What has happened to Lil' Kim's face? Plastic surgeons weigh in after social media outcry

While Kim Kardashian was busy outshining the bride at Dave Grutman's wedding, her namesake was also making waves in Miami. Rapper Lil' Kim looked totally unrecognisable when she posted a new collage of her drastically transformed face in a post on her Instagram page.

The 41-year-old hip hop icon looked a shadow of her former self and reignited speculation that she had gone under the knife. Not only were her facial features drastically altered, but her skin looked lighter and she completed the look with a blonde wig.

Fans quickly appeared online and shared their views on the rapper's new look, with many expressing their sadness and disappointment. Some even claimed that they believe Kim suffers from body dysmorphic disorder, a psychological illness which causes a person to become obsessed with imaginary defects in their appearance.

But some fans insisted that subjecting her to online scrutiny was not the answer.

Back in 2005, the Lady Marmalade hitmaker - born Kimberly Jones - opened up about her cosmetic surgery journey after going under the knife for a nose job.

"People think I did it because I had low self-esteem but that wasn't the case," she said during a candid sit down on Angie Martinez's radio show. "I think I did it because I was a little too vain at the time trying to be perfect. I'm a perfectionist, that's true. It teaches you a lesson too. You gotta pull back from certain things."

It is clear that during the interim years she has had more work done but just how far has she gone? Cosmetic surgeon to the stars, Alex Karidis, tells IBTimes UK: "The first thing that stands out is her nose, which has obviously changed quite a bit. It is more defined on the bridge line and you can see it is now sharper, narrower and more detailed. This could have been achieved with a surgical procedure which involves taking a graft from the rib or ear and adding the extra tissue for projection. However, it looks overdone and lacks a degree of naturalness.

He adds that she has also has cheek implants, most likely injectable fillers for more volume. "Fat is usually taken out in a procedure called buccal fat removal for clients seeking a more drawn in look. More body has also been added to her lips."