The girl who once shouted about "go-go juice" and "dollas" isn't there anymore. Honestly, if you ran into Alana Thompson on a college campus today, you probably wouldn’t even recognize the former toddler pageant queen. She’s swapped the glittery tiaras and neon tutus for nursing scrubs and a backpack. But the internet is still obsessed with the current image of Honey Boo Boo, searching for every new photo to see if she’s "transformed."
It’s kind of wild when you think about it. Most of us get to go through our awkward phases in private, but Alana’s entire childhood was a public commodity. Now 20 years old, she’s navigating a reality that’s way more complex than a thirty-minute episode on TLC. She’s lost significant weight, moved across the country, and is dealing with the massive emotional fallout of a family life that was, frankly, pretty chaotic.
The Physical Transformation Everyone Is Talking About
Let’s get the big question out of the way first. People keep asking if she had surgery like her mother. The short answer? No. While Mama June made headlines for her dramatic gastric sleeve transformation years ago, Alana has been pretty vocal about taking a different route.
The current image of Honey Boo Boo shows a young woman who has lost roughly 60 to 70 pounds over the last two years. She hasn't done it through a "miracle" fix. Instead, she’s been open about using a combination of GLP-1 medication (under doctor supervision), portion control, and actually moving her body. She’s mentioned in interviews that her highest weight was around 195 pounds, and she’s worked her way down to the 130s.
"I didn't want to ride that roller coaster," she told reporters, referring to the extreme weight fluctuations she saw her mother go through.
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It wasn't just about the scale, though. Alana has talked about how her feet used to "feel like they were on fire" during long days. Now, as a nursing student at Regis University in Colorado, she needs that stamina. She’s trading fried Georgia staples for grilled chicken and salads, though she’s quick to admit she’s still a Southern girl at heart. She isn't living on kale, but she’s stopped "inhaling the whole bag" of chips.
From McIntyre to Denver: A Fresh Start
One of the biggest shifts in her image isn't just physical—it’s her environment. In 2023, Alana made the massive decision to move from her small hometown in Georgia to Denver, Colorado. This wasn't just for a change of scenery. She moved to attend Regis University, where she’s currently pursuing a degree in neonatal nursing.
Think about that for a second. This is a kid who many people wrote off as "uneducated" or "just a reality star." Now, she’s pulling 12-hour clinical shifts and studying for exams. She even landed a $21,000 scholarship to get there. It’s a huge middle finger to anyone who thought she’d never break the cycle of her upbringing.
But the move wasn't easy. She’s been candid on TikTok about "struggling" with homesickness and the sheer intensity of nursing school. It’s a far cry from the scripted drama of her younger years. In Denver, she’s just another student in the cafeteria, even if she does occasionally get spotted by a fan while buying a coffee.
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The Complicated Reality of Family
You can't talk about the current image of Honey Boo Boo without talking about the people she left behind. Her relationship with Mama June is... well, it’s a lot. While they’ve filmed Mama June: Family Crisis together, the wounds are deep.
There’s been a lot of tension over money. Alana recently discovered that much of the earnings from her childhood shows—money that was supposed to be in a Coogan account (a trust for child actors)—is just gone. She’s hinted that she’s considered legal action, but it’s a messy, heartbreaking situation. When you've earned millions for a network but don't have enough to pay for your first semester of college without a struggle, that changes how you look at the world.
Then there’s the loss of her sister. Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell passed away from Stage 4 adrenal carcinoma in late 2023. That kind of grief changes a person’s face. In recent photos, there’s a maturity in Alana’s eyes that wasn't there even two years ago. She’s become a pillar for her other sisters, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird and Jessica "Chubbs" Shannon.
What the Public Gets Wrong About Her "New Look"
The "unrecognizable" headlines are everywhere. "Honey Boo Boo's Shocking Glow-Up!" "You Won't Believe What Alana Looks Like Now!"
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Honestly? She just looks like a 20-year-old woman. The "shock" comes from the fact that our collective memory of her is frozen at age six, holding a pig and drinking "sketti" (butter and ketchup noodles). We expect her to stay that caricature forever.
When Alana posts a selfie now with long lashes, acrylic nails, and a stylish outfit, she’s reclaiming her identity. She’s no longer the punchline of a joke about rural poverty. She’s a Gen Z woman who knows her angles and isn't afraid to use her platform to tell her own story. This was a major theme in her 2025 Lifetime biopic, I Was Honey Boo Boo, where she finally got to narrate her own life instead of letting producers do it for her.
Life in the Spotlight: The Dralin Factor
Of course, no celebrity update is complete without the relationship drama. Alana has been dating Dralin Carswell since 2021. Their relationship has been a lightning rod for criticism, mostly because of their five-year age gap and Dralin’s legal troubles, including a 2023 DUI arrest and a police chase.
Alana has remained fiercely loyal, though. He moved to Colorado with her, and despite the "hot mess" labels the media loves to throw at them, she seems determined to make it work. She’s told interviewers that she doesn't care about the haters because her family (specifically Pumpkin, who was her legal guardian) approves.
Actionable Takeaways from Alana’s Journey
If there’s anything to learn from the current image of Honey Boo Boo, it’s that nobody is stuck in the version of themselves the world created. Here is how she actually managed to pivot:
- Prioritize Education Over Fame: By choosing a difficult field like nursing, she’s building a career that doesn't depend on a camera crew being in her house.
- Set Hard Boundaries: She’s been willing to disinvite family members (including her mom) from major life events to protect her "peace." This is a huge step for anyone dealing with generational trauma.
- Sustainable Health Changes: Instead of "crash dieting" for a TV special, she’s spent two years slowly changing her habits.
- Financial Literacy: She’s actively investigating her past earnings and ensuring her current income (from Family Crisis) is protected in accounts her mother can’t touch.
The "Honey Boo Boo" era is over. Alana Thompson is the one calling the shots now. She’s proven that you can grow up in a "family crisis" and still come out the other side with a plan, a degree, and a sense of self that isn't for sale.