Jessel Taank, the 45-year-old star of The Real Housewives of New York City, addressed recent comments made by her co-star, Brynn Whitfield, 39, regarding Taank’s appearance. In an interview on Page Six’s Virtual Reali-Tea, published on January 13th, Taank candidly discussed her use of Botox and fillers.
Taank explained that being on television heightened her awareness of her appearance. “It just so happens that when you watch yourself on television, you notice everything,” she stated. This prompted her decision to make some minor adjustments. “So I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to tweak a couple of things,'” Taank continued. She also questioned the stigma surrounding cosmetic procedures, asking, “Also, like, who doesn’t get Botox? Who doesn’t get a little filler here and there?”
This conversation stemmed from Whitfield’s remarks on the January 7th episode of RHONY, where she accused Taank of having “a different face” and “different teeth” for the cameras.
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Taank openly admitted to using Botox since the age of 26, calling it a “game changer.” She emphasized her transparency about cosmetic procedures. “I’m not a gatekeeper and I’m certainly not the type of person to be doing all these procedures and not talking about it,” she declared. Taank often discusses these procedures on her social media platforms. “So I talk about it on my social [media]. I don’t want people to ever feel like I’m doing things behind [closed doors]. I get it, we’re on television. It comes with the territory.”
In addition to Botox and fillers, Taank revealed that she has porcelain veneers, done by renowned celebrity cosmetic dentist Dr. Victoria Veytsman. “I did get veneers. My dentist is amazing, Dr. Victoria Veytsman. She’s the best, she does every celebrity,” Taank shared. She went on to explain that the veneers were necessary due to a childhood accident. “There’s actually a very funny story. When I was a kid, I was running by a swimming pool on vacation and I slipped.” The accident resulted in significant damage to her teeth, requiring cosmetic reconstruction. “I slammed my mouth on the concrete and so I actually had to get cosmetic resurfacing or reconstruction [on my teeth] or whatever,” she explained.
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Beyond the discussion about cosmetic enhancements, Taank also addressed the current state of her relationship with Whitfield. Following Whitfield’s comments, Taank believes their friendship is fractured. In the same Virtual Reali-Tea interview, she stated that significant effort would be required to rebuild trust. “There’s going to be a lot of work that has to be done to get her trust back,” she admitted.
The Real Housewives of New York City airs Tuesdays at 9 pm ET on Bravo.
