A woman says her breasts grew three sizes after a botched stomach liposuction — and they’re still getting bigger.
Elaina St. James, who previously wore a DD cup, underwent the procedure to achieve a more sculpted look by targeting fat cells in her midsection.
Elaina St James surgery targeted fat cells to give her a more toned appearanceCredit: Jam Press/@elainastjames
She revealed that her stomach lipo that made my breasts inflateCredit: Jam Press/@elainastjames
Elaina is a 58-year-old woman who lives in North CarolinaCredit: Jam Press/@elainastjames
But the 58-year-old was shocked by an unexpected side effect.
In the months after the £7,382 “botched” liposuction—which left her stomach uneven and “lumpy”—Elaina noticed her breasts had grown significantly, forcing her to completely revamp her lingerie collection.
Now wearing a 36G cup, the content creator says her bust might still be growing.
“I honestly thought I was going crazy at first,” said Elaina, who has 430,000 followers on Instagram @elainastjames.
“I asked my doctor if the liposuction could somehow be causing my boobs to grow,” Elaina recalled.
“I hadn’t changed anything significant in my lifestyle, so I couldn’t figure out what else it could be.”
She was stunned when her doctor immediately confirmed her suspicion.
“He explained that when fat cells are removed through liposuction, the body can sometimes compensate by expanding fat in other areas — and in my case, it was my chest.”
“Apparently, it’s not that uncommon.
“I couldn’t believe it.
“I was already blessed with naturally large breasts, so enhancing them was never something I considered,” Elaina said.
“I had no idea something like this could even happen.”
Interestingly, a 2007 study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine found that nearly 48% of participants experienced an increase in breast size after undergoing abdominal liposuction.
Originally from the Midwest and now living in North Carolina, Elaina decided to have the surgery after struggling for years with insecurity about her stomach.
She said, “I entered this industry as an older woman with a typical ‘mom bod.’ I just didn’t feel confident being on camera all the time with my stomach exposed.”
“Despite sticking to a healthy diet and regular exercise, I wasn’t seeing any improvement in that area—so I started considering liposuction.”
After researching her options, Elaina chose a well-known national clinic with strong reviews. But once the results settled in, she was disappointed with how her stomach looked.
A few months later, as she began exploring revision surgery, she noticed something unexpected—her chest had started to grow rapidly.
Elaina explored different options before choosing to go with a largeCredit: Jam Press/@elainastjames
She had been wearing a DD cup size for years but suddenly they weren’t fitting rightCredit: Jam Press/@elainastjames
Elaina said, “I wasn’t gaining weight anywhere else, but my bras were suddenly too tight.
I’d been wearing a DD cup for years, and then out of nowhere—they just didn’t fit.
I was spilling out of them.”
“I knew it was strange,” Elaina admitted, “but between moving and being a mom, I didn’t have time to really think about it.”
Still feeling self-conscious, she decided to try again. In February 2025—16 months after her initial procedure—Elaina spent another $10,000 on a second round of liposuction with a different doctor.
That’s when the new physician confirmed what she had suspected: the first surgery had indeed triggered the growth in her breasts.
“They haven’t stopped growing since,” Elaina said. “It’s wild.”
“I’m now wearing a 36G bra, and the bigger the cup size, the pricier the lingerie. Replacing everything has been a costly challenge.”
“It cost me $450 just to buy new everyday bras that actually fit,” Elaina said.
“I’m really hoping I don’t grow much more—there’s a point where boobs just become too big to manage.”
Though she’s not exactly thrilled about the unexpected side effect, her new look has had a surprising upside.
“It’s not the worst thing in the world to have big boobs—especially in my line of work,” she admitted.
“Men absolutely love it.”
She isn’t overly thrilled with the unexpected side effectCredit: Jam Press/@elainastjames
“Some of my fans actually noticed the change before I did,” Elaina shared.
“Women’s bodies are always fluctuating, so at first, I didn’t think much of it.”
“I started getting comments saying my boobs looked bigger. At first, I assumed it was just because my waist looked smaller, making my chest appear larger—but turns out, they were right.”
While Elaina has always preferred a “natural aesthetic,” she says she’s happy with how things have turned out—including the surprise changes.
“There’s a lot of pressure on women to look good at every age,” she said. “And if addressing your insecurities helps you feel more confident, I say go for it.”
“I remember people telling me to just do some sit-ups, skip the pizza, or jump on Ozempic before considering liposuction.”
“I feel really confident in my body now, and I’m embracing my new breasts too,” Elaina said.
“Even though getting a boob job was never part of the plan, I’m definitely not complaining!”