My 34KK breasts were 'crushing' me - now I feel like I can breathe again after paying £8,000 to get 34Fs instead

A model has undergone life-changing surgery to stop her 34KK breasts ‘crushing’ her.

Kaeleen Stammers, of south west London, dropped six cup sizes to a 34F after the gruelling three-hour operation, which saw private doctors remove 2.6kg (5.7lbs) of excess weight from her breasts.

For years, the 24-year-old suffered agonizing pain from tight bras cutting into her shoulders and ribcage, but was rejected by the NHS for surgery because her BMI was too high.

She also felt constantly exhausted from carrying their sheer weight around all day.

But the model, creative director and writer, can now finally walk the streets without people staring, she said. And Ms Stammers said she can finally breathe easy again.

Kaeleen Stammers, of south west London, dropped six cup sizes to a 34F after the gruelling three hour operation, which saw private doctors remove 2.6kg of excess weight from her breasts. Pictured above, before the operation

After enduring years of severe pain and injury to her chest and shoulders, Ms Stammers said those issues have now disappeared overnight following surgery. Having since fully recovered, she is also able to exercise properly ‘at long last’. Pictured, after surgery

‘Having big breasts was a daily struggle, there wasn’t one moment of relief,’ she told MailOnline.

‘I had to sleep with two sports bras just to be semi-comfortable, but I was always under the crushing weight of my breasts.’

Prior to surgery, men had also offered her money to send them pictures and sleep with her, which Ms Stammers said made her feel disgusting.

‘Men would stare all day, every day, and on occasion tut because they thought I had gotten ridiculous implants,’ she added.

So how can you get breast reduction surgery on the NHS?

Breast reduction surgery is done to reduce the size and weight of a woman’s breasts, and involves removing fat, tissue and skin from the chest.

Whether the NHS will offer the operation may depend on where someone lives – and the eligibility criteria of their Integrated Care Board (ICB) – and why they want the operation.

Some ICBs do not fund breast reduction surgery at all, and others fund it selectively if you fulfil certain criteria.

Generally speaking, you might be considered for breast reduction on the NHS if you have problems caused by having very large breasts, such as:

Backache
Shoulder or neck pain
Skin irritation
Rashes and skin infections under the breasts
Grooves on the shoulders from bra straps
Psychological distress, such as low self-esteem or depression
An inability to exercise or take part in sports

ICBs also tend to have additional criteria that may include the size of your breasts, your weight, your age, whether you smoke, and whether other options – such as wearing professionally fitted bras – have been tried, but have not helped.

To check your eligibility for a breast reduction on the NHS, you should contact your GP.

The final decision is usually made by a panel of representatives from your local ICB, which will take into account the information from your assessments and a review of your individual case.

Source: NHS

‘Women also gave me dirty looks and clutched their partner’s hand and searched their eyes to make sure they weren’t looking at me.

‘I started wearing baggy clothes so I wouldn’t make them feel insecure or welcome a male gaze.’

Refused surgery on the NHS due to her BMI, she opted instead to fund the operation privately.

Such operations can be a postcode lottery, with local health chiefs having the power to decide who to offer the surgery to.

While some do not fund breast reduction surgery at all, others fund it selectively if you fulfil certain criteria, such as, maintaining a BMI of below 27 for at least a year.

The final decision is normally made after reviewing each case individually.

After getting in touch with private organisation Spire Manchester in October 2021, she attended two consultations and sought the approval of her GP.

Ms Stammers received the green light in February 2022, booking her operation at Oaklands Hospital in Salford for June.

She splurged £7,800 in total and applied to a broker, who paid the hospital on her behalf up front.

Typically, private breast reduction surgery costs around £6,500 in the UK, according to the NHS.

However, this does not usually include the cost of consultations or follow-up care.

She told MailOnline: ‘Doctors removed 2.6kg of breast tissue and fat and it wasn’t until afterwards that I realised I was able to breathe properly and expand my lungs for what felt like the first time ever.

‘My doctor did a fantastic job, and the hospital staff and aftercare was fantastic.’

Discharged from hospital the day after surgery, she had two further follow up appointments over the next fortnight where was assessed and had her dressings removed.

‘I remember being so terrified that I would open my wounds and feeling so weak I didn’t believe I could leave the hospital the next day.’

She added: ‘The first weeks were very, very painful and I had to understand how morphine worked, as well as figure out what dosage was right for me.

‘It was also frustrating not being able to do anything for myself.

‘My dad waited on me hand and foot, bringing me meals that my mum cooked, adjusting my pillows and watching over me. He barely slept.’

Prior to surgery (pictured), men had offered Ms Stammers money to send them pictures and sleep with her, which made her feel disgusting. ‘Men would stare all day, every day, and on occasion tut because they thought I had gotten ridiculous implants,’ she said

Discharged from hospital the day after surgery, she had two further follow up appointments over the next fortnight where was assessed and had her dressings removed. Pictured after the operation

Prior to surgery she would also ‘dread any social events, especially during the summer’, Ms Stammers said, worrying people would stare at her chest. ‘I would be swelteringly hot, my inner arms getting shredded by my side boob and scratchy bra. Now I feel completely and entirely free to express myself through fashion each day, I’m always excited to try new clothing and see how it falls on my new figure.’ Pictured after the operation

But after enduring years of severe pain and injury to her chest and shoulders, Ms Stammers said those issues have now disappeared overnight.

Having since fully recovered, she is also able to exercise properly ‘at long last’.

She told MailOnline: ‘I’ve been heavily into pilates and yoga, and I’m hoping to start my passion of netball again sometime this year.’

Refused surgery on the NHS due to her BMI, she opted instead to fund the operation privately. Ms Stammers received the green light in February 2022, booking her operation at Oaklands Hospital in Salford for June. She splurged £7,800 in total and applied to a broker, who paid the hospital on her behalf up front. Pictured at Oaklands Hospital

Prior to surgery she would also ‘dread any social events, especially during the summer’, she said, worrying people would stare at her chest.

‘I would be swelteringly hot, my inner arms getting shredded by my side boob and scratchy bra.

‘Now I feel completely and entirely free to express myself through fashion each day, I’m always excited to try new clothing and see how it falls on my new figure.’

She added: ‘I feel like I have a new lease on life and don’t have to second-guess my hopes, dreams, desires and capability of doing mundane things.’

She has also recently launched a TikTok account to share her experience in the hope of helping others.

Asked what advice she had for others contemplating the same procedure, she said: ‘Don’t wait too long. It will be the best decision you have ever made.

‘Join breast reduction communities on Facebook and other places to understand more about the tops and tricks to healing well.’

She added: ‘Every person I’ve seen wished they’d done it years before, in their prime years.

‘Your body will look, feel and change drastically after the operation but go with the flow and the process.’

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