Wicked star Ariana Grande's 'fragile' new look sparks concern among doctors

After fans noticed that Ariana Grande looked 'very fragile' at the London premiere of Wicked, doctors said a number of factors could be causing this - including her diet and stress

Doctors have raised concerns about Ariana Grande's "very fragile" new look after she stepped out for the Wicked premiere in London this week.

The 31-year-old singer and actress wore a striking floor-length yellow gown for the occasion while walking on the green carpet, in reference to the film she starred in. But after some fans raised concerns that both Ariana and her co-star Cynthia Erivo looked "much more gaunt" at the premiere, doctors weighed in to express their opinion on the pair's body transformations.

Medics mentioned that the stars' vegan diets, alongside the stress of filming and promoting Wicked could have played a role. Dr Dennis Schimpf, a plastic surgeon in South Carolina, said restrictive diets could pose a risk of protein deficiency, which can cause muscles to waste away.

He also claimed Ariana's seemingly much more pale appearance could be due to a nutritional deficiency as he told the Daily Mail: "Vegan diets do tend to have issues with protein which causes muscle wasting. Often, people who are strict vegans have to take significant protein supplements or add protein powders to their smoothies."

Ariana has been a vegan for more than a decade, as she announced the shift in her diet in 2013 due to her love for animals. Cynthia also shifted to a vegan diet in 2018 as her body "couldn't handle red meat" and then continued to stick with it for ethical reasons.

Dr Schimpf said a reason for pale skin could be "nutritional stress" but he said this is "really hard to assess" in these celebrities as he explained: "They're not ever photographed completely untouched or without make-up or bronzer or some kind of concealer on their skin." Another potential reason could also be certain treatments or lasers.

However, Dr Michael Salzhauer disagreed with the suggestion that Ariana's appearance could be down to a vegan diet as he express his concern over the star's look. He said: "I don't think it's veganism per se because I know some larger vegans - so I do wonder whether there is something else going on. The recent picture I saw of her online, she does look, I would say, 'scary thin', and you know that is concerning as a doctor."

This month, Cynthia revealed that filming Wicked had been stressful as the production was put on hold several times due to the Covid pandemic and the writers' strike. She told the New York Times: "At first, [the strike] felt like an interruption, and then as it went on, it felt like the rest we needed.

"We'd worked ourselves to the bone. I was really grateful because the next thing that we had to do [until the strike happened] was 'defying gravity', and it felt like the universe going, 'You need your full strength to do this.'"

Dr Schimpf said stress can "lead to significant weight loss as well as alterations in eating habits." At the Wicked premiere in London, Ariana appeared to be channelling legendary singer Celine Dion in her outfit, which featured netting across her shoulders and arms as she braved chilly temperatures.

Her glossy blonde tresses were swept back off her face into a neat bun as she posed for photographers. Despite the UK being plunged into darkness before 5pm, Ariana rocked a pair of retro-styled circular sunglasses.

Cynthia ditched her staple look from previous premieres and opted for a flashy black dress with a ruffled design. The attire offered a thigh-high split with shimmering copper detail, while she wore bicep length gloves and a flamboyant headpiece to tie it all together.

The Mirror has contacted Ariana's representative for comment.

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