Mum warns against cheap plastic surgeries in Turkey after 'near-death experience' from botched £4k boob job

Talyah Reid was thrilled when her family chipped in money for a breast augmentation as an early birthday gift for her upcoming 30th birthday in September.

The 29-year-old, who had long desired the surgery after having three children, began investigating cosmetic clinics eight years ago. A stay-at-home mum, Talyah discovered a clinic in Turkey that social media influencers had recommended.

Determined to address her biggest insecurity, she booked a breast augmentation and uplift in January and flew to Turkey on February 2 for the procedure. Initially pleased with the results, Talyah, who resides in Huyton, Merseyside, soon noticed troubling symptoms after returning to the UK.

Her breasts swelled to double their size, and abscesses formed on the incision sites. Doctors diagnosed the cuts as infected and covered in "dead skin," necessitating the urgent removal of the implants.

Fortunately, Talyah fully recovered but now feels "lucky to be alive" and is warning others to avoid low-cost plastic surgery clinics abroad, which she said nearly cost her her life.

Talyah said: "I'd say to any woman considering this surgery do not go to Turkey. It's not worth it to save the extra money. "I'd wanted (my boobs) done since my son was born eight years ago. I didn't want to go bigger, I just wanted to get back what I'd lost after having three kids.

"I never ever put a bikini on or went on spa days. It was my biggest insecurity. I researched quite a few places. I was looking where influencers had been. I'd been looking for years but never had the money to do it. It's my 30th in September and all my family put money towards it as a present. I always wanted to go to this clinic and had seen their previous work on social media so decided to book it."

Talyah spent £4,000 in cash for the surgery, undergoing the procedure on February 3. However, she recalled the clinic being ‘rushing’ with everything. She said: "They were so rush, rush with everything. I paid cash and they were counting it all in front of me. Before I knew it, I was signing papers and they said I was ready to go down.

"Everything seemed fine when I woke up. I was asking them about certain pains I was getting and they said everything was normal. I saw my breasts straight after and they looked like what I wanted. The problems didn't start until I got home."

Back in the UK, Talyah noticed a lump in her left breast, but the clinic reassured her it was "normal." A month later, Talyah was sent to Whiston Hospital in Prescot after her right breast suddenly doubled in size. Doctors prescribed pain relief and antibiotics to prevent infection, but the same breast "blew up" two weeks later, and the area under her breasts turned black with bruises.

A follow-up appointment revealed infected abscesses at the incision sites, and the implants had to be removed. She said: "They kept me in overnight and told me I would need surgery. They said we'll try our hardest to keep the implants but that wasn't the case.

"The abscesses popped in the hospital and the surgeon came to have a look, they said there's no way we can save them. They said it would be impossible. I was devastated. I couldn't look at myself. I was so angry with the clinic. I kept contacting them and they never replied. I was just left with the consequences.

"They said there was dead skin underneath my boob so had to remove quite a bit of skin. I've been left with a lot of scars. In Turkey, I felt scared getting the surgery but I felt in safe hands in the NHS."

After five days in the hospital, Talyah was discharged and feels lucky to be alive. She now warns other women against surgery in Turkey after her near-death experience.

"I feel like I've been botched. I feel lucky to be alive. I knew as soon as I came home from Turkey something wasn't right. I was in so much pain. I couldn't even lift a kettle or push a pram. I wasn't healed months down the line. I regret this surgery so much. I didn't pick the cheapest place in Turkey, to me I thought I booked the best place."

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Talyah hopes to have correction surgery in the future, and her mother has started a fundraising page to cover the costs.