Selena Gomez has sparked renewed fears for her health after fans spotted a worrying detail in a now-viral Instagram video.
In the footage shared by a fan account, Gomez, 32, appeared to be ‘vaping’ as she got her hair and makeup done for her night out with pal Taylor Swift on May 31.
Gomez — who suffers from lupus and underwent a kidney transplant in 2017 — could be seen exhaling a vapor-like mist as she scrolled through her iPhone.
Another angle showed her holding what looked like an e-cigarette or vape pen, which produces an aerosol that typically contains nicotine, in her left hand as makeup artist Hung Vanngo applied her eyeliner.
Fans flocked to the comment section to voice their concern for Gomez due to the potential effects that vaping could have on her lupus symptoms or kidney health.
They also speculated about the type of vape pen Gomez may be using and if it contains nicotine, CBD or THC. Others wondered if she may vape for ‘medical’ reasons like pain relief or to help alleviate anxiety.
However, some voiced outrage on behalf of Gomez’s kidney donor Francia Raisa, with one Instagram user writing: ‘I would get so mad if i was the donnor (sic)’
DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Gomez for comment but has yet to hear back.
Selena Gomez has sparked renewed fears for her health after fans spotted a worrying detail in a now-viral Instagram video
Gomez was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack the body’s tissue and organs, in 2013.
She went public with the diagnosis in 2015 and revealed that she had gone through chemo to treat it.
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Gomez let fans in on her debilitating lupus battle in her 2022 Apple TV+ documentary My Mind & Me, where she spoke about experiencing excruciating pain ‘everywhere.’
Due to complications of the chronic illness, she famously underwent a kidney transplant in 2017, with her then-best friend Raisa generously donating her kidney.
However, the pair suffered a falling out just one year later over Gomez’s ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ post-surgery, which allegedly included consuming alcohol and smoking.
While the effects of vaping on kidney function are still being studied, those with lupus are highly discouraged from vaping or smoking as it ‘activates your immune system and can make your lupus symptoms worse,’ according to Spire Healthcare.
Among the online speculation about Gomez’s health and the specifics of the vape device she may be using, many fans came to the Rare Beauty founder’s defense.
‘she’s an adult. she’s old enough to determine good actions vs bad and if she chooses to make bad decisions then that’s on her. it’s also not our business. get over it,’ one Instagram user penned.
Another added: ‘Does vaping affect the kidney? My understanding it is the lungs. Anyway she is a grown woman, able to make her own adult choices. Would you like people scrutinizing your every move. NO!’
A third comment read: ‘Oh nooo! A celebrity living her life doing what she wants?? Whatever will we do???’
In the footage shared by a fan account , Gomez, 32, appeared to be ‘vaping’ as she got her hair and makeup done for her night out with pal Taylor Swift on May 31
Gomez — who suffers from lupus and underwent a kidney transplant in 2017 — could be seen exhaling a vapor-like mist as she scrolled through her iPhone
Another angle showed her holding what looked like an e-cigarette or vape pen
Interest in Gomez’s battle with lupus, her mental health and the drama with kidney donor Raisa picked up in 2022 following the release of My Mind & Me in November 2022.
The Apple TV+ documentary follows Gomez as she deals with worsening lupus symptoms that land her in a medical facility, where she is put on the intravenous drug Rituxan that her physician said would get rid of her joint paint for about a ‘year or so.’
It also explores Gomez’s battle with bipolar disorder, which she was diagnosed with after suffering from psychosis and suicidal thoughts.
However, there was no mention of Raisa in the 1 hour and 35-minute documentary despite her life-saving sacrifice.
Raisa then unfollowed Gomez on Instagram after the star named Taylor Swift as her ‘only friend in the industry’ in an interview with Rolling Stone while promoting the doc.
Gomez also spoke about receiving a kidney in the same interview, however her quotes did not mention Raísa being her donor.
Raisa was so irked by Gomez’s quote about Swift that she branded it ‘interesting’ in the comments section of an E! News post at the time.
Days later, Gomez left an eyebrow raising comment underneath a TikTok video that discussed how her Raisa unfollowed her in the wake of being snubbed in the documentary.
‘Sorry I didn’t mention every person I know,’ Gomez wrote in the comments.
Gomez was diagnosed with lupus in 2013 and detailed her debilitating health struggles in a 2022 Apple TV+ documentary
In 2017, Gomez underwent a kidney transplant due to complications of lupus. Her friend Francia Raisa (left) donated her kidney to Gomez
Fans flocked to the comment section to voice their concern for Gomez due to the potential effects that vaping might have on her lupus symptoms or kidney health
However, some voiced outrage on behalf of Gomez’s kidney donor Francia Raisa, with one Instagram user writing: ‘I would get so mad if i was the donnor (sic)’
They also speculated about the type of vape pen Gomez may be using and if it contains nicotine, CBD or THC. Others wondered if she may vape for ‘medical’ reasons like pain relief or to help alleviate anxiety
However, Gomez showed appreciation for Raisa several months later in a 2023 episode of the Apple TV+ series Dear….as she discussed the life-saving transplant.
The actress revealed that Raisa took it upon herself to get tested to see if she could be a kidney donor.
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Fans were left shocked by the public feuding as the duo had previously had a tight knit friendship and even referred to each other as ‘sisters’ in the past.
Gomez and Francia’s friendship dates back to 2007 as they both starred on hit TV shows for teens at the time.
Ten years later, Gomez stunned the world when she revealed that her longtime friend had saved her life by donating her kidney to her.
Gomez famously shared the news by uploading a picture of herself and Raisa in adjoining hospital beds to social media.
The star included a heartfelt caption, where she described Raisa’s sacrifice as the ‘ultimate gift.’
‘There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa,’ Gomez wrote. ‘She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis.’
At the time the friends also did a joint interview on the Today show, with Gomez detailing just how dire her health situation had been.
‘My kidneys were shutting down. My mentality was to keep going. She lived with me during this interesting time where my kidneys were just done. That was it, and I didn’t want to ask a single person in my life,’ she explained.
Gomez and Raisa suffered a falling out in 2018 over Gomez’s ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ post-kidney transplant, which allegedly included consuming alcohol and smoking; the pair seen in 2017
In 2022, Gomez snubbed Raisa while declaring Taylor Swift her ‘only friend in the industry.’ While their allegedly spawned a riff between the pair, Gomez and Raisa reconciled in 2023; Gomez seen in May 2025
‘The thought of asking someone to do that was really difficult for me. She volunteered and did it. And let alone someone wanting to volunteer, it is incredibly difficult to find a match.
‘The fact that she was a match, I mean that’s unbelievable. That’s not real.’
Both Raisa and Gomez, said they ‘went through depression’ post-surgery, according to Self.
Raisa said it was difficult for Gomez because she had complications after the surgery, where her kidney turned around inside of her body and she needed to have emergency surgery to correct it.
Francia said that after surgery, she received a text message Selena that said: ‘I’m so scared I might die.’
She explained: ‘That’s when she got the complication where the kidney turned and broke an artery and she had to go back in and they actually had to take a vein from her leg – so she has a scar right here [pointing to her inner thigh] and build a wall around her artery.’
At the time Francia also showed her scars, which included two on her stomach and one below her belly button.
The songstress also defended Francia after a tasteless joke was made about who really donated the kidney in Saved by the Bell reboot in 2020. The joke was later cut out due to the backlash.
Selena addressed the situation months later, Tweeting: ‘I am not sure how writing jokes about organ transplants for television shows has become a thing but sadly it has apparently. I hope in the next writer’s room when one of these tasteless jokes are presented it’s called out immediately and doesn’t make it on air.’
But just a year after her kidney donation, the two were said to be feuding, with Francia taking an issue with Selena’s ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ and her consuming alcohol following the surgery.
Selena even responded to a commentator who addressed the issue, after she shared a TikTok video where she joked about her drinking.
‘So one of your best friends gives you her kidney and you continue to drink excessively. Damn Selena,’ the user wrote, to which the former Disney star replied, ‘It was a joke a**.’
However, they reportedly reconciled in 2021, after Raisa shared about the process of kidney donation on her social media.
Gomez previously praised Raisa’s sacrifice as the ‘ultimate gift’; the pair seen in 2023
‘There aren’t words to describe how I can possibly thank my beautiful friend Francia Raisa,’ Gomez wrote. ‘She gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis’
In a 2024 interview, Raisa spoke candidly about being Gomez’s kidney donor and shutdown rumors that she was ‘forced’ to donate it; seen in 2023
She was also present at Selena’s 30th birthday party in July 2022 and Selena shared a TikTok of the duo having fun together that same month.
While Raisa’s absence from Gomez’s Apple TV+ documentary may have opened old wounds, the longtime friends eventually reconciled for a second time in 2023.
In a 2024 interview, Raisa spoke candidly about being Gomez’s kidney donor and shutdown rumors that she was ‘forced’ to donate it.
Raisa appeared on The Art of Kindness podcast with Robert Peterpaul, where she was asked what her biggest act of kindness was.
‘Besides donating a kidney, what? It was definitely a personal choice. It was definitely just an act of kindness no matter what the rumors are,’ she said.
‘It was something I just did because I really felt called to do it and I’ve been blessed since.’