Summary
- Zac Efron's jaw surgery was actually due to an injury from a household accident, not plastic surgery.
- On his trip to Australia during COVID-19, Efron's jaw grew due to compensating masseter muscles.
- Efron also had another accident in 2024 when he dove into a shallow pool, but he was medically cleared in a few hours.
People may have noticed that something happened to Zac Efron that has altered the way his face looks, and many have speculated about what happened. Zac Efron has come a long way since his starring role in the High School Musical movie franchise, and it hasn't always been clear what direction he wants to take his career. He's starred in romantic comedies, summer action flicks, animated movies, and more. Though he's never found one single path, his visage has always been a constant in popular culture.
Ever since he appeared in High School Musical, Efron's boyish good looks have often been a part of roles he's played, including Link Larkin in Hairspray, Teddy Sanders in Neighbors, and Matt Brody in Baywatch. This means that, despite being a fantastic actor on his own merits, his face is still an instantly recognizable part of his persona. So, when anything changes physically about Zac Efron, most people will quickly note that something is different. In the 2010s, Efron suffered an injury that caused many to note a change in his appearance.
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Zac Efron Had Corrective Surgery After Injuring His Jaw In A 2013 Accident
Efron Fell While Running In His Home
In April 2021, Zac Efron appeared on Facebook to promote Bill Nye's "Earth Day Musical" and fans immediately noticed that the actor looked different. His jaw appeared larger than it had been before, and many people speculated that the actor had undergone plastic surgery. However, it turns out that his larger jaw was the result of an injury he suffered in 2013, which was covered at the time (via E!News). Years later, Efron offered more information about that traumatic day (via US Weekly).
The actor had been running around his house in socks when he slipped and smashed his chin against the granite corner of a fountain, knocking himself unconscious. Thankfully, his younger brother Dylan was there to take care of him. When Efron awoke, he revealed that his chin bone was hanging from his face, requiring his jaw to be wired shut. Efron, who's famously disinterested in social media, did not talk about Bill Nye or the plastic surgery rumors until 2022 (via Men's Health).
Efron said that he was doing physical therapy for his masseter muscles in his jaw, which are used for chewing, but when he went to Australia during COVID-19, he took some time off.
Efron said that he was doing physical therapy for his masseter muscles in his jaw, which are used for chewing, but when he went to Australia during COVID-19, he took some time off. The muscles on the inside of his face and jaw had to compensate, making them appear enlarged. He said about the muscles,
"The masseters just grew. They just got really, really big."
Efron actually had no idea about the plastic surgery rumors until his mother called to ask them if they were true. He isn't bothered by the speculation though, saying,
"If I valued what other people thought of me to the extent that they may think I do. I definitely wouldn’t be able to do this work."
Efron Also Had A Frightening Pool Accident In 2024
Zac Efron Ingested Water After Diving In Too Shallow A Pool
His fall wasn't the only time Efron courted disaster. In early August 2024, Efron was injured in a pool in Ibiza (via People). Efron was in Spain on vacation when he dove into a shallow pool, hit the bottom, and his lungs ingested water. Pool security pulled him out after he showed signs of distress, and he was immediately taken to a hospital where he was cleared in only a few hours. In a rare Instagram story, that's since been deleted, Efron posted a picture of himself lifting weights with the caption,
"Happy and healthy. Thanks for the well wishes."
Both of Efron's accidents were just that, accidents, and the actor has always been candid about his health, willing to discuss his past and his struggles with insomnia, agoraphobia, and depression. Zac Efron has always seemed to make the effort to take care of himself, the odd sock slip and pool dive not withstanding.
