It seems to be a full circle moment in life for me, as my 18yr old daughter is having a breast augmentation surgery this year, now that she is legally old enough. I personally had plastic surgery at the very same age of 18yrs old, two decades ago now, which changed my life immeasurably and led to worldwide fame and a glowing career in the media. And so it seems, history repeats itself now for my daughter…
After years spent suffering in silence, when my natural breasts failed to develop properly following puberty, I exhausted absolutely every possible avenue to rectify my asymmetrical bust before I sought the permanent solution of having surgery. My doctor first suggested my breast tissue may grow if I took the contraceptive pill, which wasn’t necessary for the purpose of contraception for me, but I took it for years anyway and it made little to no difference.
They also suggested that I pierced my undeveloped breast, and massage it daily with my hands, in order to encourage a greater source of blood flow and stimulate growth. Neither of these actions caused my breast tissue to develop. As an adult, I now understand that I have a hormone imbalance which may be accountable for the fact that my breasts were two different sizes, one completely flat and the other more of a pointy swelling.
My nipples also pointed east and west as opposed to in a forward direction. They were also located on the outer edge of my body, towards my sides as opposed to on my chest. And they were around three inches off in height difference meaning that any bra I wore would have one “breast” within it, whilst the other was sticking out above or below, defeating the object of wearing a bra for modesty or comfort.
Because of this, I worked three jobs as a student to privately fund my plastic surgery of a breast augmentation with silicone implants at the age of 18yrs old in 2005. Raised in a strict catholic family, hospital and health matters were seen as a life or death situation only, and it’s safe to say my relatives were utterly shocked to hear that I had not only met with my surgeon in London, but also selected a surgery date without them knowing anything was of concern to me about my development.
Ultimately, I felt embarrassed, shamed and disfigured for having failed to develop as a woman should, and through the advice of my doctor I sought the end resort to elect for surgery. At that time, I’m aware that women were able to have breast augmentation surgery on the NHS budget for mental health and confidence issues, however this is not a route that I wished to request. As I wanted plastic surgery, I sought Englands best surgeon as opposed to an NHS general surgeon, as maximum expertise achieves the best results.
After a very deep heart to heart, my mother agreed to accompany me at the age of 18yrs to my surgery. She didn’t have to, as I was legally of age to go alone as I’d already arranged, but when she understood my reasoning for having plastic surgery in a world that rarely saw it, it was a huge leap for her in acceptance and support. I felt that I had invested a great deal of my time and effort into researching surgery, understanding the risks and seeking an expert, hence why I had my surgery on Harley Street in London, the epicentre for private healthcare and aesthetics in the UK.
The day that my mother saw my breasts for the very first time she gasped, as she has no idea what I had silently lived with for so long. And whilst she would never have wanted me to change anything about myself, not put myself at risk of going into an operating theatre or suffer a post-surgery recovery, she soon found herself highly supportive of my choice.
With my mother by my side, I didn’t have to go through my surgery alone, despite being mentally and physically prepared to. And as a result of this preparation and mindset, I absolutely sailed through the entire process, smiling and laughing with joy, feeling the greatest sense of mental and physical relief and being enthusiastic to recover and take care of my new body. My deformed underdeveloped and asymmetrical breasts had been rectified, which wasn’t about the size, but simply the right to develop.
Given my height, width and bodyweight, my surgeon advised a 30D cup size to fill up the expanse of my wide, flat chest and bring balance and alignment to my frame, which worked perfectly for me at 5ft8″ in height and around 9.5 stones in weight at the time. It was in-keeping with my body and didn’t make me look too big or too small, but just right, which will be a different size for each individual as there is no one-size-fits-all for the perfect cup size for women.
I was talented spotted by MTV to become a model just a handful of months after having my breast augmentation surgery, which was a career path that I’d never have naturally taken as a student studying psychology, philosophy and English. I believe everything in life happens for a reason, and sometimes we need to say “yes’ to the unexpected, even when we’re incredibly shy or inexperienced. Whilst I never had my surgery with the hope of becoming famous, it was something that came into my life unexpectedly and led to the most incredible, organic career for which I still thrive.
After having my second child in 2012, the main aesthetic advice at the time was to replace smaller implants, that had drooped within loose skin, with larger implants to fill out the deficit, as opposed to having the loose skin removed and facing excessive scarring in my mid twenties. Breast reduction surgery was primarily viewed as something for women to consider in their 50’s or 60’s when wearing bikinis or cleavage-focused tops were no longer prevalent.
I’d heard of many horror stories of huge reduction and uplift scars, looking more like an accident or attack to the bust, as opposed to the small inch-or-two scar discreetly concealed beneath the natural fold of the bust for a routine implant exchange.
With time and age, I’d had larger implants over the years to avoid drooping and loose skin, and at the end of 2024 made the bold leap to have a breast reduction and uplift surgery at the age of 36yrs. My teenage daughter took a keen interest to my decision and asked so many questions, which I was more than happy to answer openly and honestly, not knowing that she was considering the same surgery herself, because of the same imbalance that I faced at her age.
Two Paths, One Goal: Autonomy & Comfort
Whilst I was underdeveloped and severely asymmetrical, which prevented me from wearing a bra or clothing comfortably, my daughter is actually overdeveloped and asymmetrical. This prevents her from wearing a bra without one breast being very squashed and the other falling out of the top of the cup whenever she moves or leans forward. These are two contrasting extremes in breast development, but we have both experienced the shame and embarrassment of puberty with a hidden hormone imbalance.
If you’ve followed my journey over the last twenty years in the media, you’ve seen me evolve through so many chapters. From my most glamorous, which launched my modelling and TV career, to my deeply personal decision to strip it all back, return to natural beauty and reduce my breast implants to a more balanced, natural shape.
Life has come to a beautiful, full-circle moment for me. And as I return to Cosmedica, a team that I’ve trusted with my own body and dental care for years, to finish my own natural teeth straightening journey, I am accompanied by my 18-year-old daughter, Millie, as she undergo’s her breast reduction surgery.
Seeing her choose to have surgery at eighteen feels so interwoven with my own life story, yet her path is entirely her own. I’m overflowing with love to be able to understand and support her through her journey.
For me, my enlargement surgery at 18yrs old corrected my asymmetry and gave me the confidence to step into the world, resultantly build a career in media, and amass a beautiful community of nearly 5 million social media followers worldwide.
Millie is starting her adult life from a very different place, but with the exact same right to feel at home in her own skin. Natural beauty is about celebrating who you are, but as women we also have an absolute right to bodily autonomy, whether that means enhancing, reducing, or restoring what once was.
Millie is absolutely perfect in my eyes as the individual soul that she was born to be. If she didn’t change a single thing about herself, she would still be the most beautiful, incredible soul. This trip isn’t about vanity or chasing an unattainable standard for beauty. For Millie, this is a medical necessity to reclaim her quality of life.
Carrying A Heavy Burden
Unless you have lived with very large, heavy, natural breasts, it is hard to understand the toll that it takes on a young girl’s body. I have watched Millie battle constant back, neck, and shoulder pain since her early teens, and seen the deep red indents that her bra straps leave on her shoulders. I’ve seen how the sheer physical size and weight makes everyday life, posture and movement so unpleasant and uncomfortable for her.
Just as young girls suffer when their breasts fail to develop properly like mine, young women also face real physical and emotional struggles when they develop too much as well. As women, we have every right to seek relief from pain, and this surgery is about giving Millie a body that allows her to live free from physical pain, free from the limitations of being top-heavy, and free from unwanted judgment. She is exercising her right to a healthy, happy future which I support wholeheartedly.
Debunking The Myth About Scarring
I know that breast reduction surgery in the past has been given a bad reputation online, mostly because women are terrified of living with dramatic scarring. But let me show and reassure you, as someone who has personally been through it, that it is not as terrible as people believe.
After my own reduction a year ago, I watched the pinky-red incision lines fade month by month. After a year post-op, they become beautifully unnoticeable, turning to a light skin colour that is concealed within a bra line or bikini top. This tiny, faded line is such a microscopic price to pay for the sheer freedom, peace, and physical balance that comes with having a breast reduction and I would personally make the very same choice to downsize over and over again.
Having my reduction gave me a sense of peace and balance in my own body that I hadn’t even realised I was missing for so long. I know that it will bring the exact same peace and freedom from pain for Millie too, and I couldn’t be happier to support her through her journey.
My Advice To The Next Generation Of Young Woman
If my twenty years in the public eye, and my own surgical history have taught me anything, it’s this: please make choices that are right for your individual body, and avoid the extremes or outrageous fashion trends.
I chose to have large silicone breasts for the majority of my adult life, and while it felt right for me then, I eventually reached a point in life where I wanted to strip it back. My advice to any young woman considering having cosmetic or reconstructive surgery is to think about your longterm balance. Please don’t do anything so excessive that it might negatively impact your mental health or cause you to experience regret down the line.
Listen to your body, not the latest trends, and seek a highly qualified surgeon who specialises in breast augmentation surgery. It’s all too easy to get swept up into the excitement of making changes to your body, and when surgeons advise against making such extreme decisions, many people move on to the next surgeon on the list to make the very same outrageous request until they eventually find one who will do it.
Please ask yourself, is the size that you are considering altering your body to something that you will still appreciate in 5, 10, 15 or 20yrs from now when you are focused on your career, fitness, motherhood or life goals. Will being larger busted affect your ability to train, your posture, your intimate relationships and the way that people perceive your appearance?
We are flooded with pop stars, celebrities and influencers who do everything and anything to stand out, be seen and cause a stir. From dressing in outrageous clothing to overusing botox, fillers and plastic surgery to achieve a body that could never be natural or healthy. Just because it attracts attention, it does not mean that it’s good attention, it does not equate to respect, acceptance or peace.
Ultimately the right decision for you is the one that you can live with happily, longterm in life. Making rash or drastic choices now can become an expensive mistake to rectify in the future. I strongly encourage young women, mothers and ladies of all ages to think long and hard about undergoing surgery, to do your research and seek the worlds finest surgeons to minimise risk and maximise healthy, natural results that you will love for a lifetime.
Scheduling For Surgery In Turkey
Here we stand, two generations of women, mother and daughter, taking charge of our personal health, our natural smiles, and our right to comfort. I am so incredibly proud of Millie for having the courage to make a choice that prioritises her wellbeing, which I know wasn’t easy for her, and took many years for her to address and voice after suffering in silence.
Being there to hold her hand throughout this journey is the most natural thing in the world for me. To all of the mothers out there who are guiding their daughters through their own journeys, and to every woman fighting for her right to feel comfortable in her own skin, please know that I see you, I support you, and I am sending you all so much love.
Today we confirmed Millie’s surgery, in alignment with our dentistry so that we can have our multiple procedures and check up’s during our stay. The team at Cosmedica Aesthetics and Cosmedica Dental are so incredibly caring and professional, and have provided us with our full itinerary for our stay. We simply have to step on a plane in England and every aspect is entirely taken care of and timed to perfection, including our return.
Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul
• VIP airport transfer to hotel
• Hotel check-in
• Rest and free time
Day 2: Dental Consultation & Treatment
• Consultation with the dental team
• Planned dental procedures
• Overnight stay at the hotel
Day 3: Millie’s Plastic Surgery
• Pre-operative consultation with the surgeon
• Breast Reduction Surgery
• Admission to hospital
Day 4: Hospital Stay
• Post-operative monitoring and care
• Daily doctor and nursing assessments
Day 5: Discharge From Hospital
• Post-operative monitoring and care
• Daily doctor and nursing assessments
• Transfer back to the hotel
• Recovery and rest
Day 6: Dental Follow-Up Appointment
• Review and continuation/completion of dental treatment if required
Days 7-8: Recovery Period
• Follow-up checks with the medical team
• Final check-up assessment with the surgeon
• Time to rest and enjoy a comfortable recovery at the hotel
Day 9: Departure
• Transfer to the airport for the flight home
The Countdown Begins
The two week countdown has officially begun, which means packing and finalising arrangements for pet care and childcare for our animals and Millie’s younger brother, who will not be joining us, as he will be at school. The taxi is booked and the clock is ticking!
Something that I really appreciate about the aftercare at Cosmedica is the ability to rest and recovery in peace, with a medical team always on hand. Having such a busy, active life as a mother with ADHD, I never sit still or take a day off, but after having surgery it’s so important to prioritise rest, just as much as taking gentle walks and rebuilding strength to return home.
Whilst our dogs are bundles of love and enthusiasm, they like to jump onto our laps and lick our faces when we sit down, so knowing that Millie can have a week of recovery away from pets or daily routine is really important for preventing complications and infection.
It will also be lovely to be visit little cafes, restaurants, gift shops, mosques and the bazaar together, as Istanbul is such a beautiful city, and in September it’s the perfect blue skies and sunshine without being overwhelming, as English weather starts to fade.
We have timed Millie’s surgery to take place three weeks before her 19th birthday, which allows her to recover enough to feel like herself again before her celebrations. She’ll of course be taking it easy upon her return home after surgery, as I’m able to keep a watchful eye on her as she has two weeks off of work to rest and recover. She has plenty of books and a passion for writing to pursue, so nestled up in cosy blankets, eating healthy meals and taking gentle walks will get her back to her best again in due course.
It also gives me the chance to be a mother hen, as both of the children are now teenagers they’ve become so grown up and independent which is great, but I also love taking care of them. There’s something special about your mother bringing you cups of tea and sharing sandwiches in the garden together at lunchtime that are so precious and priceless.
Millie’s recovery is the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time together, talk about future plans and for her to follow her interests in creativity to pass the time before she returns to work. Of course she cannot lift anything heavy and will have limited movement in raising her arms until further through her recovery, so I can help out with hair washes and getting her dressed, following on from the care of the nurses and medical team in Turkey. Face masks, movie marathons, pedicures and making plans!
Packing For Surgery & Our Stay In Turkey
Mid September is a really lovely time of year to visit Istanbul in Turkey, as the children have returned to school so spaces are not a busy or crowded. The weather typically peaks at around 29 degrees in August, 25 degrees in September and 20 degrees in October, so it’s warm and plesant without being too hot.
Whenever I head to Turkey I always leave space in my suitcase to bring back gifts and trinkets for loved ones back home, and so we’re packing with a spot of shopping in mind. Visiting at the end of summer also means that we don’t need lots of thick, heavy or chunky clothing as it’s mostly summer dresses, tops and light jackets for the evening.
Remember to check back soon to see how we’re getting on!
