British hairdresser Nathalie says she was left in “horror-movie pain”, battling infection and living with breasts she claims were far larger than she had agreed to, after cosmetic surgery in London.
Nathalie had her first breast augmentation at 25 after feeling she looked too young for her age.
“People would call me ‘bambina,’ like I was a little girl, and once I started training at the gym, my chest became even flatter. In the end, I decided to go ahead with the surgery because I wanted to feel more like a woman.”
“I was in absolute agony."
Almost immediately after the surgery, Nathalie was left with what she described as “nightmarish” pain that felt “straight out of a horror movie.”
“I was in absolute agony, and the pain would not go away. It was my first surgery ever, so I just thought it was normal. But one day, it got so bad that I simply started crying and screaming in pain.”
Over time, things worsened. One breast became swollen and discoloured. A second opinion later confirmed that she had developed an infection along with capsular contracture, a complication where scar tissue hardens around the implant and begins to squeeze it.
"My breasts were huge."
She was advised that the implants could be removed, allowing her breast tissue time to heal before any further augmentation surgery. However, Nathalie said she couldn’t imagine returning to her old body. When she agreed to have the implants replaced, she recalls making it clear that she wanted to go “slightly bigger” than before.
But the result, she says, wasn’t what she had hoped for.
“When I woke up from the second surgery, I thought my breasts looked that big because of post-procedure swelling, but a couple of months passed, and they were still huge.”
At 5ft 3in, Nathalie said she was left with a double F to G cup bust, which she felt was extremely disproportionate to her frame. “I had to wear two bras before going to the gym, and eventually I stopped going altogether. They were so heavy. I couldn’t even sleep properly.”
"I was left with scarring."
The surgery left Nathalie feeling depressed, unhappy and deeply uncomfortable in her own body. She says comments about her appearance at the time only added to her embarrassment and knocked her confidence further.
Eventually, she decided to return to the same doctor to have the implants removed, but says she was left unhappy with the scarring that followed.
“Physically, it was a massive relief to have the implants removed, but I was left with scarring that I found distressing. Three members of my family have had their implants removed, and none were left with scars like mine.”
After everything she had been through, Nathalie eventually decided to undergo revision surgery again, this time in Turkey, through Longevita, a UK-registered medical travel facilitator that arranges treatment with independent surgeons abroad.
“All the money I could have spent on a deposit for a flat, a car or even a holiday just wasn’t possible anymore, and I was still unhappy with how my chest looked. Thankfully, Turkey was something I could afford.”
“It was the first time I felt fully listened to."
Having previously undergone a rhinoplasty with Longevita years earlier, Nathalie says she felt at ease from the start.
“It was the first time I felt fully listened to,” she says. “The scars were revised, and the result was much closer to what I had originally hoped for.”
Nathalie’s story reflects a wider trend, with growing numbers of Britons choosing to travel overseas for cosmetic treatment. Experts warn that surgery carries risks wherever it is performed and advise patients to research providers thoroughly, understand aftercare arrangements and ensure appropriate insurance is in place.
The facilitator Nathalie chose, Longevita, has recently launched a petition calling for clearer standards around outbound medical tourism, including improved transparency and structured aftercare pathways. Its CEO and founder, Kagan Seymenoglu, noted:
“Complications can happen with any surgery, whether in the UK or overseas. What matters most is patient safety, proper information and accountability. Patients should feel supported before, during and after their treatment.”
“I'm comfortable in my own skin again."
Now, almost four years on, Nathalie says she feels “comfortable in my own skin again” – but is cautious about offering simple advice.
