For the first time, Brooke Shields is speaking up about an unwanted procedure she received in her 40s. When the Pretty Baby actress learned that a plastic surgeon had performed a vaginal rejuvenation procedure without her consent, “it felt like such an invasion,” she told Us Weekly. Brooke didn’t even tell her husband Chris Henchy about it “for the longest time.” But now, she’s sharing her story publicly to raise awareness.
Admittedly, she’s “embarrassed to share this very intimate information,” she wrote in her new memoir, Brooke Shields Is Not Allowed to Get Old: Thoughts on Aging as a Woman, per Us Weekly. “But, if we are to change the way we approach and talk about women’s health, then we need to bring up the uncomfortable but very real issues.”
Based on a recommendation from her gynecologist, Brooke underwent labia reduction surgery when she was in her 40s. She decided to get this procedure done due to pain, discomfort, and bleeding that she had experienced since high school. Despite her pain, her insurance company considered the procedure to be cosmetic, which meant insurance would not cover it.
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Ultimately, Brooke decided to move forward with the procedure. She went to a male plastic surgeon for the surgery, according to Us Weekly. After the surgery, when she went to a postoperative appointment, Brooke learned something shocking. In addition to performing the labia reduction procedure, her surgeon had also performed a vaginal rejuvenation (or vaginal tightening) procedure without discussing it with her.
The way Brooke’s surgeon shared this with her was particularly shocking. He framed it as if “he threw in a little bonus,” Brooke told Us Weekly.
Even though Brooke had never expressed interest in the procedure, Brooke’s surgeon “legitimately proudly explained to me that he, you know, threw in a little twofer,” she told Us Weekly. After learning this, Brooke felt angry, ashamed, and embarrassed. “Nothing pointed toward this need to be tighter or smaller or firmer or younger, especially there,” she emphasized.
Now, though, she has asserted that “shame is no longer an option.” During a recent interview with Real Simple, Brooke revealed she hopes her new memoir “opens up a conversation about what the ideals are and what beauty really means.” She notes, “it doesn’t have to be associated with youth.”
