A woman who underwent a double mastectomy and stayed “boobless” has revealed she goes out in public without a bra – and, sometimes, completely topless.
When Stephanie Germino, 29, was told there was a mutation in her BRCA1 gene, which means she had an 87% risk of developing breast cancer, she was shocked.
In a bid to avoid getting the deadly illness, the young woman made the brave decision to undergo a double mastectomy, where both breasts were removed, and refused a reconstruction.
The influencer, who has over 1.5 million followers on TikTok (@theebooblessbabe_), is now using social media to share her story and raise awareness for the procedure.
In a YouTube video published on Shera, (@shera_oficl), a digital platform dedicated to empowering women, the 29-year-old talks about the hateful comments she receives from people online.
She’s also revealed the positive aspects of a double mastectomy – including the “freedom” of not having to wear a bra and going topless in public.
The mum, from Florida, US, told Shera: “I’m 100% more confident in my body now than I was pre-surgery, as I never loved my breasts when I had them.
“They weren’t my source of femininity and I do get stares when I’m out topless in public, but nobody has ever come up to me being rude – it’s always positive.
“I absolutely love the fact that I don’t have to wear bras ever again, as there’s something about being bare.
“It did take me a minute to finally get rid of my bra, but I threw the wire bra out immediately.
“My sports bra though, that’s more or less what I used on a day-to-day basis.
“It’s cute, faithful and I questioned whether I should keep it – so I did, as it’s a reminder of the bright side.”
Stephanie, who is mum to Josiah, six, claims she knew from the age of 15 that she was a potential carrier of the mutation due to her mum and grandmother both having the same.
Her mum, who got a preventative double mastectomy in her 40s, also had a breast reconstruction afterwards.
But for Stephanie, who underwent the procedure in October 2021 at Tampa General Hospital, Florida, she opted against this due to a range of factors.
She said: “There are three reasons why I chose not to get one.
“One being that breast implant illness is a thing and several people I know have suffered from it, so this wasn’t a risk I wanted to take.
“Secondly, implant maintenance every 10 years seems like unnecessary additional surgeries and [finally], I don’t like the way implants look without breast tissue to soften them up.
“My family and friends were really supportive about the preventative surgery, but I did face pushback when I said I wasn’t having a reconstruction.
“[Just like them], I also had a surgeon tell me that I would regret it, so I should have a Goldilocks procedure, where they leave extra skin.
“If I decided later on to get a reconstruction, then the implants could be inserted – this made me very worried that my wishes weren’t going to be respected.
“Even before surgery, when I was getting prepped, I kept telling every nurse to make sure I was completely flat.
“But when I opened my binder, which is what they put on after surgery to keep the compression running, I saw a left breast on my body.”
Stephanie recalls feeling betrayed and like her “worst fear” had come true, but then discovered it was due to swelling.
Now, she’s taken to social media to raise awareness about the procedure and her decision to refuse a reconstruction – but not everyone has been supportive.
She said: “I get a lot of hateful and vile comments, it’s scary how ignorant and nasty people can be.
“It’s crazy how they have no problem showcasing that for the whole world to see.
“I’ve been told: ‘You’re definitely a man’, ‘Where did your milkers go?’ and ‘You’re going to hell.’
“As well as: ‘No guy will want you now that you’ve mutilated yourself’ and ‘This generation is f***ed, no one wants to see that’.
“Breast cancer knows no bounds, men and women of any age can get it.
“I hope the trolls stop being ignorant before it affects someone they love or themselves.
“I personally made my choice and I do get a lot of backlash from people on the internet, where people mistake me for being transgender, but I am very confident in my decision.
“No one can persuade me to do anything that I don’t want to do for my body and how I want it to look.”
The mum hopes to raise awareness through sharing her story on social media and despite trolls calling her an “attention seeker,” she believes the message is being heard.
Stephanie added: “People often say I’m doing this for attention and absolutely I am, that’s my mission.
“But I’m not an attention seeker, I want people to see my story and spread awareness for this disease.
“Unfortunately, we live in a society where we put a lot of emphasis on the way people look.
“I want women to accept themselves, whether that’s with implants or without.
“My advice to anyone going through the same situation, is that you’re not alone.
“Just understand that whatever you choose to do for your body is for you and you must stay strong in that choice.
“You’re valid and I can’t think of more of a warrior than a woman who has defied the odds and gone against society’s standards.
“Take a look at your body and love it for getting through the worst case scenario.”
