A woman who had £4,000 breast implants because she was fed-up of looking like a boy yesterday warned women to be wary after a bizarre side effect left her with one boob – for SEVEN MONTHS.
Flat-chested Lauren Yardley, 25, had the implants fitted to take her from a size A cup to a DD.
But just two months of her new life with bigger boobs Lauren not only noticed her right breast was bigger than her left but it felt hard and uncomfortable.
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She went back to surgeons who diagnosed her with Capsular contracture – where the body rejects the implant – and agreed to redo the surgery.
But just two months later Lauren was stunned when the replacement implant fell completely out of her chest – when she was on her way top her aunt’s house.
This time experts at the Tonic Cosmetic Surgery clinic, in Nottingham, said they were unable to reinsert the implant because her body needed time to heal.
It meant embarrassed Lauren was forced to live with a wonky chest for a staggering seven months.
During that time the nursery nurse used chicken fillets – silicon bra-inserts – to boost the flat side of her chest.
But there was no hiding during a holiday to Tenerife with pals where she had no option but to wear her bikini with just one boob.
Lauren has now had the implant put back in her chest and her body has accepted the surgery.
But the nursery worker yesterday warned other women to be wary of the traumatic side-effects breast implants can have.
She said: “I couldn’t believe it when the implant started coming out of my breast.
“At first it was like a blister, but then over the next week it started to come out more and more.
“I did not feel too much pain, just discomfort. I could not really see if because of where it was, but when I showed my friends they said I had to get it checked out straight away.
“The doctors at the hospital said they had never seen anything like it – they couldn’t believe I was not in septic shock.
“I feel very lucky – it could have been a lot worse.
“The most horrific thing was having only one breast for seven months. It was horrible.
“I was booked to go on holiday for two weeks so I had to pad out my bra with chicken fillets so people would not notice. Luckily I think I pulled it off and you can’t tell in pictures.
“I felt really confident after having my implants, but I lost it all again when I was left with and uneven chest.”
Lauren added: “I was always flat chested – I looked like a boy. I wanted to look more like a girl.
“I couldn’t wear certain dresses or tops as they just didn’t look right. I never wanted to be as big as someone like Jordan – I just wanted a more curvy figure.
“When I booked the operation they told me it was common for the body to reject implants – but I had no idea this could happen.
“My sister had hers done on the same day at the same clinic and had no problems at all, so I suppose I was just unlucky.
“But it’s definitely worth remembering if you’re considering having implants.”
Lauren saved up to pay #3,750 for her breast implants in September 2009 then paid #850 for the correction operation.
Surgeons cleaned out Lauren’s breast and replaced the implant before sending her home with anti-inflammatory tablets.
She was told the problem would settle down but she was rushed to A&E at Coventry University Hospital when the implant fell out of her chest.
Fortunately, Lauren did not develop septic shock and she was transferred back to the Tonic Cosmetic Surgery where surgeons safely removed the troublesome implant.
She spent seven months with just one breast before surgeons eventually replaced Lauren’s missing implant at an additional cost of #1,000.
The operation was a success and relieved Lauren, who lives with her mechanic boyfriend George Harwood, 26, in Coventry, West Mids, yesterday (Mon) said she still had no regrets over her implants.
She said: “Fingers crossed my body won’t reject the implants again.
“People always ask me if I would have implant again after all I have been through but I always say yes. I don’t regret it at all.”
She added: “It has cost me a fortune to have all the follow up operations.
“Capsular contracture can happened and it is not the doctor’s fault, but I do feel that they should have noticed it was popping out sooner.”
Capsular contracture, an unavoidable complication of breast implant surgery, affects most patients to some degree and it is likely further surgery will be needed.
The body creates a capsule of fibrous scar issue about the breast implant as part of the healing process.
This is a natural reaction that occurs when any foreign object is surgically implanted into the body.
The scar tissue over time will begin to shrink at a rate and extent which varies from person to person.
In some cases, like for Lauren, the capsule can tighten and squeeze the implant, making the breast feel hard or even eject itself from the body.
A spokeswoman for Tonic Cosmetic Surgery said: “Most women who have breast implants will experience some level of capsular contracture.
“Lauren’s is probably one of the worst cases we have seen. For a young girl it is very stressful.
“It is the body doing what it is supposed to in rejecting the implant as it is foreign. Lauren’s immune is particularly high.
“Rejection has always been a problem with breast implants. But there is no way of testing whether someone will get capsular contracture or not – we wish there was.
“We hope Lauren is now doing well.”
