Irish actor Barry Keoghan has revealed that he underwent a £4,500 cosmetic skin-tightening treatment called XERF following widespread speculation about his changing facial appearance.
The 34-year-old star shared details of the procedure in an Instagram video posted by celebrity skin specialist Nilam Holmes. The footage shows Keoghan lying on a clinic treatment bed wearing a white headband while the practitioner moves a handheld device across his cheeks, around his nose, and along his jawline.
XERF is a high-tech procedure developed in South Korea that is designed to "lift and firm the face" without surgery or injections. The treatment has become increasingly popular among Hollywood stars, with Kim Kardashian and Naomi Watts both praising the procedure.
"I've been hearing a lot about it and Nilam is very excited about it. And she's brilliant at what she does. I really mean that," Keoghan said in the video.
"Every time I come in, it's very relaxing and therapeutic. Nilam looks after my skin. I feel better about myself. I look better. I think it's important to look after yourself inside and outside," he added.
Keoghan's clinic visits come while he is filming the four-part biographical film project about the English rock band The Beatles, in which he plays drummer Ringo Starr. His disclosure follows months of public commentary comparing photographs of the actor from 2024 with his appearance in March.
How the £4,500 XERF radiofrequency treatment works
The South Korean system uses controlled bursts of radiofrequency energy to heat the deeper layers of the face. In aesthetic medicine, radiofrequency devices warm the dermis beneath the skin's surface to stimulate the body to produce collagen, the natural structural protein that keeps skin firm and elastic.
The procedure aims to tighten loose skin, sharpen the jawline, and create a more youthful appearance. Because new collagen forms gradually beneath the skin, the results are designed to develop over several months.
Unlike a surgical facelift, XERF requires no cuts, needles, or anaesthetic, and patients can generally return to their normal activities immediately afterwards. Each appointment lasts around 90 minutes, with the clinic claiming that results can last between 12 and 18 months.
A single full-face session with Holmes costs £2,500, while a course of two treatments spaced four to eight weeks apart costs £4,500. Keoghan has now had two sessions, although it is not known whether he paid for the treatment.
Kardashian, 46, the American reality television star and Skims founder, previously shared footage of herself undergoing XERF and called it one of her favourite treatments. She described the device as her "new fave tightening laser" and said it "doesn't even hurt", though the procedure uses radiofrequency energy rather than a laser.
Cheek filler speculation at the Peaky Blinders premiere
Questions about Keoghan's changing appearance intensified in March when he attended the New York premiere of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, the feature film continuation of the British crime drama series Peaky Blinders. Posing alongside co-star Rebecca Ferguson, Keoghan drew remarks from observers over his fuller cheeks and lips.
Cosmetic dermatologist Dr Nora Jaafar subsequently told the Daily Mail that the increased fullness in the actor's face appeared "consistent with cheek filler". "When larger volumes are placed through the mid-face it can create a rounded or slightly 'puffy' appearance," Dr Jaafar explained.
London Burberry appearance and male cosmetic trends
Plastic surgeons and observers have also noted a broader change in the Saltburn star's face between 2018 and 2024. Earlier this year, Keoghan displayed a noticeably fuller pout as he posed for photographs in front of Tower Bridge in London ahead of a presentation by British luxury fashion house Burberry.
"Barry Keoghan's appearance has definitely sparked conversation around his lips looking fuller, and whether that is down to treatment, lighting, or natural variation remains to be seen," said Dr Barbara Kubicka, the founder of ClinicBe.
"What is important here is that it reflects how closely male facial changes are now noticed and discussed. Moments like this mirror what we see in clinic, where men are increasingly open to subtle lip enhancement that prioritise balance rather than obvious volume," Dr Kubicka added.
Those assessments were based on photographs rather than confirmation of any procedure. Keoghan has never publicly confirmed having fillers, and his newly revealed XERF treatment does not involve injecting anything into the face. Film star Naomi Watts, 58, also documented herself having the non-invasive XERF treatment in May, saying at the time: "Feels so good! No pain. No downtime. Snatched."
Online abuse and changing image after Saltburn
While there is a growing trend for male celebrities to undergo cosmetic procedures, Keoghan has previously spoken candidly about the devastating impact of criticism over his looks. In March, he revealed that cruel online comments had made him reluctant to leave his home and left him questioning whether to continue acting on screen.
"There's a lot of abuse of how I look," he told SiriusXM's The Morning Mash Up. "It's made me really go inside myself, not want to attend places, not want to go outside."
"When that starts leaking into your art, it becomes a problem because then you don't even want to be on screen anymore," he added. Keoghan, who shares a son named Brando with former partner Alyson Kierans, also expressed concern that his little boy would one day read the hurtful remarks.
Born in Dublin, Keoghan earned a BAFTA Award and an Academy Award nomination for 2022's The Banshees of Inisherin before starring in the 2023 psychological thriller Saltburn. He has previously admitted that he struggled with being regarded as an unconventional leading man before his performance in Saltburn transformed his public image.
"It's nice not just being looked at as the weird-looking guy," he told GQ in 2024. "My prettiness didn't get me this far," he added, acknowledging that his newfound heart-throb status had opened up career opportunities.
