Danniella Westbrook's Extensive Facial Reconstruction Journey
Danniella Westbrook has embarked on a profound personal journey to reconstruct her face and restore her confidence following a tumultuous history with substance abuse. The 52-year-old actress, who rose to fame playing Sam Mitchell on BBC One's EastEnders, became addicted to drugs at just 14 years old. At the peak of her addiction, reports indicate she consumed up to five grams of cocaine daily, spending nearly £250,000 on the substance.
Severe Facial Damage from Substance Abuse
Years of drug abuse caused catastrophic facial damage, most notably the complete collapse of her nose after her septum deteriorated. Now sober, Danniella recently underwent another surgical procedure as part of her ongoing mission to rebuild her face. From reconstructive operations to cosmetic adjustments, the television star has consistently shared the full extent of her surgical experiences with her loyal followers.
Earlier this week, Danniella underwent a comprehensive procedure including a full face, neck, and brow lift, along with lip and nose reconstruction. Photographs showed her wearing a hospital gown prior to surgery. A complete recovery from such extensive facial, neck, and chin lifts can require up to nine months. The surgery was performed by her trusted surgeon, Dr. Parviz Sadigh, who has conducted previous operations on the actress.
Multiple Surgical Interventions Over Years
In an Instagram post last month, Danniella expressed gratitude: 'A massive amount of love and respect to my Amazing surgeon @parvizsadigh for all his hard work. Everyday I grow and glow xxxx thank you and roll on Feb for the next operation.' This latest procedure represents just one of numerous interventions she has undergone throughout the years.
The soap star previously revealed she nearly died following a botched surgical procedure in 2015. She suffers from severe facial bone degradation, which she attributes to osteoporosis—a disease causing bones to become weak and brittle. Danniella was left with screws for teeth as her cheekbones deteriorated, and she now wears a complete denture that rests on the roof of her mouth.
Emergency Surgeries and Health Complications
In 2018, she told The Mirror: 'They need to take a piece of bone out of my skull and put a plate into my face but they've got nothing to stick the plate on at the minute because the bone's not strong enough.' While appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, she was urgently removed from the house for emergency dental surgery. 'The bone hadn't closed around the screws so they took me out of the house three times to a dentist, which they're not meant to, because the pain was so bad,' she explained.
She subsequently spent seven weeks in hospital, during which she developed septicaemia. 'I did nearly die, I had two lots of IV drips in each side and then they took all my teeth out again and gave me this denture which has broken my heart because I didn't need all of my teeth out in the first place,' she recounted.
Psychological Impact and Further Procedures
In 2022, the star revealed her desire to have a rib placed into her cheek to assist with facial reconstruction. 'I hate the way I look. I'm constantly made fun of, and trolled for it,' she told The Sun. 'People message me, saying: 'You're so ugly, you're a junkie, you should just go and kill yourself.' Danniella continued: 'I've got to a point where looking like this upsets me, so I'm going to make a change — not because of what others think but so I can be happy with the way I am.' She also noted this would help alleviate her breathing and sinus issues.
In 2023, Danniella traveled to Turkey for a thread lift, liposuction into her cheeks and lips, and fat grafting on her chin and jawline. Graphic surgery photos showed the actress bloodied and bruised in her hospital bed. She remarked that upon waking, she looked 'like she had done 10 rounds with Tyson Fury.' Danniella stated she had wanted this reconstruction for seven years but struggled to find a surgeon willing to operate due to her completely collapsed septum.
Financial and Health Challenges
She told The Sun: 'I was very fearful. My mum and my son Kai were on the phone constantly - I wrote up a will before I left and my son is the executor of that. But luckily I’m still here and I’ve come through the other side. Someone is looking over me.' Danniella emphasized she paid for the surgery herself despite receiving offers for free procedures from clinics worldwide. This followed a health scare the previous year that landed her in intensive care due to breathing difficulties through her nose.
She previously disclosed needing five operations to correct her 'collapsing' face, resulting from past cocaine addiction and osteoporosis, and had planned to have it done through the NHS. 'I've spent the last seven years trying to get somebody to do it, but they said no in case it failed and they got struck off,' she told The Sun in 2023. 'Plastic surgeons wanted £500,000 to change my face, so I thought I was never going to get it done.'
Regrets and Additional Surgeries
However, months after her Turkish surgery, Danniella expressed regret over her fifth facial reconstruction, which left her in severe pain. Unable to take pain relief containing codeine due to her past addiction, she woke up in agony and feared for her life. She told OK!: 'I had a surgical thread lift where they put over 1,200 threads into my face. They were also supposed to reconstruct my nose, which is what I went there for, but they haven’t done that.'
The star said she would return to her surgeon in Liverpool to have her nose properly fixed, explaining they would rebuild the bridge in her mouth and reconstruct the front of her nose. 'They’ve taken the fat out of my back, my sides and my stomach, and put it into my face to make it more symmetrical. But I feel like they’ve taken too much fat from my stomach,' she lamented.
Breast Augmentation History
Danniella is also no stranger to breast augmentation, having admitted to at least seven procedures. Appearing on Channel 5's Celebrity Botched Up Bodies, she described going from a 34B to a 34D, and eventually to a 34DD. The actress confessed she ignored her surgeon's warnings when requesting larger implants, as she desired 'huge footballs.' 'He said this isn't going to look right, you're too small, your body frame's not right… but I didn't care, I literally begged him to do it,' she explained.
In 2018, Danniella disclosed undergoing unnecessary surgeries, including liposuction on her knees. 'I've had cosmetic surgery I haven't needed, including seven boob jobs, an eye lift, a face lift, Botox and liposuction on my knees,' she told The Sun. 'I'd like to say that I wouldn't have plastic surgery again in the future, but I probably would,' she added.
Recent Health Setbacks and Career Impact
Danniella's latest surgery follows her hospitalization in December with breathing difficulties. She was scheduled to film her new movie role in Tales From The Trap but was recast due to health issues—complications stemming from her collapsed septum. Insiders revealed to the Daily Mail that the star, who hasn't appeared in film or television since mid-2016, was forced to seek medical attention for respiratory problems.
Tales From The Trap, where she was set to star opposite Love Island's Liv Hawkins, marked Danniella's anticipated return to acting, playing a gun-selling gangster granny. However, she has been replaced by Slow Horses star Kim Tiddy. A source close to Danniella said in December: 'Danniella was rushed into hospital on Friday with breathing difficulties which meant she had to pull out of filming Tales From The Trap... She was due to make her movie comeback as a gangster granny selling AK47s to the gangsters. It's really disappointing.'
Danniella last appeared on television on Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, where she won first place. She also participated in I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2003, Dancing On Ice in 2010, and Channel 4's Hollyoaks in 2013. Her ongoing surgical journey reflects both the physical consequences of addiction and her determined efforts toward recovery and self-restoration.
