TL;DR
- Karamo Brown reveals chronic pain from botched surgery.
- Surgery complications affected his salivary glands.
- He lost weight to manage visible scars.
- The ordeal impacted his career and show filming.
- Karamo’s story highlights the pressures of body image.
Karamo Brown, the beloved star of Queer Eye, has opened up about a painful chapter in his life that many fans might not know about. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, he revealed that a botched buccal fat removal surgery he underwent in 2021 has left him with chronic pain, and honey, it’s a real doozy.
For years, Karamo faced online trolls who critiqued his appearance. “For years, people have been like, ‘Karamo’s had plastic surgery. He has so much filler in his face,’” he shared. “I was like, ‘You know what? I can’t say anything because you can’t get into fights with the trolls.’ But I was suffering for years in pain and no one knew.” Talk about a struggle!
After gaining 70 pounds during the pandemic, Karamo decided to slim down his face, thinking it would help him feel better about himself. “I was a big boy, and everyone online liked to tell me how much of a big boy I was,” he said. “So, I was like, ‘Okay, maybe if I slim out my face, I’ll be cute.’ It turned into a year-and-a-half of pain.”
Unfortunately, the surgery didn’t go as planned. Karamo experienced complications that affected his salivary glands, causing saliva to build up in his cheeks due to hardened scar tissue. “There’d be times you’d see me smile, and it was tight,” he recalled. “My cheeks would be big because they were full of saliva, full of scar tissue. I was in the worst pain.” Can you imagine?
This ordeal didn’t just affect his health; it also impacted his career. When he launched his daytime talk show, Karamo, which premiered in 2022, he had to shoot six episodes a day while dealing with this chronic pain. “There’d be times when I was filming my show that my mouth would get so dry and it would be so swollen,” he explained. Talk about a professional challenge!
As he continued to lose weight, Karamo found that the scar tissue became less visible. “The scar tissue and the saliva were still there, but because I was skinnier, it looked kind of normal. I stopped eating because it helped the feeling of not having so much scar tissue.” His journey is a powerful reminder of the pressures that come with body image and the lengths some go to meet societal standards.
Karamo’s candid admission sheds light on the often-hidden struggles that come with cosmetic procedures, particularly in the public eye. While he’s been a source of inspiration for many, his story also serves as a cautionary tale about the potential pitfalls of seeking perfection. Let’s hope he continues to heal and thrive, because we’re rooting for him!