Real Housewives of Orange County star Alexis Bellino treated herself ahead of her milestone birthday.
Bellino, who is turning 50 in January, opened up about undergoing a facelift ahead of her upcoming birthday. “Why I went down this path is [because] a couple of my friends that are a decade older than me both had it done at 49, and they look amazing at 60,” the Bravolebrity explained to People on Sunday, August 2. “I kind of feel like learning from people that are older and wiser than me.”
For her transformation, Bellino went under the knife for seven hours with Beverly Hills-based plastic surgeon Dr. John Layke and got her “laugh lines” touched up, a brow lift, a neck lift and an upper blepharoplasty. Bellino also got a CO2 laser treatment that treats fine lines, deep wrinkles and builds collagen.
“It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, but it was not easy,” Bellino said of the recovery, which she noted was “brutal.”
Now, she’s loving her new look. “I don’t wear makeup now when I go out,” the reality star shared. “I don’t worry about my laugh lines. If I feel better, then why not? That’s what the doctors are here for.”
The TV personality is also planning to have her breast implants removed eventually. “That’s [a procedure] that I wished I hadn’t done so young, but any other surgeries, besides a facelift maintenance, won’t be done for a “very long time,” she said. (Bellino previously opened up about getting smaller implants after one ruptured.)
Bellino also got candid about her facelift via Instagram on Sunday, sharing before-and-after photos, as well as snaps throughout her recovery.
“The photo on the left was my wedding to my love @johnwjanssen in October. The photo on the right is my son’s wedding this July. Only nine months later,” she wrote of her recovery.
She continued, “All I can say is thank you @drjlayke and @plastixdocs and @glossyskinlounge for giving me a full smile back!!!! My kids and husband all fought me on this decision saying, ‘Mom/wife you don’t need it, please don’t do it, what can we do to talk you out of it……’ But look at the results!!!! And now my husband and kids are all so happy with the results!!!!!!” (Bellino shares James, 20, and twins Miles and Mackenna, 18, with ex-husband Jim Bellino. She’s currently married to John Janssen.)
Bellino added that it was her “decision” and “not theirs.”
“I’m turning 50 yrs in January (in 6 months) so this was my half year ‘happy birthday’ to myself. My late mom always said her 50s were her favorite decade….well #rip mom and I agree with you. I’m loving every minute of my next decade and my ‘refresh’!!!!!!!!” she concluded.
