is what they’re looking at is an aspect of pigmentation,” he explained. “I would suspect people who have paler pigmentation would look younger and that might be paler skin or bluer eyes or blonde or red hair.”
People shared their thoughts on why Jennifer Lopez looks younger than Betty White did at the same age
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