An Australian mother has spoken out about her experience with cosmetic surgery in Thailand, urging others to carefully consider the risks of travelling overseas for procedures after what she describes as a botched “mummy makeover.”
Tegan, who shared her story on TikTok, said she paid more than $11,000 for a breast augmentation and tummy tuck at a highly rated clinic in Bangkok. The tummy tuck, medically known as abdominoplasty, involves removing excess skin and fat and stitching abdominal muscles together to create a flatter, narrower waistline.
Initially, she said, the results appeared successful.
“My first trip was amazing, the surgeon was good — the surgery went well,” Tegan said. “I came home and everything looked amazing. My stomach was flat — it hadn’t been since I had my daughter 13 years before. I was really confident, happy.”
However, several months later, she noticed swelling at the top of her abdomen. Medical examinations in Australia allegedly revealed that the internal stitches had either broken or failed to hold, leaving a 38mm separation between her abdominal muscles.
Tegan also reported complications with her breast implants, claiming the left implant had ruptured while the right had dropped lower than expected.
In January, she returned to Bangkok seeking corrective surgery. She said the additional procedure cost nearly $6,000, not including flights, accommodation and transfers.
“All up, it cost us almost $6,000 but then we had to pay for flights, accommodation and all of our transfers,” she said.
According to Tegan, during the pre-surgery consultation, the surgeon marked areas for a full breast lift. She said she had to prompt him to address her abdominal concerns.
“He was meant to be doing a full breast lift because of what had happened. As he went to walk out I said, ‘What about my stomach?’ He came back over, put a circle around my belly button and said, ‘Alright,’ and walked out,” she recalled.
After the operation, Tegan said she was surprised by the lack of pain, noting that her initial tummy tuck recovery had been “really painful.” Back at her hotel, she claimed her abdomen appeared unchanged.
“I don’t think anything’s been done,” she said.
Two days before returning to Australia, she met with the surgeon again. Tegan alleged he told her there was “nothing we can do” and claimed there had been no muscle separation. She disputed this, citing ultrasound results from both Australia and Thailand that reportedly showed otherwise.
She further alleged that the surgeon initially said he had not operated because the issue was “all skin,” before later claiming he had inserted stitches.
“I was hysterically crying by this stage,” she said, describing a tense exchange at the clinic.
Tegan said she was told further corrective surgery could involve a full incision down the middle of her abdomen, but she and her husband were scheduled to return home for work commitments.
After returning to Australia, a second ultrasound reportedly showed the muscle separation had increased to 41mm — larger than before her second trip.
“No one offered us any refund or anything because he didn’t do that surgery,” she said. “I was meant to save money. I’m clearly not saving any money now.”
Tegan said she decided to share her experience to warn others considering cosmetic surgery abroad.
“I’m really upset and worried about other people going over there and paying this money,” she said. “Really, I just want people to be very careful. Unfortunately, my great experience turned into a terrible experience.”
Two days after posting her story on TikTok, Tegan said she received a call from the clinic’s general manager and is awaiting further information.
“I am really pleased that someone has contacted me,” she said. “Hopefully we can resolve something, as this has been a pretty traumatic experience.”
She is now exploring options for corrective surgery in Australia, where a tummy tuck can cost up to $33,000, significantly higher than many overseas procedures.
