Denise Richards has pulled back the curtain on a dramatic cosmetic transformation, revealing before-and-after photos of her recent facelift.
On Saturday, March 21, the actress shared the images on her Instagram alongside her plastic surgeon.
While some fans praised the results as a natural refresh, others questioned the decision to undergo surgery at all. However, Richards was candid about why she chose to go under the knife and what the experience was truly like.
Highlights
- Denise Richards stunned fans by sharing side-by-side photos of her extensive facial "restoration.”
- The 55-year-old actress admitted she was initially terrified to alter her face in the public eye.
- Richards revealed her daughters, Sami and Lola, strongly opposed the surgery.
- Richards also shared that her divorce from husband Aaron Phypers began just 10 days after the procedure.
Denise Richards revealed striking before-and-after photos of her facelift
Image credits: deniserichards/Instagram
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star posted side-by-side photos documenting the results of her procedure in a joint Instagram post with Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei.
According to the doctor, the transformation involved several procedures beyond a traditional facelift.
THe 55-year-old underwent a temporal brow lift, upper blepharoplasty, a lip lift to adjust the outer corners of her mouth, and fat grafting in addition to the facelift.
In the photos, the most noticeable changes appeared around her neck, mouth, and eye area, giving her face a more lifted and refreshed look.
Image credits: drbentalei/Instagram
Richards even described the surgery as deeply personal, writing on her Instagram Stories, “It’s the best thing I could’ve done for myself.”
Dr. Talei also praised Richards’ openness, noting that the goal was restoration rather than alteration.
“Her stunning, gorgeous eyes were restored rather than changed or just cleaned up,” he added, noting that areas around the eyes and mouth that once appeared tired had been “neutralized and reversed.”
Following the facelift surgery, Richards later opened up about the experience, admitting the results felt “night and day”
Image credits: drbentalei/Instagram
Richards later detailed her experience in an interview with Allure on March 20, revealing she had spent years debating whether to have the surgery.
"I wanted to put things back up, where they were before," she said.
Although she had undergone cosmetic surgery earlier in life, the idea of altering her face initially frightened her.
“I was terrified. Being in the public eye since my 20s, people know what I look like—a facelift is not something that I could hide.”
Image credits: drbentalei/Instagram
But after seeing the final results, she was stunned. “It is night and day. It’s shocking, actually.”
The model further emphasized that her goal wasn’t to change her appearance dramatically. “I told Dr. Ben, ‘I don't have unrealistic goals. I'm not asking to look 20 years old, but I want to look the best I can look for me, and still look like me.”
She further admitted that after she decided to move forward with a facelift, she gave her surgeon complete creative control
Image credits: drbentalei/Instagram
“My face was in his hands,” she said.
Recalling the moment before surgery, she told him, “You’re the artist. Whatever you want to do.”
The procedure involved lifting parts of the face and brow, removing excess skin around the eyelids, and using fat harvested from her thighs to enhance the texture of her skin through fat grafting.
The actress even noticed an unexpected bonus.
“One of the things I was surprised by was my skin texture. It was more youthful immediately.”
While the actress expressed her excitement about the surgery, her family wasn’t entirely happy with the decision.
Her two oldest daughters, Sami and Lola, whom she shares with ex-husband Charlie Sheen, were worried about the surgery
Image credits: Touchstone Pictures
“My oldest daughters were not happy that I was doing it,” she admitted. “They told me I didn’t need it and that I was too young.”
Richards explained that she asked them for understanding, even if they disagreed.
“I told them that this is something that I want to do, and you may not agree with my decision, but I just want your support.”
Apparently, the conversation reminded her of a past disagreement she had with Sami.
Image credits: Sony Pictures
Richards had previously opposed Sami getting a nose job. “She said, ‘Mom, you didn’t want me to get a nose job,’” Richards recalled.
However, the actress defended her decision, stating, “For me, he’s [the surgeon] just putting things back where they were. I’m not trying to change the way I look.”
Despite the disagreement from her family, her fans heavily praised the results, with one writing, “I think she looks amazing. Just like her younger self,”
“That’s a great doctor. Made her look natural and not like everyone else,” wrote one, while another added, “It’s nice she shared what she did so people can relate and consider if surgery is right for them.”
Image credits: deniserichards/Instagram
Even Richards herself admitted she has no regrets. “It's just given me a new lease on life. It's given me confidence. I’m so happy I did it.”
Other detractors questioned her decision to undergo surgery altogether.
“Women should learn to age naturally,” said one.
Also, Richards’ recovery process wasn’t entirely smooth. She revealed that her divorce from Aaron Phypers began just 10 days after the surgery, which complicated her healing period.
“The second week wasn’t as calm as the first week,” she explained.
The pair was together from 2018 until 2025.
"it's uncanny seeing the before and after," wrote one netizen
