Forget any stigma, rebuilding my breasts was reclaiming what was mine

So, breast implants. Armed with a photo of me topless in Greece in 1988, I went to a Melbourne professor of plastic surgery. Rebuild me. Nothing fancy.

Some friends were as appalled as mum – who totally came around after being flashed – lecturing that I was letting down the sisterhood for buying into the sexualising of breasts etc. Interesting, because had I needed a post-mastectomy reco, they would have made casseroles forever. About as long as the crosses of motherhood were apparently meant to be borne.

Yeah, yeah. I was so happy for them to have their opinion. But mine was that reclaiming through the power of modern medicine what was naturally my own was a boss feminist move. You can keep your vanity stigma, thanks anyway.

I’d been delighted to sacrifice my breasts to hungry babies but at 33, with decades more of beaches and sex and dressing for work ahead, I wanted to feel like me again.

And for over 20 years I have, although implants in exhausted breasts just reconstruct volume, not perkiness. Nine years ago I had the implants replaced when one leaked and thought that was it for me.

Then I had Botox by accident. A Canberra radio station I did a weekly spot with gifted me a visit to plastic surgeon. I know! I had injectables, loved them, went back again and again for fillers and lasers and never once looked like a blank scary dolly.

My experience with plastic and cosmetic surgery has been uplifting and cheaper than therapy. My experienced doctors have been conservative reconstructive specialists dedicated to natural results. Not a Brazilian butt lift among them.

Not everyone is as happy. This week’s reports about Melbourne dermatologist Dr Daniel Lanzer and industry “cowboys” who leave distressed patients and claims of dangerous practices in their wake while building Tik Tok profiles reinforce putting your face in someone’s hands is serious, irreversible business.

Loading

If anyone asks my opinion on tweaks, I say work out who you’re doing it for. If it’s you, great. If it’s social media or reality TV, terrifying. If you’re younger than 40, surgery makes you look older. If you’re over 40, be cautious, be restrained, choose wisely.

You want to look like you’re on Call My Agent, not a Friends reunion.

Kate Halfpenny is the founder of Bad Mother Media.