Latest news with #CatersNewsAgency
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Rise of dangerous ‘Barbie waist' surgery as women spend thousands having ribs REMOVED to look like red carpet celebs
A number of A-listers are rumoured to have had the terrifying op - others have fiercely denied having it KEN YOU BELIEVE IT Rise of dangerous 'Barbie waist' surgery as women spend thousands having ribs REMOVED to look like red carpet celebs Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IT'S an invasive, extremely high-risk procedure that could leave patients with a lung puncture, nerve damage and chronic pain. But despite the eye-watering risks, more women than ever are opting for 'Barbie rib' surgery - that's having one or more ribs taken out - to achieve a tiny waist. 15 Essex mum Kerry Miles said she planned to pay £15k for her rib removal surgery Credit: Caters News Agency 15 Kerry's waist shrank to a shockingly small 21 inches Credit: Caters News Agency 15 Influencer Emily James shared a stomach-churning pic of the ribs she had removed Credit: Caters 15 Kim Kardashian sparked rib removal rumours after the 2024 Met Gala - something she has denied Credit: GETTY In the 1950s, stars of the silver screen such as Marilyn Monroe wowed with their tiny hourglass figures. But in 2025, women are going one step further by opting for the latest surgery trend. When Kim Kardashian graced the Met Gala's red carpet last March wearing a tightly cinched silver corset, it sparked rumours that the A-lister may have gone under the knife. While getting ready for the event, she told Vogue: "I'll feel so snatched I won't even be able to communicate to you how snatched I feel." She fiercely denied rumours of rib removal, later saying: "I don't even know if that's possible." Well, the shocking surgery IS possible, with many women now going under the knife to achieve the same look as their favourite red carpet celebs. The surgery, performed under general anaesthesia, involves the surgeon detaching the rib bone and removing it or partially removing to give the appearance of a slimmer waistline. The ribs can also be repositioned, and a rib brace is then worn to compress the midsection. It's an incredibly dangerous procedure that could cause the lungs to collapse or damage other internal organs, with few experienced surgeons willing to carry out the op. Hazim Sadideen, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Cadogan Clinic, told The Sun: "There's been a lot of noise around the 'Barbie rib' procedure, and I think it's important to separate fact from fiction. "First off, rib modification and rib removal are very different things. "True rib removal, where one or more of the floating ribs are completely taken out, is an invasive and high-risk procedure. I would never recommend it purely for cosmetic reasons. "The risks include lung puncture, nerve damage and chronic pain. There are long-term asymmetry risks too." I had my ribs removed to get a Barbie waist Other celebs have also been rumoured to have had the surgery, including Cher and singer Prince, while other A-listers have donned corsets and tight dresses on the red carpet to achieve a cinched look - a body ideal that has seeped onto social media. Under the knife Despite the controversy, Essex Mum Kerry Miles, 41, still planned to spend £15,000 on the procedure after using a corset to shrink her waist to just 21 inches. Belgian performer Jada Sparks spent over £14,000 having ribs removed. The former nurse said: 'I've done it for the cosmetic reason, but also the thrill of it to be honest. "I went down about 2.5 inches from the start until now. "I think I have reached my ultimate result now. In the beginning, it felt weird, but your body is an odd thing, it can adapt really quick. "So, I like the feeling right now of having something 'missing'.' 15 Kim K stunned fans with her corseted, minuscule waist Credit: GETTY 15 Emily James spent £13k having six ribs removed in a bid to achieve a Barbie-like waist Credit: Caters 15 Emily's ribs were removed from her back, and she's left with two small scars Credit: INSTAGRAM 15 Emily shows off the results of her surgery on Instagram Credit: Instagram Emily James, an influencer from Kansas City, Missouri, spent £13,000 having six of her ribs removed last year - and claims it is no different to a Brazilian Butt Lift. Emily told The Sun she'd researched her procedure thoroughly and defended her decision. She says: 'I absolutely think that it's important to make informed, well-thought-out decisions before you get plastic surgery. 'People should not just be going into random like garages, getting oil pumped into their bodies for like a BBL or getting veneered by some girl that you found on Instagram. "It's important to make well-informed decisions, and if you're going into it with the mindset knowing the risks and the benefits, then you absolutely should do what you want to do. "But just keep in mind that it is plastic surgery, and there are dangers involved, and there are risks and complications that can arise from getting these kinds of surgeries.' 'Barbie waist' The iconic Barbie doll has impossible proportions – which in real life would be 39" bust, 18" waist and 33" hips. Her terrifyingly tiny waist measurement would in reality be smaller than that of the average three-year-old. A Google search of 'Barbie rib procedure' yields over 135,000 results. But while Mr Sadideen believes filtered images don't reveal the truth about invasive procedures, Emily, who had post-surgery complications with a catheter, was able to get the surgery without any psychological evaluation or counselling. 'There was nothing like that,' she says. 'But it was a really hard process to find someone that I felt comfortable going to. 'There were lots that were certified to do the surgery, but I didn't feel they were qualified. I wanted someone who really understood me.' Emily flew almost 800 miles for the surgery in Cleveland, Ohio. But with the trend taking off on social media and celebrities in the US, Germany and UK reportedly having it done, increasing numbers of women are attending clinics asking for their ribs to be removed. 15 Megan Fox dons a corset dress that enhances her slim figure - she has admitted to having some plastic surgery but not a rib op Credit: Getty 15 Cardi B attending the 2025 Met Gala, showcasing her slender waist - the star has always denied plastic surgery rumours Credit: Getty 15 Towie star Abi Clarke is rumoured to have had rib surgery Credit: Eroteme 15 Cher has always denied having her ribs removed Credit: GETTY While Towie's Abigail Clarke is also rumoured to have had the procedure, Emily says the invasive and risky surgery, which she's still recovering from, was more painful than she imagined. 'I got there about 6.30 in the morning and honestly, I was really scared,' she says. 'I knew my rib removal was going to be painful because I'd done a lot of research. "I had my boobs done at the same time, but coming out of surgery, I was super swollen, and I couldn't sit up or lay down by myself. 'I had to have someone help me stand up, lay down, pretty much do everything. 'It was a really intense surgery, and I had a lot of numbness and pain for a long time.' 'Emotional toll' While Emily has documented her journey online, Mr Sadideen says social media could be to blame for the increase in requests for these types of invasive procedures. 'What really worries me is how social media glamorises extreme body transformations without showing the full story - the recovery, the risks, or the emotional toll,' he says. 'The rise of these trends is often driven by filtered images and unattainable ideals, which can feed into body dysmorphia and lead people to believe something drastic is the only solution.' While Emily had no psychological evaluation at all prior to the procedure which altered her skeleton, he believes the mental capacity of a patient should factor into every surgical evaluation. Just because something is technically possible doesn't mean it's the right choice Mr Hazim Sadideen "Any patient considering a procedure like this should undergo a thorough psychological assessment to ensure they're making this choice for the right reasons, not due to pressure or distorted self-image,' he says. 'As surgeons, we have a duty to protect our patients. 'Just because something is technically possible doesn't mean it's the right choice.' Despite having the support of her loved ones, Emily is aware that she entered into the procedure without any long-term idea of how her rib removal might affect her body in the future. 'I knew going into surgery, the ribs I was having removed do serve some protection of my kidneys and my liver,' she says. 'I don't think that I regret any of my surgeries, but who knows when I'm 60 if I'll have complications from my rib removal. 'I've noticed already there has been one weird complication that whenever I get sick or cough, my muscles separate. So yeah, there might be complications later down the road.' Mr Sadideen says there is a less invasive option that can be considered without needing to go to the dangerous extremes Emily has. "There is a more conservative alternative sometimes referred to as rib reshaping or rib modification,' he says. 'In very carefully selected cases, surgeons may use a controlled mini-fracture technique to slightly bend a rib inward. "It's a method already used in nose reshaping – known as rhinoplasty – and orthopaedic surgery. 'But it must be done with the utmost precision, using detailed scans, ultrasound guidance during surgery, and specific tools to reduce risk and avoid complications. "Even so, the data is still emerging, and we don't yet have a full picture of long-term safety or outcomes.' 15 While Emily – who plans to make a crown out of the ribs she's had removed – has received a barrage of online hate for her surgery choices, she says it doesn't bother her. 'I've had a lot of people say that I worship the devil, or that I'm like, controlled by Satan because I am making a crown out of my rib bones, which is really silly,' she says. While there are plenty of celebrities who are rumoured to have had the procedure done – from Cher to Prince to Kim Kardashian and Demi Moore, Mr Sadideen says society's obsession with filters could be resulting in the dangerous trend growing in popularity. 'Extreme procedures like rib removal should be a last resort, not a trend,' he says. 'And we should all be asking: are we doing this to feel better, or just to look better on a screen?' 15 Barbie's proportions in real life would be 39" bust, 18" waist and 33" hips Credit: Collects
Scottish Sun
05-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
My whole family will be FROZEN at death – we'll lay as ice cubes until science breakthrough brings us back to life
Dennis Kowalski, a former paramedic who is now director of the Cryonics Institute, told The Sun he is one of over 2,000 people who have signed up to be frozen when they die FROZEN IN TIME My whole family will be FROZEN at death – we'll lay as ice cubes until science breakthrough brings us back to life Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WOULD you cheat death for the price of $28,000? Well, that's what thousands of people across the world are trying to do with cryonics. Cryonics is the practice of deep-freezing the bodies of dead people, in hopes they can be revived in the future. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Dennis Kowalski is one of over 2,000 people who have signed up to be frozen when they die Credit: Cryonics Institute 5 Dennis' three sons Jacob, Danny and James have also agreed to be frozen Credit: Caters News Agency 5 Dennis with his wife Maria who has also been signed up to be cryo-preserved Credit: Caters News Agency Dennis Kowalski, a former paramedic who is now director of the Cryonics Institute, told The Sun he is one of over 2,000 people who have signed up to be frozen when they die. The nonprofit, based out of the US, is almost entirely made up of volunteers who have all signed up themselves. About 270 people are currently being stored in liquid nitrogen filled tubes at the Michigan facility – and an equal number of pets. Some of the pets have even been cloned, says Kowalski, and are scampering around homes today. Other customers have given alternative forms of DNA to be frozen, like skin cells, in hopes of being cloned themselves in the future. Kowalski, his wife and their three sons are all signed up, each contributing $28,000 to secure their tube and fund maintenance until future medicine can bring them back to life. In theory, that money will be transferred into a bank account in their name for when they wake up, so they can cover medical bills (should they not be free) and have some pocket money for their new life in the future. The family took some persuading, but were fully on board once Kowalski had given his reasoning behind the process. "We don't propose fantastic futuristic medical science breakthroughs... we just propose to get you there," explains Kowalski. "We're kind of an ambulance ride to a future hospital that may or may not exist." Dissident Chinese academic has his brain FROZEN in the US with strict last wish to only thaw it 'after 500 years' For Kowalski, who signed up himself in 1995, cryopreservation is the best way he can imagine being reunited with his family after some painful losses. The concept of freezing a body until it can be brought back to life healthily is still just a concept. 'If it does work - oh my god... I would give everything I own for my my friends, my family, my mother, my father, people who have died in my life,' he says. 'It might be a shot in the dark... but it's the only shot we got.' 5 For cryopreservation to work, you need a viable candidate Credit: Cryonics Institute 'Pie-in-the-sky' Top neuroscientists have criticised the use of cryonics. They say it gives people false hope for a second chance at life. But Kowalski says there's "all sorts of evidence that this isn't just pie-in-the-sky". He continues: "I mean we can freeze embryos right now. People [in embryonic form] have been frozen solid and brought back." From eggs and sperm to skin, scientists can freeze all kinds of mammalian biological cells for medical application. "We just haven't perfected the whole person," adds Kowalski. "We haven't been able to revive someone yet and once we do we won't need cryonics to get you to the future - we'll be in the future." For cryopreservation to work, you need a viable candidate. A body that has been dead for a long time, or even a near-centenarian, might not be a possible, or even a good idea. 'You don't want to come back as a 99 year old just to die again," says Kowalski. 5 Kowalski recommends all cryo-sleepers get their families on side before they die Credit: Cryonics Institute A family affair Life is about who you share it with. And the same goes for your second coming, according to Kowalski. You'll want people from your own timeline, with whom you can revel about the past and also grapple with the future. Kowalski recommends all cryo-sleepers get their families on side before they die. 'The biggest people that can stand in the way of your cryopreservation is your family,' explains Kowalski. 'More often than not they want some more money out of the estate, that they think is maybe going to a foolish cause. 'So we suggest you give most of your money to your family and use life insurance as a savings vector. But the funny thing is this is affordable to just about anybody, its on par with an expensive funeral.' This way, nobody goes into the future with bitter rivalries hanging over their heads. 'In my case, my family is interested and has signed up as well,' says Kowalski. 'My wife, my children. Two of my sons are paramedics so they understand the emergency medical procedures. So its not a problem with me. 'But I encourage people to keep this a family thing. You don't want to break up families.'
The Irish Sun
05-05-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
My whole family will be FROZEN at death – we'll lay as ice cubes until science breakthrough brings us back to life
WOULD you cheat death for the price of $28,000? Well, that's what thousands of people across the world are trying to do with cryonics. Cryonics is the practice of deep-freezing the bodies of dead people, in hopes they can be revived in the future. 5 Dennis Kowalski is one of over 2,000 people who have signed up to be frozen when they die Credit: Cryonics Institute 5 Dennis' three sons Jacob, Danny and James have also agreed to be frozen Credit: Caters News Agency 5 Dennis with his wife Maria who has also been signed up to be cryo-preserved Credit: Caters News Agency Dennis Kowalski, a former paramedic who is now director of the Cryonics Institute, told The Sun he is one of over 2,000 people who have signed up to be frozen when they die. The nonprofit, based out of the US, is almost entirely made up of volunteers who have all signed up themselves. About 270 people are currently being stored in liquid nitrogen filled tubes at the Some of the pets have even been cloned, says Kowalski, and are scampering around homes today. READ MORE ON FUTURE TECH Other customers have given alternative forms of DNA to be frozen, like skin cells, in hopes of being cloned themselves in the future. Kowalski, his wife and their three sons are all signed up, each contributing $28,000 to secure their tube and fund maintenance until future medicine can bring them back to life. In theory, that money will be transferred into a bank account in their name for when they wake up, so they can cover medical bills (should they not be free) and have some pocket money for their new life in the future. The family took some persuading, but were fully on board once Kowalski had given his reasoning behind the process. Most read in Tech "We don't propose fantastic futuristic medical science breakthroughs... we just propose to get you there," explains Kowalski. "We're kind of an ambulance ride to a future hospital that may or may not exist." Dissident Chinese academic has his brain FROZEN in the US with strict last wish to only thaw it 'after 500 years' For Kowalski, who signed up himself in 1995, cryopreservation is the best way he can imagine being reunited with his family after some painful losses. The concept of freezing a body until it can be brought back to life healthily is still just a concept. 'If it does work - oh my god... I would give everything I own for my my friends, my family, my mother, my father, people who have died in my life,' he says. 'It might be a shot in the dark... but it's the only shot we got.' 5 For cryopreservation to work, you need a viable candidate Credit: Cryonics Institute 'Pie-in-the-sky' Top neuroscientists have criticised the use of cryonics. They say it gives people false hope for a second chance at life. But Kowalski says there's "all sorts of evidence that this isn't just pie-in-the-sky". He continues: "I mean we can freeze embryos right now. People [in embryonic form] have been frozen solid and brought back." From eggs and sperm to skin, scientists can freeze all kinds of mammalian biological cells for medical application. "We just haven't perfected the whole person," adds Kowalski. "We haven't been able to revive someone yet and once we do we won't need cryonics to get you to the future - we'll be in the future." For cryopreservation to work, you need a viable candidate. A body that has been dead for a long time, or even a near-centenarian, might not be a possible, or even a good idea. 'You don't want to come back as a 99 year old just to die again," says Kowalski. 5 Kowalski recommends all cryo-sleepers get their families on side before they die Credit: Cryonics Institute A family affair Life is about who you share it with. And the same goes for your second coming, according to Kowalski. You'll want people from your own timeline, with whom you can revel about the past and also grapple with the future. Kowalski recommends all cryo-sleepers get their families on side before they die. 'The biggest people that can stand in the way of your cryopreservation is your family,' explains Kowalski. 'More often than not they want some more money out of the estate, that they think is maybe going to a foolish cause. 'So we suggest you give most of your money to your family and use life insurance as a savings vector. But the funny thing is this is affordable to just about anybody, its on par with an expensive funeral.' This way, nobody goes into the future with bitter rivalries hanging over their heads. 'In my case, my family is interested and has signed up as well,' says Kowalski. 'My wife, my children. Two of my sons are paramedics so they understand the emergency medical procedures. So its not a problem with me. 'But I encourage people to keep this a family thing. You don't want to break up families.'
