Hollywood sex symbol Denise Richards decided to undergo plastic surgery at 55 0 7

Fans of once one of Hollywood's beauties — Denise Richards — are discussing her new transformation. In a recent interview, the actress admitted that she underwent several facial surgeries.

Denise Richards is a name that is firmly associated with Hollywood in the 90s. The blue-eyed beauty, a sex symbol of the era, shone in iconic series and films: from "Beverly Hills, 90210" to "The World Is Not Enough," where she played a Bond girl. Thirty years have passed since then — and now 55-year-old Richards has decided to have an open conversation about age and plastic surgery. In an interview with Allure, the actress explained why she ultimately opted for a facelift and how it changed her perspective on aging.

Why Denise was afraid to touch her face

The thought of plastic surgery did not come to Richards suddenly. For almost two years, she hesitated — sometimes deciding, sometimes rejecting the idea. The actress inherited what is known as a turkey neck from her mother and long sought soft solutions — for example, she tried lifting tapes that her makeup artist showed her. But it did not yield results.

This was not the first time Richards planned to undergo plastic surgery. At just 19, Denise had breast augmentation and later changed her implants several times. But, according to her, it was the first time she agreed to facial plastic surgery. "I was horrified," the actress admits, fully aware that the whole world is watching her age. "I have been in the public eye since I was 20, and people know how I look; a facelift is not something I can hide."

Although she had previously been against facial plastic surgery: "I always said I would never get a facelift because it’s my face. I earn money with it. I have been in this business for a long time. People know how I look. I have never done anything to my face, only a little Botox. I hardly ever did fillers — they made me look plump, they just didn’t suit my face. If something goes wrong when working on another part of the body, it can be hidden, but not on the face. That’s why I was always afraid to get a facelift."

"You’re an artist, do whatever you want"

Before the surgery, the actress consulted with several doctors and ultimately chose Dr. Ben Talei. His work impressed her because the patients looked "like themselves, just fresher." Richards gave the surgeon complete freedom: "You’re an artist. Do whatever you want."

"When the doctor made surgical markings on my face the morning before the surgery, I thought, 'Oh my God!' He marked all over my face! But now I understand everything, and if I ever had doubts, seeing the result convinced me otherwise," Denise confessed. According to the actress, after the surgery, she looked like herself, just with a swollen face.

The surgeon performed a whole range of procedures on the star: a facelift, a temporal brow lift to adjust their position, minor upper blepharoplasty, and correction of the corners of her lips to make her mouth look more sensual. She also underwent fat grafting. Fat was taken from Richards' thighs, turned into a special mixture (microfat plus platelet-rich plasma), and injected in a thin layer under the skin of her face and neck. This helped to even out her skin tone, making it smoother and more radiant.

However, according to the star, there were also unpleasant moments: "The brow lift was the most painful part of the procedure because the incisions are made above the hairline. I have never experienced such a headache. It’s not a migraine. It’s something else. Also, my ears were a bit numb, and all these stitches were placed around them, so I asked Dr. Ben to take them off my head and put them on the table!"

Dr. Talei himself noted that now Richards looks "calmer, happier, fresher — it’s a completely different person." It was especially important for him to restore the brightness of her eyes: "I like her face."

Why her daughters discouraged their mother

The actress's decision to undergo facial plastic surgery was not received positively by everyone. Her older daughters were initially against it. They believed their mother did not need it. Denise explained to them: "I want to do this for myself. You may not agree with my decision, but I just want you to support me."

The conversation with her daughter Sami was particularly symbolic. At one point, she said, "Mom, you didn’t want me to get a nose job." Richards replied, "Yes, but you were 20 years old, and that’s your nose. It can change your appearance. For me, it’s just a return to what was."

"I talked to other actresses who had facial plastic surgery and was shocked that they went through with it. I always thought this was done at an older age, not at ours. One of my very famous friends told me, 'Lift your eyes. You’ll regret it if you don’t do it.' And another friend said, 'You need to get a facelift.' I talked to friends who had facelifts or who, as I knew, would support my decision. I didn’t want to hear, 'You shouldn’t do this,' because by that point, I had already made up my mind," Denise recalls.

And while many stars hide or deny that they have sought the services of plastic surgeons, Richards believes it is important to speak openly about it — especially with women her age.