Plastic surgery in Singapore as a teen

“I did liposuction. And a boob job.”

“Huh? How? When? What?”

This was my exact reaction each time my friend, *Ava told our friend group that she had undergone plastic surgery when we were 16 and again at 17. I didn’t even know you could get plastic surgery in Singapore before the age of 21, much less before turning 18.

While everyone is entitled to their own opinion about plastic surgery, it’s important to respect Ava’s decisions and validate her reasons for doing so at the age that she did. Here is Ava’s story from her POV.

*Names have been changed for privacy.

Why I decided to get plastic surgery

Growing up as the super chubby kid, it’s no surprise that I dealt with body image issues from having a round face, a protruding tummy, and thick thighs that would chafe with every step I took from the age of 7.

Image credit: Ava

Because I was overweight, I often heard remarks about my size from other kids and grown-ups and quickly grew self-conscious of my appearance. I was determined to do something about it and luckily for me, I’ve always loved sports. Believe it or not, my CCA in primary school was rope skipping. As unusual as that may sound, it was a sport my primary school dominated, and I was part of the school team.

As you know, skipping involves a lot of cardio, in addition to speed competitions and routine competitions I took part in that required tricks demanding agility and coordination. And yet, I graduated primary school standing 1.5m tall and weighing 60kg -10kg heavier than the healthy weight range for my height.

Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: Kevin Ang via Flickr

Hitting puberty made me want to lose weight even more. I followed a bunch of fitness influencers who went through a drastic weight loss and I wanted to achieve a body like theirs. In secondary school, I continued to try to lose weight and joined the most physically demanding sport the school offered: dragon boat. Dragon boating was no joke; we trained 2-3 times a week for 3 hours at a time. Even though we technically sat in boats for races, we needed to build strength and endurance throughout our body, meaning intense core and cardio workouts were the norm.

Technically, I was in the best shape of my life because I was able to achieve gold for NAPFA each year. Yet it didn’t feel so because my body was still bulky, and my thighs were just as thick.

It wasn’t just frustrating because I didn’t like how I looked, but it also affected my daily life. Everyday tasks like walking or running would cause my shorts to ride up my leg which was pretty frustrating.

Landing on the decision to get liposuction

Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: arbobii via iStock

Beyond exercising, I took an interest in learning about the human body to better understand what exercises could target spots of fat I had. That was when I made the crushing discovery that what I actually had was cellulite, where fat deposits caused my skin to look bumpy and dimpled.

Medical research says that there is no way to completely get rid of cellulite in the body, only reduce its appearance. Suggestions from articles I’d read included doing strength-related exercises that would help tone my legs and maintaining a low-calorie diet. But, I’d been doing all that for years with no results to show for it.

Eventually, I learnt about liposuction. I don’t remember how I got there, but I took a deep dive into the surgery and decided that that would be the only way I would finally get rid of my chubby thighs.

So, a couple of months before I sat for my O levels, I decided I was going to ask my parents about it.

I must caveat that my parents were supportive of my decision and they didn’t need much convincing to allow me to have the surgery. They already knew how much my thighs had been bothering me for as long as I could remember and they watched how much work I had put in to get rid of the fats through exercise for years.

With their go-ahead, I started researching plastic surgeons in Singapore to see which doctor I could go to for liposuction.

Thinking about getting breast augmentation

One thing people don’t tell you about losing weight is that you’re likely to lose your boobs too. Mine shrank significantly from exercising, and since I didn’t have much to begin with, it became a new source of insecurity as I matured.

Image credit: Dall-E

As much as people around me always said the size of a person’s chest doesn’t matter, it mattered to me. Even with my weight loss through exercise and liposuction, my build remained broad, and I felt that my chest looked disproportionate to my frame.

Image adapted from: Ava

This took a toll on my idea of femininity between the ages of 16 and 17 as I transitioned out of my tomboy phase. As much as I wanted to embrace a more feminine wardrobe, I couldn’t bring myself to, because every time I tried, I could not stand how I looked in the mirror.

And since I already had gone through one plastic surgery at this point, I figured there was no harm in considering getting a boob job as well to help me with my body image issues. In fact, it was a solution my mother offered to me, as she had struggled with similar body issues when she was younger and could empathise with how I felt. Ultimately, she chose to support my decision because she wanted to give me an opportunity she wished she had at my age.

How I got plastic surgery before even turning 18

Other than my parents being supportive of what I wanted, I am fortunate to be an only child in a family that can afford these procedures. They wanted the best for me and looked for the top plastic surgeons in Singapore to consult with as well as checked if doing plastic surgery as a minor in Singapore was allowed in the first place.

Since I am sharing about my journey, yes, plastic surgery can be done for minors, as long as parents are present for the consultations and are the ones signing the consent forms on the patient’s behalf.

What the liposuction process was like

I went for my liposuction consultation shortly after O levels with my parents. There, the doctor did a routine check to understand my weight loss journey and why I was resorting to liposuction. He assessed that although I was young, doing liposuction was a viable choice to achieve my desired results of slimmer thighs.

He also went through what the process would be like and explained that the surgery was a quick fix, not a permanent solution to weight loss. Yes, even though the targeted area would be less prone to gaining fat, I would still need to manage my weight to prevent cellulite from coming back.

There were other checks done prior to the operation as well, such as a pre-op blood test and ECG to ensure my body was fit for surgery. About a week before the date of my plastic surgery, the clinic sent instructions for me to fast 6 hours before the surgery and not have any makeup, skincare, jewellery, nail polish, or embellishments on the day of the surgery.

Image credit: KKC Clinic

On the day of the surgery, I felt nervous but ultimately excited that I was hours away from finally getting the body I wanted. The doctor marked the areas where I would get liposuction, and even considered which areas would have less scarring, since the procedure involves using a probe to suck out the fat.

I was put under general anaesthesia and woke up roughly 5 hours later with 2 full tubs of fat removed from my thighs – a visual ingrained in my memory.

Image credit: Ava

I immediately looked at myself in the mirror once I woke up, and in all honesty, I thought that my legs looked the same. This definitely scared me but then I reminded myself that it was due to the swelling and that I had to trust the process.

Although the surgery is considered invasive, I didn’t have to stay overnight at the hospital. My parents came to pick me up shortly after I was done, and I got to go home with a bag of post-op pills to recover.

Even with the pain meds I was taking, recovery wasn’t the easiest. The next couple of days were horrible; my legs felt sore and painful to move and I just felt uncomfortable overall wearing a compression garment to ensure the post-op swelling would go down.

Image credit: Ava

Thankfully, the discomfort I was feeling just meant that I was on the road to recovery. My post-op check a few days later showed that my surgery was healing well.

In my case, the entire surgery and process cost around $20,000, which included the operation, medication, and post-operative garments. Subsequent post-operation visits to track my recovery were waived. Within the first 3 years, I went for about 25 appointments and I still visit the clinic every 6 months to check on the healing of my scars.

What the breast augmentation process was like

Similarly, when I wanted to get a boob job, the first thing I did was attend a consultation, as awkward as it was with both my parents in the same room. I let the doctor know that I was unhappy about the size of my chest in comparison to my build and wanted natural-looking boobs. We also discussed the possibility of breastfeeding in the future, but my doctor assured me that implants wouldn’t affect it at all.

Image credit: Depositphotos

We went through the options on different types of breast implants available such as the classic saline-filled kind to the latest silicon ones that have the most realistic feel. While getting the silicon ones was more pricey, my parents were quick to agree that this was not something they were going to skimp on, so that’s what we went with.

Next, they measured my chest to figure out my proportions and let me know the suggested implant size for the most natural look. They also took 360-degree images of my chest to generate an AI image of how my boobs would look post-surgery depending on the various implant size choices.

Even with the renderings, I wasn’t sure what size to get, and my doctor suggested I try out the implants with a sizing bra. A nurse helped me out with this and she said that in her experience, patients who went with a smaller option tended to regret not getting larger implants in the future. That sealed the deal for me, and I went for the largest possible that would match my body proportions. Spoiler alert: I haven’t regretted going this big. I say big but I’m roughly a large B to small C cup size now, you can just imagine how flat I was before.

Image credit: Andrew Pieri

All that was left was to go for the operation, which also included a similar pre-op routine as my liposuction. I knocked out and woke up after 3-4 hours to tightness in my chest – a sure and telling sign that I had new boobs. I was wrapped up in an extremely tight compression bra that was meant to help the implants “drop and fluff”, a process that would allow them to settle into a more natural position.

Image credit: Ava

Again, I was allowed to go straight home after surgery to recover. The discomfort was different this time round, since I had to sleep on my back for a few weeks. The swelling was also much more than I’d expected, but again, I had to trust the process that my boobs would look better in the weeks to come.

I had weekly appointments, monthly check-ups, and then regular visits to the clinic just for the doctors to take progress pictures and track my recovery. All in all, I consider myself fortunate that none of my surgeries had any complications and I healed well from both.

My breast augmentation cost roughly $20,000, which also covered everything from the surgery itself to medication and dressings for my wounds.

Overall experiences after plastic surgery

By the 6-month to 1-year mark post-surgery, what you see in the mirror is more or less the end results of the operation. Both times, I was so happy with what I saw that I completely forgot how sore and uncomfortable the healing process was.

The results were everything I expected, which helped to build my self-confidence. For the first time in as long as I could remember, my thighs didn’t chafe as I walked, and I could wear the clothes I wanted to wear with confidence. It’s truly a liberating feeling.

Image credit: Fundamental Aesthetic Medical Clinic

The only thing that bothers me now is the scars from the breast augmentation. Unlike the scars from the liposuction, which are now virtually unnoticeable, the scars from the implants became hypertrophic, which means there’s a raised and red bump where the incision was formed. As a result, I’ve had to undergo additional laser treatments to address the scarring, similar to how acne scars are treated. Despite this, I’m still satisfied with the results of my breast augmentation.

I was nervous about going back to school with a new body, but since I only wore loose-fitting clothes, it wasn’t obvious that I’d gotten plastic surgery unless I mentioned it. Even so, the surgeries are not something I actively hide or deny getting done. In fact, it’s been amusing revealing to people – mainly friends – that I’ve had plastic surgery. Their reactions have always been positive and supportive, despite the initial jaw-dropping shock they would have.

But I do understand that there are some folks out there who still believe that I shouldn’t have had plastic surgery, and that I should have learnt to be more confident in my own skin. I know some might also question why any parent would allow and even pay for this to happen. But, I maintain that my parents did not see plastic surgery as nothing more than a cosmetic procedure – much like putting on makeup, just in a more permanent fashion.

Advice on getting plastic surgery in Singapore

Even though I’ve had 2 surgeries, I’m not here to encourage any person who’s displeased with their looks to go for them. If it’s something you’re seriously contemplating, I think it’s important that you do the procedures for yourself and not to please someone else.

But that doesn’t mean immediately signing up for a consultation. Plastic surgery isn’t the be-all and end-all of solutions to getting your ideal body. There may be non-invasive alternatives, such as fat-freezing or non-surgical breast enhancement that might work for you instead.

You’ll also want to take finances into consideration. While doctors can give you estimates, complications like my issues with scarring will cost extra to fix, so be prepared to spend much more than what’s been quoted.

And if you are in a similar situation that I was in, the best way to talk to your parents about it is to be honest with them about why you want to get a procedure done. Do some research on your end first for clinics, price, and type of surgery so they know you are serious about it.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that they will agree to let you get it done, but having an open discussion would at least prepare them for the possibility of you getting plastic surgery in the future.

Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: Miss Ty via Shutterstock

At the end of the day, it’s your body and you should have agency over what you want to do with it. Just be sure that this is what you’re comfortable living with forever.

My advice is to think over it for at least 1 year before committing so that you are sure it is not an impulse decision. And, where possible, don’t skimp on the surgeries. Read up on reviews to find a reputable place to make sure the entire process is a safe and comfortable one.

Getting plastic surgery in Singapore

As one of Ava’s best friends, you now understand how surprising it was to hear Ava’s story first-hand. Hopefully, her story gave you a deeper understanding of why she did it beyond aesthetic purposes.

Even if you don’t agree with her, the hope is everyone can still be respectful to Ava or any other person who has gotten plastic surgery. Unfortunately, there’s still a stigma surrounding plastic surgery. People often assume that those who opt for surgery are insecure or shallow, but the reality is far more complex. For many, it’s a personal choice rooted in wanting to feel more comfortable in their own skin.

Whether plastic surgery is the answer to the issue depends on each individual’s journey with body image and fitness. It’s not easy waking up every day and hating what you see in the mirror. Offering encouragement and respecting the choices of a friend or loved one considering plastic surgery can help create a more compassionate environment where they feel empowered to make decisions about their bodies without fear of negative criticism.

While Ava does not plan on doing any more plastic surgeries, gurl, if you do, at least give me a heads up first; you know you can count on me.

For more perspective pieces, read:

• Finding love on dating apps
• Why I no longer enjoy CNY celebrations as an adult
• What giving birth without an epidural feels like, as told by a mum

Cover image adapted from: Ava