Karamo Brown finally talks about 2021 buccal fat removal surgery: “I was suffering for years and no one knew”

Karamo Brown is finally speaking out about his plastic surgery journey after years of public speculation. The 45-year-old television personality kept his struggle hidden for years out of embarrassment, all while dealing with chronic pain that affected his daily life and professional work. His candid revelations have quickly resonated with fans who had long noticed a change in his appearance without knowing the full story behind it.Brown revealed for the first time how a buccal fat removal procedure in 2021 left him in chronic pain and the work he eventually underwent to fix it. "For years, people have been like, 'Karamo's had plastic surgery. He has so much filler in his face,'" he told PEOPLE. "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."Brown said he decided to get the buccal fat removal procedure after gaining around 70 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I was a big boy, and everyone online liked to tell me how much of a big boy I was," he shared. "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."The procedure resulted in scar tissue buildup that blocked his saliva from draining properly. "There'd be times you'd see me smile, and it was tight," he said. "My cheeks would be big because they were full of saliva, full of scar tissue. I was in the worst pain."The situation became particularly difficult when he launched his daytime talk show in 2022. "I would shoot six episodes a day, and there'd be times when I was filming my show that my mouth would get so dry and it would be so swollen," he added. During the second season, he lost 70 pounds after realising that the less weight he carried, the less visible the scar tissue became. "I stopped eating because it helped the feeling of not having so much scar tissue," he admitted.As Brown continued filming both his talk show and 'Queer Eye', which ended after 10 seasons in January, he struggled deeply with how he looked and felt. "People around will look at you differently, and they don't say anything, but you feel it," he said. "That was equally as hurtful as how I saw myself."He also recalled a particularly stinging comment from a former 'Queer Eye' castmate. "I even remember one of my former castmates was watching an old clip during the final season, and he was like, 'Oh, look how handsome he used to be.' I was like, 'Okay, girl, I caught your little dig, but whatever.' Those types of things affect you. They hurt your feelings."Despite the constant rumours, Brown stayed silent because, as he put it, "I felt embarrassed that I did this to myself. I would never do it now, but I couldn't live with the chronic pain anymore."Brown recently underwent a corrective procedure with Dr Carl Truesdale to fix his salivary glands and remove the scar tissue in his cheeks. "This doctor did the most amazing work," he says. "I'm so thankful because I was in pain every night, every day. It was horrendous. Thanks to this doctor, I feel so much better. I'm smiling better, there's no saliva collecting, and the scar tissue's gone. It's good."While under for the reconstructive procedure, he also opted to get a lower blepharoplasty to address the bags under his eyes. "To be really transparent with y'all, I was like, 'While we under, can you get rid of my bags?' I'm 45! He got rid of like 60% of my bags," he said.Brown chose not to take legal action against the doctor who performed the original procedure, saying he was told he "wouldn't get anywhere." He is now sharing his story in hopes of helping others in similar situations, using his platform to encourage those dealing with similar issues to speak up rather than suffer in silence.Brown is best known for his long-running role as the culture expert on 'Queer Eye', which wrapped its tenth and final season in January 2026. He also hosted his own daytime talk show, which ran for four seasons before being cancelled in March.