Jessi Draper Ngatikaura, star of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, is speaking candidly about the challenges of recovering from multiple facial cosmetic procedures.
In an Instagram video posted on January 20, the 33-year-old reality star detailed her recovery after undergoing an upper and lower blepharoplasty, along with facial fat grafting. While she anticipated some swelling, Jessi admitted the aftermath was more severe than expected and expressed frustration over the negative reactions she has received online.
“Believe it or not, this is actually not how I want to look,” she said as she prepared for a doctor’s appointment to receive steroid injections aimed at reducing swelling and inflammation. “A lot of people in the comments are like, ‘She ruined her face, she looks so scary.’ I’m still healing, I’m swollen.”
Jessi, who shares children Jagger, 5, and Jovi, 3, with estranged husband Jordan Ngatikaura, clarified that her current appearance is temporary. “I want to make it clear: I did not want to look like this. This is not the result I’m going for, but it’s just part of the healing process,” she emphasized.
She later added, “I would give anything to have my old face back right now. I am hating how I look. This is not what I want to look like, I’m not choosing to look like this… right now, it’s just a mind trip.”
Jessi first announced her plans for surgery in a TikTok on January 14, explaining that significant weight loss—approximately 20 pounds, mostly from her face—left her with excess skin under her eyes and a loss of facial volume.
The blepharoplasty procedures removed the excess eyelid skin, while the facial fat grafting, which involved transferring fat from her outer thighs to her face, helped restore volume and stimulate collagen production. Jessi described the surgery as a “better option or replacement for filler,” though she warned that it comes with expected bruising and swelling.
“People have been really mean online,” she said. “I understand I’m choosing to share this, so it comes with criticism and backlash.” She urged fans to be more considerate, explaining that as a full-time content creator, she could not simply take a two-month hiatus from social media.
“It sucks that I’m getting a lot of harassment and bullying for something I chose to do for myself,” she said. “I didn’t hurt anyone, it doesn’t affect anyone, and I’m having to delete comments constantly. It’s OK to do things that help you feel good about your insecurities.”
To manage her recovery, Jessi has been undergoing daily lymphatic facials, icing her face, following a keto and anti-inflammatory diet, and receiving steroid injections. She also confirmed that she has no additional surgeries planned for the near future, joking that the next procedure would likely be a facelift in her 50s.
