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Brooke Shields Reveals ‘Irreversible’ Procedure a Plastic Surgeon Performed Without Her Consent
Brooke Shields revealed she had an “irreversible” and intimate procedure performed on her without her consent by a male plastic surgeon.
The Mother of the Bride actress, 59, explained in an Us Weekly interview published on Wednesday, January 8, that when she was in her 40s, her “wonderful” gynecologist asked if the length of her labia had caused her discomfort. Brooke said it had ever since she was in high school. Her doctor told her it could be relieved with a surgical reduction, which would need to be performed by a plastic surgeon.
“Of course, it’s not covered by insurance because it’s considered cosmetic, which is very interesting. The last time I did check, I did not want to be a porn star,” the former Calvin Klein model told the outlet, saying she’d heard about adult film stars having the procedure done for aesthetic reasons.
Upon her gynecologist’s recommendation, Brooke underwent a labia reduction performed by a male plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills. During a post-op checkup, she discovered the doctor gave her another procedure without her consent or awareness.
“He informed me that he threw in a little bonus,” the Suddenly Susan alum explained, saying he gave her a vaginal rejuvenation in addition to her labia reduction. “It felt like such an invasion — such a bizarre, like, rape of some kind,” she told the publication.
The surgeon “legitimately proudly explained to me that he, you know, threw in a little twofer,” Brooke revealed.
“Nothing pointed toward this need to be tighter or smaller or firmer or younger, especially there,” she continued, saying the vaginal tightening wasn’t something she wanted and that it was “irreversible.”
The procedure left her feeling “shame” and “anger,” and Brooke told the outlet she didn’t share what happened with her husband, Chris Henchy, “for the longest time.”
The Blue Lagoon actress goes into more detail about the traumatic experience in her new memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman. It goes on sale on January 14.
She tells readers, “I’d be lying if I said I’m not embarrassed to share this very intimate information. But, if we are to change the way we approach and talk about women’s health, then we need to bring up the uncomfortable but very real issues. Shame is no longer an option.”
Brooke married movie producer Chris, 60, in April 2001. They welcomed daughter Rowan in May 2003, followed by a second daughter, Grier, in April 2006.
The A Castle for Christmas star said she hopes her children are inspired by her book’s message about aging.
“Self-improvement, no matter what that means to you, is great. I’m all for it. But our society has become so myopically focused on youth, we lose sight of the value that comes with age and experience and time. I look at my two girls — everything’s higher and tighter and smoother. And I know it’s all appealing and it does sell, but I want my girls to not be terrified to be my age,” Brooke told Real Simple in a Tuesday, January 7, interview.
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