A 25-year-old South African influencer, Michelle Sekwena, underwent breast reduction surgery in February 2025 after being diagnosed with a condition called gigantomastia, which causes excessive and rapid growth of tissue in that body part.
Sekwena had her cup size reduced from 34G to 34D, the smallest size that would align with her petite frame.
Highlights
- Michelle Sekwana’s breasts returning to their pre-surgery size has left social media users confused, with many saying they didn’t know it was possible.
- A medical expert explained why breast tissue can grow back and shared how to make surgery results last longer.
- A Los Angeles dancer also experienced breast regrowth after her 2019 reduction surgery.
By April 2026, however, her followers began noticing that her breasts had returned to looking as they did before her surgery.
While some speculated that Sekwena was posting “pre-recorded videos” on her social media, others did not hesitate to conclude, “they regrew.”
Michelle Sekwena’s post-surgery breast regrowth had netizens perplexed
Image credits: TikTok/michelle_kino
Sekwena spoke to NeedToKnow, a digital news and content agency, before her surgery, sharing how people would think she was pregnant and give her “weird stares” because of her enlarged breasts.
The influencer also detailed that she began experiencing soreness in her back and neck because of the added weight.
After Sekwena got her breasts reduced, she said she felt like she had her “life back.”
Her relief, however, was short-lived, as her breasts returned to their previous form in a little more than a year.
Image credits: TikTok/michelle_kino
Social media users shared confused reactions to the development, with one writing, “Can someone please explain how it’s possible for the breast to just grow back?” and another adding, “Do you mean the breast just got revenge for cutting it off?”
“My aunt had hers reduced four times because they just keep growing back,” a third shared.
“My breast reduction plans are cancelled asf, cause what do you mean they grow back?” commented a fourth.
“Dude, I genuinely feel awful for her. That’s gotta be stressful. Like, just imagine all that money wasted in hopes her quality of life would be better,” a separate user sympathized.
“The female anatomy is a scam,” the next voiced.
A medical expert has detailed why the breasts may regrow after surgery and how it can be prevented
Image credits: TikTok/michelle_kino
According to Harvard-trained Boston-based plastic surgeon Dr. Christopher Davidson, hormonal imbalances can cause breast tissue to regrow.
“The hormones pretty much run the show when it comes to your body’s growth and development,” he wrote on his personal blog in November 2023.
Image credits: TikTok/michelle_kino
Hormonal fluctuations are caused by unhealthy habits such as poor diet and lack of exercise, he explained.
Maintaining a balanced diet, engaging in regular physical activity, staying adequately hydrated, and ensuring sufficient sleep are essential for overall health, supporting hormonal balance, and enhancing the longevity of surgical outcomes.
Image credits: TikTok/michelle_kino
Dr. Davidson also noted that the timing of breast reduction surgery is crucial.
He recommends that women ideally undergo the procedure after completing their families, as pregnancy-related hormonal changes and weight gain can reverse the results.
A 24-year-old dancer from Los Angeles experienced breast regrowth following surgery due to a hormonal imbalance
Bethanie Lyon paid $10,000 for a breast reduction surgery to turn her E-cups into C-cups in 2019.
“I was always a little embarrassed by their size,” she told Jam Press. “People commented constantly, and it felt like that was all people saw about me, and all anyone associated me with was having a big chest.”
Lyon explained that her large breasts had an impact on her work, saying, “They were just always so heavy and in the way. I honestly felt like I looked stupid with them when I danced.”
While the performer was initially happy with her procedure and excited to have her desired breast size, she admitted that recovery was painful.
“It felt like my skin was ripping apart,” she said.
Lyon added that she was aware of the risks associated with the surgery, including the possibility that her breasts could grow back due to her hypothyroidism — a condition in which the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in the neck does not produce enough hormones.
When thyroid hormone levels are low, the body’s entire hormonal system becomes disrupted.
Image credits: Instagram/bethanielyon
This leads to an increase in estrogen, the hormone responsible for the development of female characteristics, according to The Marion Gluck Clinic, which stimulates breast tissue growth.
Two years after her surgery, in 2021, Lyon revealed she had learned to embrace her large breasts.
"I really hope she finds a permanent solution soon," a netizen commented about Michelle Sekwena
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