Denise Richards is making headlines again after fans revisited the dramatic results of her facelift, with some comparing the transformation to getting an entirely new head.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, 55, revealed earlier this year that she underwent the procedure in June 2025. The reported $200,000 surgery has since attracted considerable attention, with many praising the results and describing it as one of the most impressive facelifts they have seen.
Richards recently revisited the subject during an appearance on The Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg Show, explaining why she ultimately decided to speak publicly about her experience.
The actress said her former husband, Aaron Phypers, brought up the procedure during their divorce proceedings. Phypers filed for divorce in July 2025, one month after Richards underwent surgery, and she alleged that he “said something in court about it on purpose”.
“I was so pleasantly surprised because there was media in there that didn’t print it, which was nice,” Richards explained on the podcast.
“But I figured, you know what, I think I just need to be honest. And I didn’t want to give him that power and have to say it then.”
Looking back, Richards is pleased she chose to be open about the decision.
Why Denise Richards decided to get a facelift
Despite being known for her youthful appearance long before the procedure, Richards admitted she had long been reluctant to consider cosmetic surgery on her face.
In an interview with Allure last year, she explained why the prospect initially frightened her, LADbible reported.
“I always said I would never get a facelift, because that’s my face. This is how I make my money.
“If things go a little sideways when you do some other part of your body, you could cover it. So I was always scared of a facelift.”
However, after spending two years thinking about the decision, she eventually decided to move forward with the surgery.
Richards put her trust in celebrity plastic surgeon Dr. Ben Talei. Richards said she was particularly pleased with Talei’s work.
She previously described the results as the ‘best thing’ she had done. Now, she is also happy to discuss the procedure with others who are curious about cosmetic treatments.
“I didn’t know how people would react, but I think I want to know what everyone’s doing. What’s peptides, what’s this, what’s that,” she said.
Fans compare the results to a “head transplant”
Richards’ latest podcast appearance has brought renewed attention to her before-and-after photos, prompting another wave of reactions online.
On X, some users struggled to believe just how much of a difference the surgery appeared to have made.
“The new face lifts are literally insane it’s like basically a head transplant.”
Another person wrote: “The surgeon put his foot on the back of Denise Richards’ neck and YANKED her back to 1998, she looks absolutely incredible (although she also looked great before), flawless work.”
Others were impressed by the fact that Richards still appeared recognizable, despite the noticeable change.
“It really is. She still looks like herself, only younger but also still not really young, if that makes sense? No weird distortions.”
“She looks amazing,” one person commented, while another acknowledged that the procedure had changed their perspective on cosmetic surgery.
“I’m not a fan of cosmetic surgery but the doctor did do a good job on her.”
One fan even suggested Richards’ transformation was worth taking inspiration from, writing: “Denise really got yanked back to 1998 and I’m lowkey taking notes cause that glow is everything right now babe.”
While opinions on cosmetic procedures vary, the response to Richards’ facelift has been overwhelmingly enthusiastic among those commenting on the resurfaced images.
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