Alexis Bellino underwent a breast augmentation as she prepared to tie the knot with John Janssen.
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The Real Housewives of Orange County alum confirmed the procedure less than two weeks after her “rustic” wedding in Laguna Beach, California, explaining why she didn’t postpone the surgery until after the ceremony.
Alexis Bellino confirms she had reconstructive breast surgery
“I’m going in for this last-minute boob — not really an emergency, but kind of an emergency — boob job,” she recalled during a recent appearance on the Two Ts in a Pod podcast. “I didn’t wanna have them done again. But by the way, they look smaller, huh?”
The podcast hosts, RHOC’s Tamra Judge and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp, agreed and complimented Alexis’ new look.
“I had a reconstructive boob job done because here’s why: My left side had encapsulated, so it was getting hardened and growing up here,” Alexis explained. “It was starting to grow up under my chin.”
“That wouldn’t look good in a wedding dress,” Tamra jokingly added.
“But then, also, guess what happened?” Alexis continued. “My implant ruptured… It was kind of an emergency, but not really. Like, I wasn’t gonna die.”
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Alexis Bellino sheds light on her breast augmentation journey
Alexis opened up about the surgery during a May interview with People magazine, saying she had received multiple breast augmentations since she was 19 years old. The mother of three said she got her implants replaced in 2008, but began experiencing concerning symptoms around 2022. Her doctors determined that the scar tissue around the breast implant had hardened, resulting in tightness and discomfort.
Alexis said she had her boobs “corrected” that same year; however, the symptoms popped up again six months later.
“Most of the time, when you have it, it does keep recurring,” she said about the condition.
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Although she was experiencing “shooting pain” in her breast, Alexis refused to have surgery again unless it was vital. She ultimately had a change of heart this year as her symptoms intensified.
“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 told the outlet. “I was feeling numbness and tingling in my arms. I kept telling John, you know how your arm falls asleep when you’re lying on it? I wasn’t even lying on it. It was just constantly falling asleep. I just knew I had to do something about it.”
Alexis said she had the corrective surgery on April 15, which is when her doctor also discovered the aforementioned rupture. She said she considered going implant-free, but decided against it after a conversation with her surgeon.
“My doctor said, ‘You have zero breast tissue, so you will not only have scars everywhere for all of the skin, but you will be completely flat,’” Alexis recalled. “So I was like, OK, I don’t know if I can live with that, so we’ll just take our chances and pray.”
The doctors ultimately removed Alexis’ old implants and replaced them with smaller ones. They also inserted surgical mesh to reinforce her new implants.
“I went smaller. So ‘Jesus Jugs’ is going down,” she joked. “I’m sure Tamra can come up with another nickname. It’ll be ‘Little Jugs’ or ‘Jesus Jugs Jr.’ I don’t know.”
Alexis Bellino expresses regret over her plastic surgery
Fast-forward to October 31, when Alexis confirmed she was still dealing with implant issues. She posted a video from inside her bathroom, revealing the surgical drains under her shirt.
“So no one has known this, but I want to be very, I guess, open or honest about getting boob jobs. It’s my fourth or fifth boob job,” she said before touching her left breast. “This boob is not happy about anything. Five months later, I had to put bags in. I’m just letting you know, don’t get anything. I’ve told all my daughters, ‘There’s no boob jobs happening. Stay true, keep yourself, no plastic surgery… You don’t need to get a boob at 19 or 20.’”
Alexis expanded on her plastic surgery journey in the lengthy caption, saying she regretted getting breast implants at a relatively young age.
“I would’ve waited until after I had kids. I wish I could’ve been stronger back then,” she wrote. “So what my NOW self would tell my YOUNGER self is …. ‘Alexis, you ARE good enough no matter the words teenagers throw at you. You are strong. You will make it past all of this and you will regret it if you change your body now. Wait. Be patient. Don’t listen to the noise and haters calling you pancake. Just be you.’”
Get more details about Alexis and John’s newlywed life, including their “first” boat day as a married couple.
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