A woman was horrified when her breasts suddenly swelled five cup sizes for no apparent reason – thanks to a painful condition that saw people staring and believing her to be pregnant.
Michelle Sekwena had a petite, 32A-size chest and was comfortable in her body before the shocking change, which took place over several months.
The 25-year-old noticed her breasts were feeling painful and turned a “reddish” colour, becoming itchy when she wore bras.
They shot up to a 34G, leaving her struggling to walk more than short distances due to back and knee pain from the extra weight.
“People would think I’m pregnant, and I would get weird stares everywhere I went,” the salesperson told Need To Know.
“I lost my confidence.
“My back and knees were sore, and I had headaches, so I couldn’t rest or sleep properly.
“It was very depressing.
“People were making fun of me and staring all the time.
“I would wear baggy clothes and hoodies to hide my breasts.
“My confidence was down to zero.”
Michelle was eventually referred to a consultant at a hospital in her native Pretoria, South Africa, to get checked, where she was diagnosed with gigantomastia – a rare condition that causes excessive and rapid growth of breast tissue.
But the cost of a breast reduction would set her back more than £6,000 (150,000 South African Rand), which the young woman couldn’t afford.
She started documenting her experience with the condition on TikTok, where her videos have garnered up to 22 million views, and decided to start an online fundraiser.
Incredibly, followers flocked to support her efforts, and she was finally able to fund the surgery, having her breast reduced to a 34D – the smallest size possible.
Michelle underwent the surgery in February this year, and is now thrilled with her results, saying she has her “life back”.
While she doesn’t know if the condition may reappear, Michelle is remaining optimistic that she won’t have to suffer the same fate again – and is busy embracing her newfound confidence and freedom.
She added: “It feels so amazing.”
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