Influencer Maddison Steiner knows firsthand how plastic surgery can go awry.
Steiner underwent a breast augmentation in July 2024 after having given birth years prior, she told People in an interview published Saturday, July 5. “I felt ready to do something for myself and refresh the way I felt about my body.”
So Steiner found a Seattle-based surgeon and set up the procedure. At first, everything was going well and she felt confident in the results.
“The specific procedure I chose was labeled as a ’48-hour rapid recovery,’ meaning the healing process is meant to be very quick with minimal pain,” she said. “By 72 hours post-op, I felt great — like I was ready to get back to everyday life.”
Unfortunately, that’s when things started to go badly — and Steiner admits she’s the one to blame.
“I started lifting my toddler, even though my surgeon had specifically advised against lifting anything — including children — for six weeks,” she explained. “I misunderstood the instructions and thought it only applied to lifting things above my head, not to all lifting in general.”
After a few weeks, Steiner also realized that something was wrong — a reality that became even more apparent on Halloween. Once she took off her corseted costume, Steiner told the publication she “saw my implant slide into my armpit — it was visibly moving under my skin.”
“I immediately contacted my surgeon, and he confirmed that the pocket on my left side had stretched,” she added. Maddison also said she had carried her toddler daughter on her left hip before the implant began to shift.
Steiner got in touch with her medical team, who confirmed something was wrong. “As soon as I realized something was wrong, I sent photos to my nurse. She immediately forwarded them to my surgeon, and the next morning, they called me in for an exam,” she continued. “Not long after, they scheduled me for a revision surgery just a few weeks later.”
Unfortunately, the second surgery was more difficult.
“The revision surgery was more painful than the first. My surgeon had to manually stitch the implant pockets to tighten them and prevent further shifting,” she explained. “When I first saw the results the day after surgery, I was honestly horrified. I thought I looked botched.”
“I started crying because the way he had tucked my breast to help the pocket heal made everything look very strange,” Steiner continued. Luckily, she added, it all worked out.
“He told me to trust the process and give it time, and he was right,”she explained. “After a few weeks of healing, everything settled perfectly, and I’m happy with the results.”
