What I Wish I’d Known Before Joining The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Kyle Richards

Sonja Morgan joined the cast of “The Real Housewives of New York City” in its 3rd season and quickly became a fan favorite. Navigating life after divorce, Sonja’s early storylines focused on maintaining her social status, raising her daughter, and adjusting to single life in New York’s elite circles. Over the years, viewers have watched her juggle business ventures — lest we forget her toaster oven project– while detailing her financial struggles and doing her best to preserve her reputation. Whether Morgan was hosting over-the-top townhouse parties, clashing with castmates, or meeting men with her No. 1 wingwoman, Ramona Singer, there never seemed to be a dull moment in her life.

After wrapping the 12th season, Morgan began her transformation by giving herself a fresh look; she chose to undergo a lower facelift and a neck lift. The reality star shared the news with her Instagram followers in July 2020. “I just wanted to be rid of the wrinkling on my neck and the jowels [sic] that were starting to form,” she wrote. “People thought I was nuts because it was so subtle. But not to me! It was a no-brainer — gravity had taken its toll, I was also exhausted and I needed a ‘pick me up.'”

Vicki Gunvalson was part of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” from the very beginning in 2006, earning her the nickname “the OG of the OC.” As the series evolved, so did Gunvalson’s storyline. Fans watched her navigate turbulent relationships, including a highly publicized romance with Brooks Ayers, which sparked controversy amongst viewers — and Gunvalson’s castmates. Her friendships on the show often swung between fierce loyalty and explosive fallouts, making her a central figure in the drama season after season.

Gunvalson is another “Housewife” whose look has completely changed thanks to plastic surgery. In 2013, she admitted to having cosmetic enhancements to help “build” her confidence. “I did some cartilage reconstruction on my nose,” she said on the premiere of the 8th season in 2013. “I had some fat injected in the upper part of my cheeks, so I don’t have any more wrinkles. And I did a little chin implant.”

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2018, Gunvalson said that she was “done” with plastic surgery. She also admitted to taking “all the fillers out,” which helped smooth her skin. “I want everything out of my skin. I want to be back to, you know, being a 56-year-old and looking the best I can be,” she told the outlet, noting that she had received a neck lift. “I feel great.”

When Teresa Giudice burst onto “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” in 2009, she didn’t just join the cast; she made reality TV history. It all went down on the 1st season’s finale when Teresa was arguing with her “RHONJ” co-star, Danielle Staub, and decided to flip a table. The incident easily became one of the most talked-about “Real Housewives” moments of all time. The Bravo show has taken a look inside Teresa’s life, which has been marked by struggles with her family — whether it be legal issues or rumors of infidelity involving her now-ex-husband, Joe Giudice – or crazy arguments with her brother, Joe Gorga, and his wife, Melissa Gorga. When it comes to Teresa, at least one thing is certain: You either love her or you hate her.

Something else that is certain is that Teresa looks nothing like she did when she first started out on “RHONJ.” She’s openly admitted to having plastic surgery, including a rhinoplasty and a breast augmentation — but some speculate that she’s done even more things to alter her look. In 2023, Teresa’s sister-in-law, Melissa, claimed that she underwent a forehead-lengthening procedure. “Teresa did her forehead,” Melissa said on an episode of the “RHONJ: After Show.” “She went back a little further [with her hairline]. Everybody does something.”

From the moment Shannon Beador stepped onto “The Real Housewives of Orange County” scene in 2014, her life was front and center. Early on, Beador’s marriage started to fall apart, which ultimately led to a very public divorce. From that point forward, fans have watched as Beador navigated single life and worked on strengthening her friendships, all while maintaining her role as a mom. It’s no secret that some people consider Beador to be an acquired taste, but her willingness to be open and honest about her anxieties or insecurities has made her very relatable to viewers.

Beador hasn’t been coy about having tweaked her face. In fact, she allowed Bravo cameras to film her “scalpel-less facelift,” which aired during the 14th season. “Shannon said to me, ‘No scalpel, and I’m not going to sleep.’ So you could say Shannon has the scalpel-less facelift,” her doctor, renowned board-certified plastic surgeon Brian Reagan, told Bravo. Some of the no-knife procedures included dermabrasion and fat grafting. Although Shannon’s look has drastically changed over the years, many fans think that she looks fantastic and that the work she’s had done has been well worth it.

When Lisa Rinna joined “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” in 2014, she showed up with soap-star credentials and zero hesitations when it came to stirring the pot. It didn’t take long for her to find her footing in the reality TV world, either. During her time on the show, Rinna made friends fast and enemies faster, but she stuck to her “own it” mantra through and through.

When people think of Rinna, they usually picture her incredibly full lips — a feature that she’s had for decades. Rather than opting for injections, Rinna had plastic surgery, choosing to have permanent silicone filler injected into her top lip. However, after about 10 years, things started to change, and Rinna developed scar tissue from the procedure. So, the actress decided to have the silicone removed. “You can see my teeth when I smile now, which you couldn’t do for a while. I’ve been smiling these big smiles!” she told People. Despite removing most of the scar tissue, Rinna’s lips are still plump, which has significantly contributed to her changed look.

Before she was sharing her life on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” most people had no clue who Erika Jayne was. But Jayne had quite a transformation after joining the cast in the 6th season, and seemed to fit in well with her co-stars. Early on, Jayne leaned into her dual identity, balancing her marriage to high-powered attorney Tom Girardi with her alter ego as a pop diva. And while everyone was focused on Jayne’s eccentric style and long, bleach-blond hair, her life, as she knew it, started to fall apart. Her storyline shifted dramatically as shocking legal scandals involving Girardi took over and ultimately led to her divorce. Erika wasn’t shy about sticking up for herself; while that time in her life was undoubtedly challenging, she revamped her music career and leaned on her closest friends to help her get through.

Also read: Liv Tyler’s Transformation: A Stunning Sight

But we can’t really talk about Erika without noting that she’s had a serious glow-up over the years. From the time she first married Girardi in 2000 through her career on “RHOBH,” Erika has become nearly unrecognizable. She’s opened up about having a rhinoplasty as well as a breast augmentation, and, in 2018, she admitted to spending upwards of $40,000 per month on glam. “If you want to look good, it’s hair, it’s makeup, it’s wardrobe, and then those people that help facilitate that,” she said on “The Wendy Williams Show” (via People). “They’re not cheap.”

Long before the glam squads and explosive reunions became her norm, Jacqueline Laurita joined “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” in its debut season. The reality veteran’s early storyline focused on her family – including Laurita’s sons, C.J. and Nicholas — and navigating friendships within a tight-knit North Jersey social circle. Over the years, fans watched her navigate a painful fallout with longtime bestie Teresa Giudice that played out in front of cameras. Moreover, Laurita openly shared her journey with son Nicholas, who had been diagnosed with autism and had been non-verbal for much of his life.

Over the years, Laurita became dissatisfied with her look and decided to do something about it. In 2025 — eight years after her “RHONJ” exit – Laurita underwent a five-hour surgery that involved a facelift and neck lift. Laurita literally looks like she’s aged in reverse, and while many would agree that she looks amazing, her appearance is drastically different than when she first stepped onto the “Housewives” scene.

One could say that Dolores Catania didn’t just join “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” — she stepped into it with history on her side. Although she didn’t become a full-time cast member until 2016, Catania had longstanding ties to the group, including with Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga, as she’d been a close friend of the whole family for years.

As the years have gone on, Catania has chosen to stay ahead of the aging process by going under the knife to perfect her look. And, really, there isn’t much that Catania hasn’t done. In addition to a facelift, necklift, and eyelid surgery, Catania has also had a tummy tuck, breast augmentation, and liposuction. “I got full plastic surgery, full-body lipo, a brand-new vagina,” she told Page Six in May 2021. “I don’t know what that has to do with the reunion, but I figured while I was doing everything, [why not]!” Indeed, Catania looks at least a decade younger and like a completely different person thanks to her elective surgeries.

Tamra Judge joined “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in the 3rd season and quickly became one of the franchise’s most polarizing figures. From the very beginning of her time on reality television, Judge didn’t shy away from confrontation, delivering some of the show’s most unforgettable moments. In addition to watching Judge navigate relationships, fans saw her launch businesses, rebuild friendships, and embrace major life changes, including becoming a grandmother. Fans have also witnessed a transformation of Judge, who looks drastically different after undergoing plastic surgery.

Before her 50th birthday, Judge decided to tighten things up a bit by having a lower facelift. Years prior, she’d undergone other procedures as well. “I’ve always been pretty open about what I’ve done to myself. I had my nose done in my 20s, I got my boobs done on the show, and I’ve been getting Botox since my 30s,” Judge told Refinery 29 in 2017. In 2025, some fans noticed that Judge looked like she had more work done, but she says she did not. On an episode of her “Two T’s in a Pod” podcast, Judge said that she’d gone darker with her hair and lost some weight. “Then, [I got] new teeth. That’s it, guys. No surgery, no nothing,” she added.

NeNe Leakes was an OG on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” and not only was she one of the most iconic women on the show, but her popularity spans across franchises. It’s no secret that Leakes’ sharp wit, bold confidence, and meme-worthy facial expressions have had an effect on pop culture as a whole. Leakes led the charge in Atlanta when it came to both friendships and feuds, but many fans became obsessed with her humor and her openness to share her life with the world by way of reality television.

Like many other “Housewives,” Leakes has undergone a head-turning transformation, thanks, in part, to plastic surgery. In 2010, Leakes told People that she underwent a rhinoplasty, liposuction, and a breast reduction and lift. “I’m very comfortable and confident in myself. I just wanted a tune up,” Leakes told the outlet (via TV Guide). “I still wanted to look like NeNe, the black woman that I am, but a better version. I love what I did.”

Following in the footsteps of her sister-in-law, Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga inked a deal with Bravo to join the cast of “The Real Housewives of New Jersey.” Gorga came into the fold during the franchise’s 3rd season, and her presence seemingly caused a shift in the show’s dynamic due to her tumultuous relationship with Giudice. Though Gorga brought pizazz (and sprinkle cookies) to the franchise, her on-and-off feud with Giudice became a major storyline on the show, which ultimately caused Bravo to put the franchise on pause.

Regardless of who said what, when, and with what kind of tone, Gorga has done her best to focus on her family while ensuring that she kept up with the “Housewives” lifestyle. Of course, this means that Gorga has done her fair share of nips and tucks over the years. Unlike some of her co-stars, however, Gorga has never been too forthcoming about going under the knife. In fact, she only admitted to having a nose job after being called out by one of her castmates. In 2016, Jacqueline Laurita made a comment accusing Gorga of having “four nose jobs,” to which Gorga replied, “Let’s be honest, it’s the worst-kept secret that I’ve had a nose job, but it’s my secret to tell, not hers.” She later told Bravo’s “The Daily Dish” that she chose not to share that information publicly because it was a “personal thing.”