Madonna wowed the crowds at the Academy Awards last week, however her youthful appearance has had many wondering if the Material Girl has had cosmetic surgery.

With a smooth, glowing complexion, there are many in the plastic surgery industry who believe that Madonna has had a procedure known as the ‘ribbon lift’.

The ribbon lift is a relatively new cosmetic procedure which takes around 30 minutes to complete. A dissolvable ribbon is tunnelled underneath the skin of the face. This ribbon has tiny hooks on it that attach to the face’s muscle and underlying tissues. Once the ribbon is in place, it is pulled upwards to lift the area. The ribbon then dissolves naturally after around two months, whilst the results of the procedure last around three years.

Speaking to Grazia magazine, renowned plastic surgeon Alex Karidis says he believes that Madonna has had this ribbon face lift and that prior to the ceremony, the pictures showing the swelling in her face are telltale signs of the procedure. He also claims that the ribbon has not dissolved fully yet, hence Madonna wore her hair loose at the awards to cover the evidence.

Should you wish to have a similar procedure done, it is available at many Beverly Hills clinics for around $6,000.