Thanks to social media, Brandi Glanville has a new doctor and new treatment in place as her years-long battle with facial disfigurement continues.
The 52-year-old Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum told Us Weekly exclusively that she “randomly” met New York City-based “infectious disease doctor” Dr. Michael Scoma online and he’s hoping to help.
“He specializes in super hard to treat things where people can’t get a diagnosis,” Glanville explained to Us. The first course in her treatment is “IV antibiotics and fungal medications” through a PICC line in Glanville’s arm.
Glanville admitted that she’s “a wreck” as her health battle continues but is trying to keep a positive mindset.
“I always joke my life is like The Last of Us? I’m just turning into one of those black mold people,” Glanville said. “That’s how I felt. I have lumps on my face and they’re moving around.”
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Glanville told Us it was “the strangest feeling” to know something was moving around in her face.
“Dr Michael Scoma said he wouldn’t know if there was a parasite or not, because he didn’t treat me early on. But if there was, it would have been gone by now,” she said. “A lot of this infection, in this deep tissue — the staph infection, and there’s other problems happening — it mimics a parasite. It has this fluid that jumps around your face because it’s spreading.”
Initially, it was just her face. Now, the infection has spread to Glanville’s “whole” head, neck, shoulder, collarbone and down her left arm. “I spent two years being told there was really not anything wrong with me,” she explained.
Glanville’s health issues started when she returned home from Morocco in January 2023 after filming The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip season 4, discovering that she had contracted a parasite. (Glanville left the show after she was accused of sexual misconduct during filming by costar Caroline Manzo, which she has vehemently denied.)
“It’s definitely calmed down since I was treated for the parasite, but now I’m left with [an] infection in my skin,” she told Us, noting that “fluid” often leaks out of her ear and her face is “all sunken in” — all things she hopes to cure with the help of Dr. Scoma.
“Right now, our focus is on treating Brandi’s long-standing infection and its secondary effects,” Scoma told Us exclusively. “Once the infection is fully controlled and she’s stable, we can evaluate any next steps to support her recovery.”
Scoma has taken a “proactive” approach to Glanville’s health issues with a “multi-phase treatment.” The IV antibiotics Glanville discussed with Us are the first step — and only a short-term solution. Scoma eventually plans to give Glanville “long-term maintenance” via oral antibiotic therapy with “close monitoring.” He will also make “adjustments” based on her response.
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“We can expect to see meaningful progress within the next few weeks, and I do believe Brandi can make a full recovery,” Scoma added.
Glanville must follow Scoma’s “treatment protocols closely” and kick off her healing journey with “proper rest” and “a protein rich diet,” he told Us. She also must incorporate “accessible strategies that support immunological health, like staying hydrated, managing stress, and maintaining key nutrients.”
Along with Dr. Scoma, the former reality star also teamed up with “angel” healthcare strategist Rachel Strauss, who is also known as the PBM Princess, to help with her medical bills.
“She advocates for people who have tons of medical bills. When you’re sick and they’re piling up, that causes stress and it makes your medical issues worse,” Glanville told Us, revealing that she has “well over” $130,000 in medical bills.
Strauss told Us that she hopes to “recoup some of [Glanville’s] money back” as they work together.
“I don’t know that we’re gonna be able to wipe a fat $100,000 away, but what we are going to be able to do is make sure that the proper parties who have to pay for those claims pay for them,” she said. “Where it does fall on her responsibility is working with the hospitals she saw, reviewing what was billed, making sure it was billed properly — because certain things were truly emergencies that doctors will validate — and getting those reduced however we can.”
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Glanville has seen 21 doctors (which has led to her medical debt) as she navigates her health issues, and some have blamed her facial disfigurement on “old filler,” referring to past cosmetic procedures. She also made it clear to Us that there aren’t any trips to a plastic surgeon in the near future — but is hoping to get a facelift one day.
“The doctor actually said my skin should regenerate quite a bit — not as much as I would like — because they did dissolve so much,” she shared. “But it’s going to be at least a year before I can do anything cosmetic, and I won’t ever get an injection again.”
When Dr. Scoma was asked about Glanville potentially getting cosmetic surgery again, he told Us, “Right now, our focus is on treating Brandi’s long-standing infection and its secondary effects. Once the infection is fully controlled and she’s stable, we can evaluate any next steps to support her recovery.”
