Sam Smith Opens Up About Early Liposuction Due to Bullying
Sam Smith shared in a recent conversation with Penn Badgley on the podcast Podcrushed how persistent teasing about their weight as a child led to serious consequences at an early age.
Struggles with Body Image
Reflecting on their childhood, Smith revealed that being targeted for their weight was far more painful than other challenges faced while growing up.
“My queerness was something that I could handle and have a grasp on,” Smith said. “But it was my weight as a kid that was the hardest thing for me in school and weirdly the thing I got teased the most about.”
The Decision for Surgery at 13
Smith explained that constant ridicule led to a difficult decision supported by their parents — undergoing chest liposuction at the age of 13 because of a “growing chest.”
“I was just getting so teased, I couldn’t go swimming in school,” they said, recalling how “getting changed in the locker room was hell.”
A Painful Recovery and Emotional Impact
Although the procedure initially seemed effective, Smith described the experience as distressing and long-lasting. They were instructed to wear a post-surgery chest bandage for one month but chose to keep it on for over a year, finding an unexpected social benefit in it.
“If I wore the bandage, it meant that I would get to the front of the lunch queue. Because everyone had to be sensitive about my chest,” Smith shared. “I’d just get first at lunch queue and I’d eat more and eat more and eat more. And so the surgery never really worked. Because I just love food.”
Resilience and Self-Acceptance
Smith’s story reveals the lasting impact of childhood body shaming and their continuing journey toward self-acceptance and body confidence.
Author’s Summary: Sam Smith discussed how early bullying about body image led to liposuction at 13, illustrating the deep and enduring effects of body shaming on self-esteem.