Valerie Bertinelli Says Her Breasts Are ‘Deformed’ After a Series of Surgeries: 'But I'm Not Dating, So It Doesn't Matter'

Toria SheffieldSat, March 28, 2026 at 11:03 PM UTC

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Valerie Bertinelli in June 2024Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty -

Valerie Bertinelli said that her breasts are “deformed” during a recent live conversation with friend Drew Barrymore in New York City

Bertinelli, 65, initially got breast implants in the 1980s because she was self-conscious about her small breast size, she wrote in her new memoir, Getting Naked

She said that she opted to have them removed in 2024, which led to a series of unanticipated issues that required multiple additional surgeries

Valerie Bertinelli says her breasts are “deformed” after a years-long saga with breast implants.

Bertinelli, 65, got candid about her body during a recent live conversation about her new memoir, Getting Naked, with friend and co-worker Drew Barrymore at the 92nd Street Y in New York City.

During one point in the conversation, Bertinelli, who appears on The Drew Barrymore Show as a regular lifestyle contributor, recalled a time when she privately opened up about her struggles with her breasts to Barrymore, 51.

“I mean, if you read the book, you’ll know that my boobs are deformed, and I talk very extensively and graphically about how deformed they are,” Bertinelli told the audience.

“I had four surgeries in 2024. But Drew is like, ‘How bad can it be?’ I’m like, ‘Really?' ” she continued.

Valerie Bertinelli in conversation with Drew Barrymore at 92NY in New York City on March 10, 2026Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty

Bertinelli went on to share that she ultimately showed Barrymore her breasts, to which she said the E.T. star replied, “Oh yeah, that’s bad.”

“I love her honesty,” Bertinelli continued. “It’s like, I can trust this woman.”

She added, “My boobs suck, but I’m not dating, so it doesn’t matter” — to which Barrymore responded, “Yet.”

In her memoir, which was published on March 10, Bertinelli revealed that she initially got breast implants in the late 1980s after feeling self-conscious about her small breasts, and then opted to get them removed in 2024.

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Valerie Bertinelli in 1984Credit: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

“I liked it for a little while and then started to hate it," the former Food Network personality told PEOPLE exclusively while discussing her decision to get implants in a March interview.

"At a certain point, I had gained and lost so much weight that my boobs were just ... I felt like they were down to my belly button. I was like, ‘I just want my small boobs back,' " she said.

Bertinelli explained that she had the implants removed after suffering a fall, but then developed a serious infection, which required a follow-up surgery.

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“The look on my doctor's face when he finally saw me made me think, ‘Oh s---. I guess I should have come in earlier.’ And he took everything out [the implant and the surrounding tissues], and then my breast became infected and started to cave in on itself. It became a crater.”

Valerie Bertinelli at 92NY in New York City on March 10, 2026Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty

“I have to have one more surgery to even them out," she continued. "Me and these guys (pointing to two of her cats) are the only ones looking at my boobs anyway, but I don’t care because I can’t see without my glasses on ... I’ll have to date somebody who can’t see,” Bertinelli told PEOPLE.

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She went on to say that she is now focusing on what makes her happy, like watching her son, Wolfgang Van Halen, onstage and on tour (his bandmates call her “Mama Wolf”), returning to home cooking with the new launch of the digital platform Valerie's Place and hanging out with her cats.

“I’m a senior taking care of seniors," Bertinelli said with a smile.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”