Oprah Winfrey’s slimmer frame has been all the rage this year. Fans and the media alike have been wowed every time the media mogul steps out for a public appearance.
Each new photo garners waves of comments about her weight loss transformation, celebrating how she’s shedding the weight. But while many applaud her renewed confidence, online critics are quick to point out her youthful glow and her skin.
On Sept. 12, an image of Winfrey looking fabulous in a blue button-up shirt layered over a white lace turtleneck at New York Fashion Week surfaced online. She paired the chic look with black leather pants and matching pointed-toe boots. For accessories, she grabbed oversized black sunglasses and a sleek leather tote.
The caption seemed to celebrate the 71-year-old’s age-defying appearance. But the replies quickly took a different turn.
“71 in the hands .. It’s in the hands,” one follower commented, to which the original poster replied, “I can’t stop looking at your wrinkly hands.”
A third said, “Can’t put makeup on your hands.”
The critic had zoomed in on Winfrey’s hands, claiming, “Clothes less wrinkled than that hand.”
Right there bud pic.twitter.com/27C6WtZ848
— Austin N. Wharton (@AustinNWharton) September 13, 2025
Some called out the commentary as blatant age-shaming, questioning whether younger generations even know what 71 is “supposed to look like.”
Others, however, said the contrast between her face and hands was too stark to ignore.
“I HAD to laugh out loud! Oh crypt keeper looking hands!” one person wrote, punctuated with laughing emojis.
Despite the back-and-forth, both posts included compliments on Winfrey’s appearance. Still, her more than 50-pound weight loss has also made her a target for intense social media scrutiny.
In January, the longtime Weight Watchers ambassador revealed she was using a GLP-1 medication to aid in her lifelong battle with weight.
While people are calling out her hands. They do look harsher here due to picture quality.. but this was last night for NYFW & they didn’t look like that.. pic.twitter.com/bxHI2N3d6y
— Jerome Trammel, M.B.A (@MrJeromeTrammel) September 14, 2025
A month later, a throwback Vogue cover from 1998 began making the rounds, reigniting conversation about her past body transformations.
“Harpo, who dat woman?!” one user quipped, referencing her famous line from “The Color Purple.”
In March, Winfrey’s weight loss again became a talking point when paparazzi caught her leaving a gym. She was photographed in black leggings, a tan-and-brown striped shirt, a black hooded raincoat, and white sneakers. But because the images were so flattering, some users accused her of staging the moment.
In June, Winfrey was among the high-profile guests at the lavish wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.
Viral footage showed her boarding a boat in a beautiful purple floral gown with cut-outs at the midsection. While many praised her fashion choice, others fixated on her body once again.
“Her skin waved before her hands did,” joked one commenter after noticing loose skin as she waved. Another wrote, “Oprah, put that skin away. Ain’t nobody tryna see all that.”
Winfrey has been in the public eye for more than 50 years and has never shied away from discussing her struggles with weight. From revealing the dangers of crash diets, to inviting viewers into her kitchen with her personal chef, to opening up about her use of Ozempic, her journey to health has always been deeply personal.
And through all the criticism, she’s continued forward — on her own terms.
