‘I broke my ribs to ‘remodel’ my waist – the results left me baffled at first’

A 25-year-old avid gym goer has revealed how she was so insecure about her figure that she had her ribs remodelled in a bid to achieve the hourglass look. We take a look at the new procedure

A woman has revealed that she deliberately got her ribs fractured via surgery, all to ‘remodel’ her waistline.

RibXcar – also known as rib remodelling – is a type of rib reshaping surgery that is minimally invasive and aims to improve the waistline’s definition without removing ribs.

It’s a relatively new, not yet widespread technique, that it is becoming increasingly popular. While experts say it’s a relatively low risk procedure – complications can lead to chronic pain, unsightly scars, an unnatural or sunken appearance and the loss of the protective function the ribs provide.

After the surgery, patients wears a snug corset for three months to ontrol how much smaller they want their waistline to be. Patients can lose up to five inches from their waist in three months but it’s important they do their research and only go to certified plastic surgeons.

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The Daily Mirror launched a campaign to ban cosmetic cowboys and tighten regulations on cosmetic surgery in the UK in November 2024. It calls for stronger rules, supports government initiatives to warn the public about the risks of “medical tourism,” and promotes patient safety.

The 25-year-old woman, known as Natalie Y, says she carried out extensive research and also works in the industry.

“I work as a medical assistant for board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Thomas Sterry in New York and had already been receiving filler and Botox treatments from him. So when I decided to pursue something about my body, I went to him,” Natalie told The Cut.

“I was very unhappy with my flanks. I stored a lot of fat in my flanks and upper back, and even though I worked out frequently, I couldn’t seem to get rid of it. And then came my abdomen. I felt like I had a short torso and that there wasn’t really any space in between.

“He said liposuction would remove the fat cells, but I would still be left with that bony, up-and-down structure. In order to create an hourglass figure, I’d have to contour my flared ribs inward with this surgery.”

When she told close friends what she was about to do, they were initially shocked but happy for her. And while Dr Sterry had performed the surgery a few times in Peru, she was his first patient in New York. treatment starts from $9,900 (£7,459) plus liposuction which can cost an additional $16,000 (£12,057).

And she says she’d do it all again in a heartbeat. “There were times when I was definitely very unhappy with how my body was healing and was being really hard on myself,” Natalie said.

“At the beginning of my recovery, I felt like my results weren’t as noticeable as I’d like them to be, and I still felt a little boxy. But I just had to wait for all of the swelling to go down and heal to see my true results.”

She says that now she definitely notices a more cinched look, and claims to have lost six inches on her waist. The woman adds that she feels like ‘a new person’ with her new confidence.