Ariel Winter writes essay on how breast reduction surgery was a ‘life changing’ procedure

The Modern Family actress explains how surgery has affected her physically and psychologically

Ariel Winter at the SAG awards (Getty Images )

Ariel Winter has detailed how undergoing breast reduction surgery aged 17 was ultimately a life-changing experience in a new essay.

The Modern Family actress has spoken a number of times about her decision to reduce her breasts from a 34 F to a 34 C and recently responded to fans who noticed her scars were visible in a strapless dress by explaining she has no intention of covering them up.

Winter, now 18, said the pain caused by the size of her breasts led her decision to undergo surgery.

“It’s really difficult to be such a small girl and have so much weight on your chest,” she writes. “You physically hurt. You can’t find clothes that fit right. I couldn’t find a cute bathing suit. Everything looked like I was trying to be 'sexy'. It didn’t help that I didn’t look like any of my friends my age."

She said developing breasts at such a young age also affected the roles she was offered. “Sometimes, it felt like even my work was defined by my body. I was offered a lot of older roles because I wasn’t able to play ‘younger’ anymore.”

After initially announcing her reduction surgery, Winter described how she was also sexualised from a young age because of her shape. In her essay, she recalled receiving disturbing messages from older men after joining Modern Family.

“Women are already over-sexualised, and I grew into my body so young. I was 13, 14 years old, and I looked 19. Suddenly, people didn’t want to talk about my job - they just wanted to talk about my cleavage. I’d go to awards shows and the next day see everyone on the internet telling me I shouldn’t look like this and dress like that. The conversation became about my looks instead of my talent and work - everything that I didn’t want. I even started getting messages from older male fans, and let’s just say they were gross.

"Afterward, I automatically felt so much happier and just better physically."

Read her essay in full here.