Shirley Ballas has revealed she feels 20 years younger thanks to a non-surgical procedure and often gets accused of having a face lift.
The Strictly Come Dancing star - who returns as head judge for the BBC dance competition’s 23rd series premiere this weekend - has had seven months of high-tech aesthetic procedures in Harley Street, London.
The 65-year-old admitted fans would say she’s had “so much work done” since her £4,675 course of NeoGen nitrogen plasma treatments with Dr Johanna Ward.
"I was on Instagram posting pictures of myself celebrating my 65th birthday with my mum a week ago and several women made rude comments saying, 'your mum looks amazing but of course you've had so much work done Shirley, facelifts and all,’” Ballas revealed.
"Well, I need to set the record straight here – I haven’t had any surgical facelifts of any kind, at any time. I mean, you can tell I've got no stitches or scars."
Ballas has had six NeoGen nitrogen plasma treatments, which work by tricking the body into producing high levels of collagen and elastin.
It's not the first time she has used these treatments but this year, Ballas said the results have been life-changing.
The dancer - who split from partner Danny Tayler in December 2024 - said: "I never thought at 65 I would feel the way I feel about myself,” she said.
“When I hit 60, I was dreading the inevitable decline of my appearance, I had dark blotches on my skin, my skin looked tired, jowls were starting to fall, and I started to panic so I started to research all the different treatments that one can do."
Looking at her before and after treatment pictures, Ballas added: "Now when I look in the mirror, I see this fresh face. It's not a little difference. It's a huge difference. I find my jawline is more defined.
“I don't have all those spots all over my face. My skin looks brighter. There's not a mark on my forehead. And my neck looks so much better. I mean, I think that's impressive.
“I feel like my skin could probably pass for around 45, and I'm really proud that I stuck to my regime and that I treated myself."
Discussing the price of the procedure, the former dancer went on: "It's not cheap but I think it's a worthwhile investment in yourself. Before I started having these treatments, I was really getting down because my skin was sagging.
“My jawline wasn't defined. I was really getting myself in a place where I didn't feel great about myself.
“I thought, that's it now, you're over the hill, but now when I look in the mirror, I see this fresh face and my confidence has been restored, and so it's been worth every penny."
Ballas opted for low energy NeoGen treatments that had very little down-time so that they did not get in the way of her busy work schedule.
While the new series of Strictly returns this weekend, the choreographer said she is already planning how to look good for next year’s show in 2026.
"I start again the minute Strictly is over and give myself enough time for the Neogen treatments to get an amazing result, to make sure I look fabulous next year too,” she said.
“But I can also just move to having maintenance treatments just every three months or so."
