A woman has spoken out about her dream 'mummy makeover' that she claims didn't go to plan - and is now warning others thinking surgery could be a quick fix after being 'butchered'.
Devastated mum of one Leah Mattson, 26, forked out more than £6,000 for surgery in Turkey but says she is now left with wonky hips, skin flaps, and an off-centre belly button, she says. Her results were far from what she had imagined, and have seen her too upset to show off the new look she had dreamed of.
Leah said: "The Mummy makeover was supposed to be the icing on the cake but instead it's ruined my dreams. I want to make other people aware of the dangers of surgery. I did my research, and I thought I'd made a good choice. But I will regret it for the rest of my life."
In May 2023, the mum, from Hereford, Worcester, had gastric sleeve surgery, which saw her weight drop from 25 stone to 13 stone. She had the op done in Izmir, Turkey, and says it went smoothly. So impressed by the job, she then began saving to have her excess skin removed with the same company.
Leah flew out again this July where she had a tummy tuck, breast lift and arm lift, which set her back £6,300. However this time around she claims it was a completely different story.
"After the op, I felt very poorly, which was to be expected. I was also very swollen which again seemed normal," Leah, who is mum to Esmae, three, said. "My hips were at completely different levels but the doctors said they would settle down."
Five days later, she returned home but says she developed a build-up of fluid, known as a seroma. Leah claims that the clinic treated her well, describing them as 'very good', with a doctor draining it under local anaesthetic in his office. "I was even offered a PR job, trying to promote their services back in the UK," she added.
But eight weeks on, Leah claims that although the swelling had gone, she was left with an imbalance in her hips and belly button. She also had flaps of skin at the side of her breasts and a large amount of excess skin remaining.
"My stomach is asymmetric. My belly button is way out of place," she said. "My arms still have so much excess skin and I have little parcels of skin at the side of my breasts. I looked much better before my surgery. I am so upset.
"I contacted the clinic who said they would do more surgery with the same doctor but I was too scared to let them near me again. They refused to give me any money back." She has had to return to work as an auxiliary nurse in a hospital, which makes her 'anxious'.
"I wear a short-sleeved uniform, and I am so conscious that my arms look a mess," she explained. "I hate the way my body looks – it was better before.
"I've been through so much, losing all my weight, and this final op was supposed to be the icing on the cake, the final part of the new me. Instead, I feel like I've been butchered." In a warning to others considering surgery overseas, she added: "If my story can help one person, and change their mind, then it's worth it. Please think carefully before surgery – you only get one body and one life."
The clinic has been approached for comment. A spokesman said: "We have taken legal action towards Leah because of everything that has been put up on social media platforms and said about me and my company so it's totally about your story yes but really can't go into detail as my lawyers told me not to right now unfortunately."