Sam Smith Reflects on Liposuction Experience at 13
Sam Smith shared their challenging experience of undergoing liposuction as a teenager to remove unwanted chest fat. The singer, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, spoke about this in a recent interview on the Podcrushed podcast with co-host Penn Badgley.
Motivation Behind the Surgery
Sam explained the reasons for the surgery, saying,
"I had surgery on my chest when I was 13 years old, because I had a growing chest. There were all sorts of reasons why, but mainly, I was just getting so teased, I couldn't go swimming in school, and I couldn't - like, getting changed in the locker room was hell. So, I got liposuction when I was 13 years old."
Emotional Struggles and Support
They became emotional while discussing their struggles with body image and eating issues during that time. Sam noted that their parents were “hugely supportive” of their decision to pursue surgery. Although the procedure was effective, it also brought difficulties.
Challenges After Surgery
Sam described wearing a bandage to school well beyond the necessary period, revealing a coping strategy:
"(It was) just all a struggle with food and stuff. And the liposuction, it worked, but it was also a nightmare because they gave me a bandage. If I wore the bandage, it meant that I would get to the front of the lunch queue. So, I just kept this bandage on for nearly a year, and I'd be like, 'Oh, don't come close to me,' and then I'd just get first at lunch..."
The experience highlights the complex emotions behind cosmetic procedures at a young age.
Author’s Summary
Sam Smith’s liposuction at 13, driven by bullying and body image struggles, brought relief but also deep emotional challenges and coping behaviors during adolescence.