Brandi Glanville says face parasite and disfigurement were caused by damaged breast implants

Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times on Feb 19, 2026

Published in Women

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Brandi Glanville finally has some answers about what caused her mysterious facial issues — her breast implants.

The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" alum is "taking care of the face now that [she's] figured out what was wrong," Glanville told TMZ on Wednesday. The outlet caught up with her as she was leaving a doctor's office where she had been treated with "lasers and different things."

Last week, InTouch reported that Glanville had surgery to remove her breast implants earlier this month. According to the outlet, she got her implants in 2007 after the birth of her son Jake. Glanville was told her left implant had a "slow leak," while her right implant was "completely ruptured."

"I had silicone all over my lymph nodes," the reality TV star told TMZ. "That's what caused the infection in my face. ... [I]t couldn't get out because my lymph nodes were all clogged."

Glanville had been struggling for the last few years with a mysterious ailment that caused recurring facial swelling, speech impairment and the loss of teeth, leaving her reluctant to go out in public. In 2024, she revealed that, after she'd spent more than $70,000 on treatments, doctors were still stumped by what could be causing her facial disfigurement, though some suggested it could be because of a parasite. Glanville even tried using Nair, the hair-removal product, to fight the parasite.

Glanville told TMZ that she had been shocked to learn that her breast implants had been the cause of her facial disfigurement. She said she had visited 21 doctors over the years trying to investigate her condition, to no avail. She only learned that her nearly 20-year-old breast implants were damaged after having them examined with a sonogram.

"I learned a really, really hard lesson," said Glanville, advising people to make sure to get their implants checked after 10 years even if they feel fine.

"I'm not saying don't [get implants]," she added. "Just do it and make sure you stay on top of it. [And] you really have to be vigilant about [getting] sonograms. Ask you doctor."

Glanville appeared to be in good spirits now that she is on the road to recovery. She plans on getting her teeth fixed next.

Despite doctor's orders, "I can't rest," she said. "I've been home for three years."