‘I hid my wonky chest since I used to be a teen however now I lastly have the arrogance to put on a bikini’

Kaitlyn Mills, 26, was born with Poland Syndrome, which causes one breast to grow differently to the other but surgery has changed her life for the better

A woman who hid her chest for years now has the confidence to wear a bikini after undergoing life-changing surgery. Kaitlyn Mills, 26, was born with Poland Syndrome, which causes one breast to grow differently to the other.

The mother of three from Shropshire grew up knowing her “hollow chest” was different, but it was only when she reached puberty and her breasts began to develop that living with the condition became more difficult. “I was extremely embarrassed about it as a teenager,” she said. “As we all know, teenagers can be brutal, and I was so afraid of people around me finding out.”

At sleepovers, Kaitlyn would change separately from other girls and would wear a top when going swimming. She once confided in a boyfriend about her condition, but the moment they broke up he told everyone and posted about it on social media.

“It was awful,” Kaitlyn said. “I also found certain physical activities challenging, particularly those that required chest strength. “PE lessons at school, playground activities such as rock climbing and monkey bars, and swimming could all be difficult. I did my best to take part and, at the same time, hide my condition as much as possible.”

This had a huge impact on her confidence and mental wellbeing, she said, adding: “For a long time I felt extremely insecure about my body.” After pleading with her mum, she underwent her first surgery at age 13 to get a breast implant due to “embarrassment” and so she would “feel less different from other girls”. But over the next three years she noticed one side of her chest was not growing at the same pace as the other.

“The difference became increasingly pronounced, making the asymmetry impossible to ignore,” she explained. She underwent a second breast surgery when she was 16 to replace the implant she had at 13. Later in life, after breastfeeding her three children, the appearance of her natural breast had changed, making it much “larger and lower than the side with the implant”.

At the age of 26, Kaitlyn underwent a five-hour operation with Dr Roberto Vie, who performed an uplift on her natural breast and inserted an implant into her affected breast to create as “much symmetry as possible”. It has completely changed the way she sees herself. “I feel so much more confident,” Kaitlyn said. “I can wear normal bras and, for the first time, I feel that there is a balance to my chest.” Poland Syndrome is very rare, affecting only one in 20,000 people. Living with the condition had a huge impact on Kaitlyn’s mental wellbeing.

“I found it extremely difficult growing up with the condition and spent many years feeling insecure and self-conscious,” she revealed. It really affected her during her teenage years as breasts were “made into such a huge deal”. Kaitlyn believes social media and pornography can play a “significant role” in how women view their bodies.

“Women are often exposed to unrealistic ideas of perfection and made to feel that we should all look a certain way, when the reality is that everybody is different,” she said.

Kaitlyn is now much more comfortable in her own skin and is able to share the condition more openly. “Having surgery has given my confidence a massive boost,” she said. “For me, it’s not about achieving perfection… It’s about finally feeling comfortable, balanced and confident in my own body.”