Brandi Glanville’s facial disfigurement drama takes new twist as she books surgery

Published: 10:53 EDT, 10 October 2026 | Updated: 10:53 EDT, 10 October 2026

Brandi Glanville revealed she is set to undergo surgery amid her devastating facial disfigurement battle in an attempt to find out the underlying cause.

The reality TV star , 53, said she ‘scheduled an exploratory surgery’ for later this month to find out if she has ‘a fungus’ or ‘some sort of worm living in [her] face.’

‘Something is in my face, eating it,’ she said on Thursday’s episode of her podcast, Brandi Glanville Unfiltered before sharing an update on her upcoming procedure.

Looking for answers: Brandi Glanville has suffered from a mystery facial complaint for some years

She admitted to fans that she is ‘scared’ but also ‘so excited’ to find out the cause of her health issues after spending four years and over $113,000 trying to treat what she believes is a ‘facial parasite.’

‘I know they’re going to find that out when they go in there,’ Glanville said. ‘I’ve scheduled exploratory surgery in a couple weeks.’

She added: ‘I have two appointments this week. I am so excited. These past four years, I didn’t think I was going to make it.’

True picture: Glanville shared an up-close and personal look at the massive growth on the side of her face

Glanville’s update comes shortly after she revealed that she was diagnosed with a ‘highly resistant ESBL Klebsiella and Enterobacter with biofilm, Coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever), Demodex dermatitis and Mononucleosis.’

On her latest podcast episode, she said the surgeons ‘are going to go in and see [what happened].’

The 53-year-old also admitted to her podcast cohost James Maas: ‘I just get scared. Surgery scares me.’

Glanville explained that the surgical procedure will involve ‘balloons’ being inserted into the Eustachian tubes in her face to explore the channels of bone and cartilage that connect the ear to the nose and upper throat.

‘They’re going to clear that out so everything can drain.

‘I’m pretty sure there’s some sort of worm living in my face but they said it’s a fungus,’ she added. ‘Funguses are alive as well and it’s going down my body.’

After spending so much time and money on various diagnoses and treatments, she said: ‘I’m excited to just get my life back.’

Glanville also recalled how she had a recent medical appointment and told her doctor that she doesn’t ‘feel like my neck is a part of my body.’

Medical procedure: Glanville and her discussed the extent of the surgery and her fears

She said while watching herself on Special Forces and looking at the dramatic change in her appearance, she felt like she had ‘a thick neck with a Beetlejuice head.’

‘[They told me] there’s a whole extra piece here,’ she said about how her face has continued to dramatically change.

‘It’s like something made a cove for itself [in my face]. It’s so crazy.’

During a podcast episode from recent weeks, Glanville also touched on receiving support from fellow Bravolebrities amid her health struggles.

After one of her friends started a GoFundMe page to help her pay for treatments, she said she also received financial support from some Housewives.

Glanville also said she got medical advice from her former RHOBH costar Yolanda Hadid amid her medical journey and in spite of their past feud.

‘Yolanda’s been very helpful, and she’s hooked me up with some doctors,’ Glanville previously shared with her podcast listeners back in September.

‘It’s just spending, spending, spending. If I had her bank account, it would be different.’

In mid-September, she shared a statement on Instagram in response to the support she received after her GoFundMe page was launched.

‘I’m honestly overwhelmed by all the love and support,’ she wrote to her fans.

‘Thank you to every single person who has donated, shared my GoFundMe, checked on me, prayed for me or sent me love.’

Glanville admitted ‘asking for help isn’t easy for me.’

‘But knowing I have so many people in my corner means more than I can ever explain.’

She added: ‘I still have a long road ahead, but you’re helping me keep fighting. From the bottom of my heart. THANK YOU. I love you guys.’