Tamra Judge is keeping it real. The Real Housewives of Orange County star, 57, has been sharing every detail of her CO2 laser journey with her 1.8 million Instagram followers, including the not-so-glamorous moments—like the inevitable swelling that comes with the skin-rejuvenating treatment.
Over the past few days, Judge has kept her followers in the loop, starting with her visit to Dr. Donald Mowlds in Newport Beach, where she underwent a brow lift, CO2 laser, and blue chemical peel. “Taking you all along on my journey!” she captioned her first Instagram reel of the experience. “Seven years ago, I had a lower facelift but skipped the upper—like painting the house but forgetting the trim. Stay tuned for updates!”
True to her word, Judge continued to share updates from home, including a candid look at the swelling. “Okay guys, this is day three,” she said in her next video. “It’s supposed to be the worst of it when it comes to swelling. Swelling is from the CO2 laser. You can see it’s all the way down my chest. But you can imagine what it feels like.” In the caption of the post, she wrote: “Day three and the swelling’s making a statement. Progress isn’t always pretty, but it’s happening.”
If you’re new to CO2 lasers, they’re an ablative treatment that removes the top layer of skin to improve texture, wrinkles, and scars. As Washington, D.C. dermatologist Tina Alster, MD previously told NewBeauty, side effects like redness, swelling, oozing, and mild discomfort are common—so Judge’s experience is entirely normal. She even addressed this in her second Instagram reel, noting that it’s “looking like it’s supposed to: nice and crispy.”
Judge’s appearance certainly caught some followers off guard, especially those unfamiliar with CO2 lasers, while others in the know praised her transparency. The Real Housewives of New York’s Brynn Whitfield chimed in, “You already did look amazing so you’re gonna look even more incredible!” Selling Sunset’s Chrishell Stause dubbed her the “Transparent queen,” while Southern Charm’s Madison LeCroy joked, “You’re going to look 16!”
