The Real Housewives of Atlanta's Shamea Morton alleges chemical peel burn in a new lawsuit against a doctor

The Real Housewives of Atlanta star Shamea Morton has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit alleging she was “negligently burned” during a chemical peel that she claims resulted in second-degree burns and permanent scarring.

The lawsuit, filed on October 31 in Fulton County by Morton and her husband, Gerald Mwangi, names Atlanta physician Jing Jing Wong Harris, M.D., her clinic Pretty Faces Atlanta, and several additional defendants.

According to the complaint, the alleged injury occurred during a procedure on March 13, 2024, at the medical spa.

Lawsuit details and allegations in The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Morton, a cast member on The Real Housewives of Atlanta since her first appearance in Season 5, asserts in the filing that she should never have been given a chemical peel because of her known diagnosis of Tinea Versicolor, a fungal skin condition.

The lawsuit states she “should have never undergone a chemical peel due to her diagnosis of Tinea Versicolor,” alleging that the situation required referral to “a trained and qualified dermatologist.”

The complaint further claims that even without the fungal condition, the peel administered — including what Morton says were two passes — was “completely inappropriate” for her “African American skin,” particularly in the absence of proper skin preparation or pigment-correction protocols.

Chemical peel procedure at the center of the claims

The lawsuit alleges that a third-party staff member at Pretty Faces Atlanta performed the peel using a formulation too strong for Morton’s back and arms.

According to the filing, the individual conducted the peel without supervision from Dr. Harris, allegedly causing “second degree burns, blistering, and permanent scarring.”

Morton recounts in the complaint that she “cried in pain due to sensations she was experiencing.”

Her legal team describes a moment during the procedure when the pain became so severe that her screams reportedly prompted Dr. Harris to enter the room. The lawsuit states, 

“[Morton’s] screams were so loud that [Harris], for the first time that day, entered the room where the procedure was being performed and inquired as to what was going on.”

When Morton told Dr. Harris about the “intense pain,” the lawsuit alleges Harris responded that she was “being dramatic.”

The suit claims that only after seeing Morton in tears did Dr. Harris apply “an unknown solution from a spray bottle to [Morton’s] back.”

It further asserts that, 

“Harris never consulted, examined, or approved the treatment plan for [Morton] prior to the application of the chemical peel.”

Morton is seeking unspecified damages. Her attorney, Darren M. Tobin, told Us Weekly, 

“What happened to Shamea when she was burned is unacceptable and inexcusable. We intend on pursuing full justice allowed under the law.”

Morton’s standing on The Real Housewives of Atlanta

Morton’s presence on The Real Housewives of Atlanta has grown steadily across the franchise’s recent history.

After debuting as a guest in Season 5, she became a “friend” of the cast in Season 8 and was promoted to full-time Housewife in Season 16.

Her storyline that season centered heavily on tensions with longtime friend Porsha Williams, culminating in a reunion moment where Andy Cohen told Morton she might benefit from expressing her frustrations more clearly.

In July, Morton released a 41-minute YouTube video offering an apology to her RHOA castmates after her first season as a full-time Housewife. She said,

“If I ever offended you, if I’ve made you feel less than, inferior, insulted you, hurt you in any way — I’m sorry. I hope that we can start fresh, and I wish you nothing but the best, and that prayer, I hope it leaves this room and enters into your heart and into your household, and that’s a wrap on Season 16.”

Stay tuned for more updates.