I spent £7k on ‘mummy makeover' surgery but I look better fat – it feels like I'm ripped in HALF from painful stitches

The Sun

06-05-2025

CHANTELLE Woolston, 46, decided to get a tummy tuck and a breast revision after her 6st 7lbs weight loss left with excess skin.
The mum-of-two did her research and picked a surgery in Izmir, Turkey, which also offered her a back lift at an all inclusive price of £6.9k.
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She flew out in February this year, but when she came round she knew she'd made a "big mistake".
Now two months post- surgery, she says she can't stretch for fear she will "rip in half" and says she had gathered skin and her stomach is as "hard as a block".
Chantelle, an administrator from Southampton, Hampshire, said: "I'd built it up so much and I was so excited to go.
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"I couldn't wait to see the results. I 100 per cent wish I hadn't done it with this clinic.
"I'm regretful of going with this clinic. I wish I'd researched more.
"Now I have to tell people I'm devastated with how my body is.
"I looked better with the fat. I should have known by the deal that it was too good to be true."
Chantelle flew to Istanbul, Turkey, back in September 2020 for a gastric sleeve and was delighted with the results after it helped her drop from 15st and a size 18 to 8st 7lbs and a slender size eight.
But she still struggled with the excess skin it had left her with.
She said: "I was looking in the mirror and seeing droopy boobs and rolls of fat.
"I didn't feel attractive. I wanted to look nice."
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Chantelle wanted to do something for herself and decided to look into surgery abroad after her success first time around.
She chose to look into a different surgery as the medics from the initial clinic had left.
Chantelle said: "I trawled the internet for places to go. I didn't see any negative on this Facebook group.
"It was just so positive and they sent me pictures of stunning women. I thought 'bloody hell, can I have that body?'"
It was only after she'd paid her deposit Chantelle started to notice some negative comments but she still flew out in February with her husband, Marc, 50, a maintenance worker.
But Chantelle felt uneasy and said she felt "rushed" to sign the paperwork to get her into surgery.
She said: "It was a case of you need to hurry up. It's like a conveyer belt.
"When I came round I was in a mess. I was freezing cold. I thought 'I've made a big mistake'."
Chantelle stayed in Turkey for a week before flying home.
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She was initially excited to see the results but two months out she feels unhappy with her healing journey.
Chantelle said: "I'm now able to lie on my side in bed and if I have move in bed I feel like I'm going to rip in half.
"I can't open my garage to park my car - I can't stretch.
"I have skin that looks like dog ears above my pubic bone. It's like a zip.
"I have flaps of skin and three rolls of skin sewn up - it's just been sewn up and gathered.
"My stomach is hard as a block. My body has completely healed but my breasts are all crusty.
"I feel hollow in places."
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Chantelle says she has been in touch with the clinic and they have told her to "trust the process" and to "exercise".
She said: "My scarring is there - it's like a roadmap. I asked for a flat stomach not for three rolls."
Chantelle was told healing can take from three to six months but she doesn't feel her results are going to change.
She now wants to warn other women before they make the same mistake she did.
She said: "Trust your gut."
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The clinic said: "While we aim to give patients ample time to read and sign these documents, the pre-operative schedule-including tests and consultations-may create a sense of urgency for some individuals on the day of surgery.
"Post-operative recovery varies per patient, and swelling, tightness, and temporary asymmetry are common in the initial stages.
"We advise patients that full healing can take months, and we provide detailed aftercare instructions.
"Terms like "dog ears" or "gathered skin" often describe normal transient swelling or suturing techniques that improve over time.
"However, we always encourage patients to voice concerns during follow-ups so we can assess and reassure or intervene if medically indicated.
"Our team remains available post-operatively to guide patients through their recovery. While phrases like "trust the process" may stem from managing early-stage expectations, we prioritise addressing concerns with clinical evaluations when needed.
"We regret that this patient feels dissatisfied and invite her to contact us directly so we can review her case in detail and provide personalised support."