The Real Housewives of Orange County‘s Tamra Judge is “one hundred percent” swearing off plastic surgery after a difficult recovery following her brow lift and chemical peel, she exclusively tells Life & Style.

“This has been a wake-up call for me. I’ve realized that while cosmetic enhancements can be great, they’re not always worth the toll on your body,” Tamra, 57, explains while partnering with IT Cosmetics for their “Keep It Real” campaign — which emphasizes the importance of keeping it real in a world of beauty dupes.

The Bravolebrity says she doesn’t “regret” getting the procedures. “I knew going in that recovery would be challenging, but I believe in the reasons I chose to do this. I’m focused on the end goal, and I trust that the results will make it all worthwhile. It’s tough now, but I’m staying positive,” Tamra states.

The reality star kept things honest with fans by documenting her cosmetic work in a series of Instagram posts. Tamra got a brow lift as well as a carbon-dioxide laser treatment on her face, neck and chest and a blue chemical peel. Two days after the procedures, she appeared very puffy while her skin was beginning to crack and ooze in a September 1, Instagram video.

RHOC's Tamra Judge Is Swearing off Plastic Surgery After Brow Lift, Chemical Peel
Courtesy of Tamra Judge/Instagram

“Day three and the swelling’s making a statement. Progress isn’t always pretty, but it’s happening,” Tamra wrote in the caption.

She explained in the video, “The 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,” while going on to add, “overall, looking like it’s supposed to look. Nice and crispy.” Tamra said she hoped to “turn a corner” the following day, as she didn’t know how things could “get any worse,” and felt like her skin was “going to burst.”

The entrepreneur had her work done by plastic surgeon Dr. Donald Mowlds in Newport Beach, California, on August 31. Three hours post-op and Tamra was back at home. She explained how the doctor “took a little bit of skin out of the corner of my eye” during the browlift.

Tamra previously had a lower facelift and eyelid tuck, which she documented in 2017 via Instagram with behind-the-scenes photos.

Now that she’s past the worst of her post-plastic surgery aftermath, Tamra says, “I knew the recovery wouldn’t be a walk in the park, but I didn’t expect it to be this tough. The swelling, discomfort, and just feeling out of it were more intense than I anticipated. But I’m staying positive and trying to focus on the end result.”

The TV personality reveals why she decided to share the dramatic effects of the procedures with the world.

“I believe in being transparent, especially when it comes to something as significant as surgery,” she says. “I want to show the real side of things — the good, the bad, and the ugly—because it’s not always what you see on social media or Housewives. If my honesty helps someone else that was considering these types of procedures, then it’s worth it.”

That’s also why Tamra partnered with IT Cosmetics. “I love their message of authenticity, and their products are something I’ve been using for years. It felt like the perfect fit for me, especially since I always keep it real,” she says.