Danniella Westbrook has shared the results of the latest stage of her facial reconstruction, offering fans a glimpse into her ongoing battle to rebuild her appearance after years of health complications.
The former EastEnders actress, 52, posted images showing stitches on her upper lip following an upper vascular flap procedure and lip augmentation, just days after revealing she still faces six more operations over the next 18 months.
Danniella has been candid about her long struggle with a collapsed septum caused by years of drug abuse and has continued to document her recovery as she undergoes a series of specialist surgeries.
Her latest operation involved a hare lip reversal after she previously admitted that her lip had been pulled upwards and was “so far up now where it’s pulling up that way.”
Despite the visible swelling and stitches, the actress appeared optimistic as she marked another milestone in her transformation.
Speaking on Vanessa Feltz’s Channel 5 show earlier this week, Danniella admitted the process remains daunting.
She said: “I’ve been for umpteen surgeries, I’m coming up to surgery number six at the moment this Thursday, so it’s quite scary.”
The television personality revealed that osteoporosis has left one side of her face without bone, meaning surgeons will eventually have to implant a metal cheekbone.
She explained: “On this side of my face, I don’t have any bone at all. So they’ve got to rebuild all my bones. At the moment it’s filler, but they’ve really got to do a metal bone.”
Discussing the lengthy road ahead, Danniella said: “Another six to go, I think after this one.”
She added that she undergoes surgery every two-and-a-half to three months and confessed: “I hate looking in the mirror. I’ve just recently had to have a facelift to realign both sides of my face because they were so wonky.”
Earlier this year, Danniella travelled to Dubai’s Gargash Hospital, where she underwent a full face, neck and brow lift alongside lip and nose reconstruction procedures under the care of surgeon Dr Parviz Sadigh.
At the time, she said: “I have three more nose operations to go. So we’re over half way there now. Facelift has really changed me and given me my confidence back.”
The actress has also spoken openly about the cruel abuse she receives online.
She revealed: “I’ve had people telling me to die and go kill myself and stuff like that. I’ve had terrible trolling but I’ve also had a hell of a lot of nice people.”
Danniella first rose to fame on EastEnders at the age of 16, but her cocaine addiction eventually led to her departure from the soap.
Reflecting on those difficult years, she admitted: “I was just very young, very stupid and very easily led.”
She also suggested young stars should be warned about the dangers of fame and drugs, saying: “Your life is about to change, you’re going to be invited places, and you’ll be offered drugs.”
