Hollywood is a weird place where people pretend they don't age and then act shocked when a celebrity actually admits to going under the knife. But if you know Kathy Griffin, you know she doesn't do "pretend." Recently, the comedian sparked a massive conversation when she candidly revealed the details of her latest kathy griffin face lift, which—wait for it—is actually her third one.
She isn't hiding it. In fact, she’s basically screaming it from the rooftops because, as she puts it, the "paps" were already starting to comment on her looking "very taut." Instead of letting the tabloids control the narrative, Kathy took to her own platform to lay it all out: the pain, the price, and the "disgusting" reality of the recovery.
Why Kathy Griffin Had a Third Face Lift at 64
Most people stop after one or two, right? Not Kathy. She admitted on her Talk Your Head Off podcast that she felt "so vain" for doing it again, but she also acknowledged the unique pressure of being a woman in comedy who is constantly in the public eye.
Honestly, the catalyst for this specific surgery was actually another celebrity. Kathy saw the results of a facelift done on the singer Sia and was so impressed by the "before and after" photos that she reached out to the same surgeon. Sia even helped her get bumped up the waitlist, which is a pretty wild Hollywood "favor" if you think about it.
It wasn't just about general tightening, either. This latest round involved:
- A full kathy griffin face lift to address what her doctor called "problem areas."
- An upper eye job (blepharoplasty) that included a specific "cat eye stitch" to lift the corners.
- Work on her chin, which left her with temporary drains—something she described as "so gross."
The Brutal Reality of the $218,000 Price Tag
Let’s talk money. Because Kathy is Kathy, she didn’t just admit to the surgery; she dropped the receipt. While some Beverly Hills surgeons are out here charging upwards of a million dollars for a "ponytail lift" (the kind Kris Jenner reportedly got), Kathy paid $218,000.
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"Do you know how many dick jokes I have to tell for $218,000?" she joked.
She went to Dr. Ben Talei, a high-end Beverly Hills specialist. It’s a staggering amount of money for most people, but in the world of top-tier plastic surgery, it’s apparently "mid-range" for the level of reconstruction she was seeking. Kathy mentioned that she’s a "money person" and couldn't bring herself to pay the million-dollar fees some other New York or LA doctors demand.
It’s Not Like Getting a Tooth Filled
One of the most refreshing parts of Kathy's confession is how she calls out other celebrities for lying about the recovery. You've heard them—the ones who say, "Oh, it was nothing! I was back at work in three days!"
Kathy says that’s total nonsense.
She was blunt: It is painful. She described the sensation of having the back of your neck "cut open" and pulled as hard as it can go. For weeks, she couldn't even turn her head; she had to turn her entire upper body like a robot just to look at someone.
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Recovery included:
- A stay at a "rich lady recovery place" where she could hide while the initial swelling went down.
- Using a hyperbaric chamber every day to speed up healing, despite hearing horror stories about people "exploding" in them (her words, not ours).
- Dealing with the "labia-like" appearance of her ears right after they were stretched and stitched—a detail only Kathy would share.
The Long History of Kathy's Transformations
To understand the kathy griffin face lift of 2025, you have to look back at where she started. Kathy has been open about her "D-List" journey with plastic surgery since the 90s.
She got her first nose job at 26 because agents told her she’d never work with "that nose." Then came the botched liposuction in the early 2000s that nearly killed her. She actually published the photos of the bruising and the mess-up in her memoir to warn other women.
She’s had her lips "blushed" (tattooed), her eyebrows microbladed, and has undergone multiple eye procedures. It’s a lot. But Kathy’s perspective is that since she’s already "left the station" on natural aging, she might as well keep the train moving.
What Most People Get Wrong About Her Decision
Critics are quick to jump on her for "not aging gracefully," but Kathy’s response is pretty bulletproof. She knows people don't come to her shows to look at a "youthful face." They come for the jokes.
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But she also lives in a world where she’s photographed constantly, and "women of a certain age" are treated ruthlessly by the media if they don't look perfect. She’s navigating a double-edged sword: get the surgery and get mocked for being "vain," or don't get it and get mocked for "letting yourself go."
She chose the vanity. And she’s okay with that.
Key Takeaways for Anyone Considering the Procedure
If you're looking at Kathy's journey and thinking about your own "nip and tuck," here are the reality-check insights she’s shared:
- Research the Surgeon, Not the Price: Kathy chose her doctor based on the results she saw on a friend (Sia), not just the Beverly Hills zip code.
- Budget for the "Hidden" Costs: The surgery itself is one thing, but the recovery nurses and specialized facilities add thousands to the bill.
- Expect a Long Timeline: Her doctor told her it would be three months before she was camera-ready. She pushed it and went on camera at five weeks, but she admitted it was still a struggle.
- The "Cat Eye" Risk: Kathy mentioned that getting an upswept eye-tail at 65 is risky because it can look unnatural if not done perfectly by someone like Dr. Talei.
The most important thing to remember is that plastic surgery won't make you happy if you aren't already. Kathy is still Kathy—she just has a slightly different silhouette to work with while she's on stage.