Karamo Brown, the 45-year-old culture expert from Netflix's Queer Eye, has revealed a painful medical ordeal that left him suffering in silence for years while facing public speculation about his appearance.
Brown told People in an article published on Tuesday, June 2, that a buccal fat removal procedure performed in 2021 resulted in complications that caused chronic pain and visible swelling. The surgery led to scar tissue formation that blocked saliva in his cheeks from draining properly, creating a cascade of painful symptoms that persisted for years.
"For years, people have been, like, 'Karamo's had plastic surgery. He has so much filler in his face,'" Brown told People. "I was like, 'You know what? I can't say anything because you can't get into fights with the trolls.' But I was suffering for years in pain and no one knew."
The reality television personality explained the physical manifestation of his condition in stark terms. Once saliva accumulated within each cheek, the scar tissue would harden, creating visible changes to his appearance. "There'd be times you'd see me smile, and it was tight," he told People. "My cheeks would be big because they were full of saliva, full of scar tissue. I was in the worst pain."
Brown, who joined the Netflix reboot of Queer Eye in 2018, disclosed that he pursued the cosmetic procedure after "gaining about 70 pounds during the COVID-19 pandemic." The decision was influenced by online commentary about his weight gain during that period.
"I was a big boy, and everyone online liked to tell me how much of a big boy I was," he recalled to People. "So, I was like, 'OK, maybe if I slim out my face, I'll be cute.' It turned into a year-and-a-half of pain."
The former MTV Real World cast member revealed that his symptoms intensified following the 2022 premiere of The Karamo Show, his daytime talk program that was cancelled in March after four seasons. The demanding production schedule exacerbated his condition significantly.
"I would shoot six episodes a day, and there'd be times when I was filming my show that my mouth would get so dry and it would be so swollen," Brown told People. In an attempt to minimize the visible bulge caused by the scar tissue, he lost 70 pounds through restricted eating.
"The more weight I lost, the less scar tissue you could see," he explained to the publication. "The scar tissue and the saliva were still there, but because I was skinnier, it looked kind of normal. I stopped eating because it helped the feeling of not having so much scar tissue."
Brown's disclosure comes during a turbulent period in his professional and personal life. In February, his ex Carlos Medel confirmed his split from Brown via an Instagram post. "Although this year I'm single, I still want to make sure love is around! All my love to my friends and family, thank you for being part of my life one more year!" Medel wrote after embarking on a romance with Brown in 2021.
The interview with People also addressed tensions surrounding the final season of Queer Eye, which premiered on January 21. Brown was notably the only cast member who did not promote the tenth and final season ahead of its premiere, following a sexual harassment complaint filed against him. Brown maintains that he was cleared of any wrongdoing behind the scenes of the show.
Brown characterized the Queer Eye set as a work environment where alleged poor behavior was tolerated. "Everyone would just say, 'Well, that's just that person,' instead of saying, 'This behavior does not fly in a professional environment,'" he claimed to People. "It impacted me negatively, consistently."
The revelation about his medical complications adds context to years of public speculation about his appearance and underscores the physical and emotional toll of cosmetic procedures when complications arise. Brown's candid discussion highlights the often-hidden struggles that public figures face while managing both their health and their public image.
