The Bachelorette alum Rachel Recchia has revealed why she's planning to go under the knife again to alter her breast reduction.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
During a recent Q&A session via Instagram Stories, Rachel revealed she plans to have a second procedure on her breasts later this summer.
"I've been holding off on telling you guys, but I am actually getting a revision on my reduction in August," Rachel shared, according to BachelorNation.com.
"I am so happy with the results of my first reduction, but a year later I decided to correct some regrowth I've experienced naturally."
When a fan asked Rachel what happened to cause the tissue regrowth, Rachel replied, "When I got my first surgery, I got so many messages from women saying that they had to get a second reduction/lift done due to breast tissue growing back."
"The reality is that even with the perfect surgery," she continued, "tissue can just naturally grow back."
Rachel confirmed that so many factors can contribute to tissue regrowth in the breasts.
"So many things can factor into that like pregnancy, weight gain, hormones, etc. My surgeon was always vocal about this in the beginning, since they cannot guarantee that you'll stay the same size," The Bachelorette alum explained.
Rachel said in her case, she recently lost weight but noticed an increase in the size of her bust.
"I'm also definitely looking into my hormones to see if that could be the issue for me too," Rachel said.
"I have been able to connect with so many of you by being open with this process, so I want to be honest with you all and show everyone that it isn't always perfect!"
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWRachel is therefore going to be spending a lot of 2024 healing and on the mend. Last month, she was hospitalized with a kidney infection.
Rachel first competed for Clayton Echard's heart on The Bachelor's 26th season, and after she had her heart broken by Clayton, she co-starred on The Bachelorette's nineteenth season alongside Gabby Windey.
Rachel got engaged to Tino Franco at the end of her season, but they broke up before After the Final Rose aired because he had cheated on her with another woman.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
Rachel shared in April 2023 that the large chest she used to have negatively impacted her The Bachelorette experience.
"My triple Ds weren't fitting my frame or lifestyle, and it never got better... For years, my large chest caused me pain and suffering. When I went on TV, it only got worse," Rachel wrote in a personal essay for TODAY.
Rachel said she had much more confidence after having her breast reduction surgery.
"My chest was never something I wanted to show off," Rachel admitted. "As a teenager, I didn't want to be sexualized more than I already was. Then, as I got my degree in aviation and entered a male-dominated field, I felt I had to cover up."
ADVERTISEMENT
"I wanted to fly high as a cheerleader, but struggled with back pain. Not to mention the inconvenience of wearing three sports bras when everyone else was wearing one."
Rachel said her "discomfort came to a head" when she was selected to star on The Bachelorette.
"I was the star of a reality TV show and couldn't find a dress to wear. Or I could, but it wasn't the dress I wanted to wear," Rachel lamented.
"When you're dating 32 guys at the same time, self-confidence is a must... and sometimes it felt hard to shine while wearing clothes that decidedly weren't me."
Rachel recalled how she and her The Bachelorette stylist, Cary Fetman, often "joked" about how she was giving "mother of the bride" vibes during the show due to the high-neck gowns she'd wear during Rose Ceremonies.
"He's great and was so patient with helping me feel the best I could," Rachel explained.
"When the episodes played back and people made the same jokes online, it didn't seem so funny anymore."
Rachel tended to be covered up on The Bachelorette or in flowy dresses, while Gabby generally wore sexier, more revealing clothing -- and many viewers noticed the difference in their wardrobes on dates and at cocktail parties.
"Throughout the process, I was reminded that my life didn't have to be this way. The other women on the show didn't have the same problems with their chest that I did," Rachel shared.
"I went through racks of dresses that would look awesome on the other contestants, but I couldn't wear them. I was like, 'I don't want to live like this.'"
Rachel wrote about one moment in particular that really bothered her.
"I'll never forget when I was given a bag of bathing suits for options. I tried on every single one and not one fit me, or was flattering," Rachel disclosed.
ADVERTISEMENT
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
Rachel explained that while she had plans to get the surgery even before her The Bachelorette stint, her experience on the show "made it all the more urgent."
Since she had "waited years" -- since age 17 -- to alter the size of her large "uncomfortable" chest, Rachel called her March 2023 breast reduction a "life-altering" procedure, which changed her Triple-D breasts to C-cups.
Rachel said it was "a privilege" for her to have the surgery, especially since she couldn't afford the out-of-pocket cost during her high school and college years.
"The moment I opened my eyes and got off the table [from surgery], I knew my life had changed -- for the better. My body felt different. Lighter. For the first time in over a decade, I didn't have back pain (and I haven't since)," Rachel wrote.
In October 2023, Rachel shared an update on the breast reduction she had about six months prior.
"My scars were fully healed by the time I went to Paradise," Rachel said.
"I was supposed to keep them out of the sun, which I tried to do for the most part. There were a couple moments where they are out a little, but yeah, they were fully healed by the time I went to the beach."
Around that same time, Bachelor in Paradise's ninth season was airing.
Rachel, who proudly showed off her new body on the beach, had romances with Sean McLaughlin, Brayden Bowers, Jordan Vandergriff and Tanner Courtad -- but she left the beach alone and is still in her single-girl era.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
ADVERTISEMENT
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
