Actress and model Brandi Glanville revealed that she has spent over $113,000 on diagnosing and treating a rare illness that has left her face swollen and disfigured.
In an interview this week, Glanville opened up about her financial and physical struggles:
“I’m out of money and don’t even have the means to go anywhere at this point. I’m only active online, pulled in many directions. It’s exhausting and time-consuming.”
The 52-year-old star has been grappling with an unexplained medical condition that has caused facial disfigurement for nearly two years. She has spent over $100,000 trying to treat the rare illness, which is not covered by her health insurance.
“I just want to find a doctor who can help me,” Glanville expressed, noting that she has yet to receive any definitive answers or diagnoses. “It’s not just me—many other women are experiencing this, and even men too. Some have reached out to me. I empathize with them, I understand what they’re going through and the pressure they’re under… It feels like everything is about to explode. I’m exhausted.”
Glanville has tried numerous treatments and consulted with various specialists in an effort to pinpoint the cause and establish a clear treatment plan. This has included visits to infectious disease doctors and leading allergy experts. At one point, she suspected a parasitic infection, but no accurate diagnosis was ever made. Later, doctors advised her to see a dentist. However, CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds revealed nothing inside that could explain the damage to her face.
“It feels like whatever it is is moving down my body—as if it’s in my neck, running down to my left shoulder and arm,” she added. “I have to get up, stretch my body, soak in hot baths. That routine happens every day, and it’s awful.”
The former model’s mysterious illness began in 2023, when she was hospitalized for angioedema—a condition where the tissue beneath the skin swells. After that, she developed painful lumps around her jawline, neck, and the back of her head.
In December of last year, Brandi shared with us that she believes her health issues started while she was in Morocco filming Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip. Glanville suspects she contracted a rare parasite and recalls feeling as though it was moving across her face.
Focusing on her worsening health battle, Brandi Glanville has withdrawn from the spotlight and stepped away from social activities. She described feeling isolated, like during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and likened her current life to being imprisoned. Brandi shared that she hasn’t been on a date or spent time with friends in months, and she feels like she’s losing herself.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star recently began using Cellsound therapy—an advanced facial and body sculpting technique that helps rejuvenate skin, stimulates collagen production, and eliminates excess fat cells. She has also been taking antibiotics and undergoing stem cell treatment with Dr. Joy Kong. “After treatment with Dr. Kong, I felt more energized. I’m feeling better, even though there hasn’t been much improvement in my appearance,” she said.
While continuing her search for answers to her mysterious illness, Brandi turned to music and recorded a song titled Remedy. She says creating music has lifted her spirits and helped her feel more connected to the world.
Brandi Glanville was born in 1972 in California. She is an American model, reality television personality, and author. She began her career as a model in the 1990s, signing with Elite Model Management—one of the top modeling agencies in the world. She walked in numerous international fashion shows and appeared in ad campaigns for major brands like Chanel, Gucci, Giorgio Armani, and Versace. Additionally, she was featured in renowned magazines such as Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Elle.
Since the late 2000s, Brandi Glanville has appeared in numerous reality television shows, most notably The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (from 2011 to 2016 and again from 2019 to 2020). She gained popularity for her outspoken personality and bold, no-nonsense attitude. Brandi is also the author of two bestselling books: Drinking and Tweeting and Drinking and Dating.
Brandi was married to actor Eddie Cibrian, with whom she shares two sons. Their marriage ended in 2010 after Cibrian had an affair with singer LeAnn Rimes, who later became his wife. Brandi now lives in Los Angeles with her two sons.
