Days of Our Lives, Melrose Place, and Soap Talk
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“I never had a career before I had the lips, so my lips have had their own career!” Landing a few minor acting roles in music videos and television shows like The Hogan Family in her early 20s, California’s own Lisa Rinna earned national recognition as a soap opera star in 1992 when she debuted as the beautiful Billie Reed on Days of Our Lives. Leaving the show in 1995 only to reprise her role for one season in 2002, Rinna went on to find even greater success as she made her way to primetime television as Taylor McBride on Melrose Place from 1996 to 1998.
Over the last two decades, Rinna has proven her talents as an actress with appearances in television hits like Entourage, 8 Simple Rules and The Celebrity Apprentice as well as on Broadway and in silver screen hits like Good Advice. She’s also dabbled as a television host on Soap Talk in addition to dancing her way back into the spotlight for a fourth-place finish with Louis van Amstel on Dancing with the Stars in 2006. Still going strong today, the 53-year-old currently stars on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills while promoting her clothing line—The Lisa Rinna Collection—on QVC and spending time with her husband, fellow actor Harry Hamlin.
A two-time Playboy model, Rinna is one of the few celebrities in Hollywood who is open about going under the knife to enhance her look and give her an edge over the competition. When she was only 25 years old, she had silicone injected into her lips to make them appear fuller. Her sexy pout skyrocketed her to stardom but left scar tissue that made her lips appear bumpy and subtly misshapen causing the star to later opt for lip reduction surgery despite her husband’s advice against it.
“[Plastic surgery] is never a good thing, in my opinion,” Hamlin told the media when asked about his wife’s time on the operating table. “I understand it from a woman’s point of view, but plastic surgery is just an extension of that whole ‘let’s stay fresh and young’ vibe. But I love Lisa no matter what—whether she has plastic surgery or not.” While Rinna knew her husband’s feelings on the matter, she eventually convinced him that it was a good idea to change her lips once again.
Rinna consulted Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Garth Fisher who removed some of the existing scar tissue in her lips while reforming and reshaping the rest of her signature pout to reduce the puffiness. For months, Rinna’s lips were swollen and resembled a severe allergic reaction but, once the swelling went down, the results were solid and Rinna was thrilled. “I feel fantastic,” she exclaimed. “It looks good—it’s a huge difference!”
Like so many other celebrities, Rinna didn’t stop at her lips and was also getting Juvederm injections into her cheeks to ensure her high cheek bones and chiseled jawline remained intact. Later, however, she admitted that her experience with Juvederm wasn’t one she would ever repeat saying, “When you change your face, you don’t look like yourself. Looking fresher is one thing. I look like a freak! I always said I wouldn’t change my face, but I did it.” Afterward, Rinna switched to Botox injections and hasn’t looked back since.
In recent years, Rinna has admitted to a few procedures to keep her youthful appearance and says that she’s “tried it all, [but is] not a fan of it anymore.” But, that doesn’t mean she regrets going under the knife especially when it comes to managing the intense pressure and ongoing demands of Hollywood. “I think we all try everything, everyone’s tried it,” Rinna said. “If it works for you, great. If not, you move on. I mean, every actress has done it, pretty much.” She even admitted that it’s easier for actresses who can easily hide their history of plastic surgery rather than face ongoing questions about what’s been nipped, tucked, tightened or tweaked.
While she still opts for the occasional Botox injection to maintain her glow, Rinna steers clear of anything too extensive and is actively trying to embrace her appearance as she ages. “Like any other woman, I think I’m learning to accept myself at any age,” she said. “It comes with age and wisdom. And I’m much more accepting of myself now than I was in my 20s, so I think that’s a good thing.”
Obviously with a much better outlook on life and aging, Rinna will always be at the forefront of plastic surgery rumors especially when it comes to her iconic and sultry pout. Whatever the case, it’s hard to argue that the surgery and injections haven’t worked as she’s been in the spotlight for over 30 years and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And, for that, we’re all grateful!
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