Lancashire mum ends seven-year botched boob job nightmare during lockdown

Leah Maynard had breast augmentation surgery back in 2013, in the hope it would give her a confidence boost.

Instead, it left her embarrassed and ashamed and destroyed her trust in plastic surgeons.

The 35-year-old, from Preston, said: “I wanted the surgery initially because I had breast fed my two children and I had lost all elasticity and volume.

"I was a C cup before and I ended up a DD, so it wasn’t a massive difference.

"I just wanted them to look fuller again."

Leah Maynard

Leah was operated on by Amedeo Usai, who was later struck-off following complaints relating to botched surgeries and emails that hit out at patients with vile sexist slurs.

Luckily, Leah had not been targeted by the insulting messages, nor had she found her voice to complain.

Instead, she was hit by decreasing self-esteem and rising embarrassment after her surgery went wrong.

She said: "The pocket on the left breast had been made too large enabling the implant to move about. It was very uneven and it wore away at the tissue.

“It completely knocked my confidence and I was so self-conscious.

"It was doing things like going swimming with the children or being on holiday that were the worst – you could see that one breast was larger than the other.

"It was very noticeable. I just thought it would fix itself, but it got worse.

"It took me years to trust another surgeon.”

Former dental nurse Leah spent seven years being ashamed of how she looked and covering up wherever possible.

But last year, as she prepared to start a full-time university course, she finally decided to take the plunge and get corrective surgery so that she could concentrate on her studies without worrying about her body.

She continued: “I had time to think during lockdown and reassessed what was important so I decided to do something about it as it was affecting my quality of life.

“I was so nervous.

"The first time round I was naïve - I went into it thinking ‘he’s a registered surgeon’ so I trusted him. I thought I could just trust every surgeon.

“This time, I did lots of research and checked all the reviews. I just wanted to fix it and look normal again.”

Joanna and Gerard Lambe from the Reflect Clinic

Leah finally plucked up the courage to go to a consultation and it was then that she met consultant plastic surgeon Gerard Lambe at the Reflect Clinic in Manchester for the first time.

“The first thing he did was to give me realistic expectations,” she said. “He told me what I could achieve and what I couldn’t.

“I was filled with emotion and I felt embarrassed. But he made me feel comfortable.

"Afterwards I received continuous support. The clinic even called me the next day to ask how I was.

“The main factor was that I trusted him. When I went in for the second consultation, he had arranged for another patient to talk to me, to give me the patient’s perspective.

"He could see my vulnerability and he wanted to help me.”

Leah agreed to have the corrective procedure and underwent the op in January with an overnight stay at the Spire Hospital in Manchester.

She added: “Everything was brilliant. They removed the original implants, replaced them under the muscle and repaired the damage that had been done.

“I was absolutely amazed with the results – they exceeded all my expectations.”

The Spire Hospital in Manchester where Leah had her corrective surgery

Leah, who has a son, 12 and a daughter, eight, said the surgery meant she could start her mental health nursing degree without worrying about her appearance or health.

“This means I can concentrate properly on my studies,” she said. “It has been life-changing for me. I just feel lighter and I am so much happier in myself now I know my body is OK.

"There was a risk that it would have started to wear away the skin, so it was a worry. Now I’ve got peace of mind, not just aesthetically, but knowing that my body is healthy.”

Leah said she was also reassured by the continuing care from the Reflect Clinic staff, with clinic manager Jayne Bailey calling regularly to check how she was doing after the surgery.

She said: "My advice for anyone in this position would be to go for it. Whether it’s reconstructive or to boost confidence, I’m all for cosmetic surgery if it’s going to make you feel better physically or emotionally.

“This experience was so different to the first time round. I was naïve with the first procedure – he was a surgeon and he was qualified. I never thought for a moment he would end up being struck off.

“I would say to anyone considering surgery - do your research, check the reviews and go to as many consultations as possible to get different opinions. Don’t be taken in by a cheap deal, it’s not about the money, but the trust you have in your surgeon. And don't let Covid put you off.”

Reflect Clinic Director Joanna Lambe echoed Leah’s advice about research and urged potential patients to avoid clinics that are focused on price or who do not offer the chance to meet the surgeon beforehand, while Gerard added that building a relationship of trust between the surgeon and patient was a top priority.

Joanna said inquiries about cosmetic surgery procedures had surged during lockdown: "Lockdown led to people being increasingly sat at home thinking about and reassessing what they want in life.

"They have spent a lot of time on Zoom or Facetime calls for work or with family, which has made them look at themselves with new eyes."

In particular, she said there had been an increase in upper eyelift surgery, breast surgery, mummy makeovers and labiaplasty surgery.

The Reflect Clinic is based at the Spire Hospital in Manchester and also in Wilmslow.

Amedeo Usai has since returned to his native Italy.

For more information, visit reflectclinic.co.uk