Alexis Bellino returned to Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2024 as a friend of the show, several years after her initial exit, but only remained on the series for a season. Now, almost a year after her wedding to John Janssen, the Bravo alum is revealing that she underwent a facelift. This comes after she recently opened up about the backlash she received following her “RHOC” return.
Bellino opened up to PEOPLE in August 2026, revealing that she underwent a mid-face lift as an early birthday present. Regarding her reasoning for the procedure, the ‘RHOC’ alum stated, “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. I kind of feel like, learn from people that are older and wiser than me.”
During the interview, Bellino revealed that her three kids and husband were “against” the idea of her going under the knife. Regarding the children, she recalled, “They said, ‘Mom, please come on. Jesus Jugs, we’ve had enough of you and your stuff.’ And so I just said, ‘Guys, you’ll get it when you’re 50.”
For context, “Jesus Jugs” is a nickname Bellino gained during her original run on “The Real Housewives of Orange County” when cast member Tamra Judge made mention of her breast implants. In speaking about her husband being against the procedure, she says he changed his mind after attending a consultation with her.
The ‘RHOC’ Alum Also Discussed Her Healing Process
4Later in the interview, Bellino revealed that the recovery process following her facelift was much different than her previous experiences with plastic surgery, which includes getting breast implants when she was in college. Notably, she says the procedure itself lasted for seven hours. She called it a “whole different animal.”
According to her, “It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, but it was not easy.” She also shared that the left side of her face “took a little bit longer to catch up to the healing.” Still, she has faith that the results will soon “fully” settle.
Bellino also stated that she plans to document the process on social media, noting how much she’s changed as she’s gotten more mature. She stated, “I think a decade or two ago I would’ve been affected by comments, and now I just don’t care.”
The “RHOC” alum added, “You’re just like, ‘Okay, take it, or leave it. This is who I am.’ You know who you love; your circle is very small. I want women to feel empowered.” She then spoke about how her life has changed following the facelift.
The 49-year-old explained, “I don’t wear makeup now when I go out. I don’t worry about my laugh lines. If I feel better, then why not? That’s what the doctors are here for.” Regarding future procedures, Bellino plans to have her breast implants removed.
Bellino took to Instagram on August 2 to share more thoughts on her recent facelift, noting the busy year she’s had, including her wedding to Janssen. She shared, “9 months, 2 weddings, 1 facelift….yep, it’s been a happy, busy stinking year. 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.”
She continued, “Only nine months later. No, I didn’t need a facelift; I know that’s what I will hear. But all I can say is thank you @drjlayke and @plastixdocs and @glossyskinlounge for giving me a full smile back!!!!” After that, she discussed the comments she received from her kids and Janssen ahead of the procedure, recalling them saying, “mom/wife you don’t need it, please don’t do it, what can we do to talk you out of it……”
Bellino added, “But look at the results!!!! And now my husband and kids are all so happy with the results!!!!!! And truth is, it’s MY decision, not theirs.”
The Bravo Alum Had Complications With Her Breast Implants In 2025
4As mentioned, Bellino had her first plastic surgery procedure while in college. However, in 2025, the “Real Housewives of Orange County” star was forced to have a corrective procedure after experiencing leakage related to her breast implants.
She opened up to PEOPLE in May 2025, stating, “I was the first girl at the University of Missouri to ever get implants. It was the biggest deal ever. Everyone was in shock that I did that. And since then I’ve had three more.”
She then discussed her journey over the years, saying, “I had that corrected in 2022. Unfortunately, about six months after that surgery, the contracture started to come back again. Most of the time, when you have it, it does keep recurring.
Unfortunately, after a while, she began to experience a “shooting pain” that she eventually couldn’t avoid. She explained, “My left breast started to raise and swell to the point where not only is it uncomfortable and hard, but now it’s actually noticeable in photos.”
She went on to have a corrective procedure in April 2025, but her doctor discovered that one of her breasts had ruptured. The implants were then removed, and she now has smaller ones.”
Alexis Recently Opened Up About Her ‘RHOC’ Return
4As mentioned, Bellino returned to “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in 2024 as a friend of the show. However, her return proved controversial, with fans of the series targeting her. During a recent episode of the “Reality With the King” podcast, she opened up about the aftermath, revealing that she sought therapy.
According to her, “I mean, I was in therapy, I was getting death threats, I was crying every night on John’s shoulder like, ‘What did I do? Why did I go back?’” She added, “I went off social media for like four months. I didn’t post anything. My kids were like worried, and they’re like, ‘Mom, we hate what’s happening to you.’”