Sam Smith has openly discussed undergoing liposuction at the age of 13, detailing why the procedure became a "nightmare." The Grammy winner, who uses they/them pronouns, shared their experience on the "Podcrushed" podcast, hosted by Penn Badgley, Sophie Ansari, and Nava Kavelin. The episode aired on Wednesday, November 5.
Smith, 33, explained that they struggled with their weight and felt self-conscious about their body during high school. This led them to seek surgery at a young age. "My weight was the hardest thing for me at school, and funnily enough the thing that probably brought the most teasing," Smith stated on the podcast.
The artist revealed, "I had chest surgery when I was 13 because I was growing breasts." They added there were many reasons, but primarily it was due to relentless teasing. "I couldn’t go swimming at school and changing rooms were hell. So I had liposuction at 13."
Podcast host Badgley asked about their parents’ reaction to Smith wanting surgery. "They were supportive," Smith responded. "They were very supportive because they saw how much it was affecting me in every way."
Despite the liposuction, Smith reported continuing difficulties with their weight and relationship with food. "It was a constant struggle with food and so on, and the liposuction worked, but it was also a nightmare," they commented.
Smith explained they wore a bandage, similar to a bra, which was meant for only a month. However, they kept it on for nearly a year. Wearing the bandage allowed them to cut in front of the lunch line, as everyone was expected to be understanding of their chest.
"I was like, ‘Oh, don’t come near me’ and I went first in the lunch line, and I ate more and more," Smith continued. "So the surgery never fully worked because I just love food."
This is not the first time Smith has spoken about teenage liposuction. They previously discussed it in a 2019 interview with Jameela Jamil for her Instagram series I Weigh. At that time, Smith recalled being "chubby as a child."
"When I turned 11, I went to the doctor," the "Unholy" singer recounted. "I felt so self-conscious that it affected my mood every day and my life as a teenager."
Smith said they were happy at the time of the surgery but that "it didn’t really change anything." They believed they regained the weight in two weeks because they "hadn’t solved my relationship with food yet." The singer emphasized, "But being 12 and having liposuction on your chest is quite serious."
Smith shared their journey to overcoming body dysmorphia in a January 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. They spoke of years of insecurity about their physical appearance.
"When I was 25 I finished the tour exhausted. I was looking for body role models," Smith told the publication. "Every time I went to the pool I felt self-conscious, but I forced myself to take my shirt off."
They concluded, "It was worth it because now I have the opposite of body dysmorphia. I see myself as fabulous. I’m finally getting a tan. I’m getting burned in places I’ve never been burned before."