Daniela Ridener, a 27-year-old mother of two from Lubbock, Texas, underwent a breast reduction surgery in August 2022 that removed 15 kilograms of skin and tissue, resulting in the loss of her nipples. Her breasts had grown rapidly from a DD cup in 2018 to a size P by 2022, a span of eight cup sizes.
Rapid Breast Growth Linked to IUD
Ridener believes her intrauterine device (IUD), fitted in 2020 when she was 21, triggered the extreme growth. She told Metro: 'I feel like it was birth control. The doctors were adamant that it wasn't but I had just got an IUD fitted and they [my breasts] immediately started growing.' She added that she gained 50 pounds but did not change pant sizes, noting that 'nothing changed apart from how big my boobs were getting.'
By the time she married Jordan Ridener in January 2022, her breasts had reached a size P, attracting unwanted attention. 'People have mistaken me for having plastic surgery because they were so big,' she said. The growth caused painful back spasms, making daily tasks like doing dishes difficult. 'Every time I would do the dishes or stand up for a long period of time, I would then have to go and lie down because my back would start to spasm,' she recalled.
Surgery and Recovery
Ridener had her IUD removed in April 2022 and switched to the pill before undergoing surgery in August 2022. The procedure reduced her breasts from a P cup to a B cup, a drop of 14 cup sizes. However, surgeons could not save her nipples due to severely stretched skin. 'They had to rebuild what I had, and they couldn't save my nipples as my skin was so stretched,' she explained.
Despite the loss, Ridener was thrilled with the outcome. 'I was just shocked at how small they were. I was so happy and they were so light. The recovery was good and super easy,' she said. The surgery cost approximately £3,000.
Medical Context on IUDs and Breast Size
While the NHS does not list breast enlargement as a specific side effect of hormonal coils like Mirena, Healthline notes that hormonal contraception can cause temporary breast size changes due to oestrogen and progestin. The Lowdown, a contraception review site, reported that 24% of 600 Mirena coil users said their breasts grew after fitting. A 2021 study from RWTH Aachen University found that IUDs can have systemic hormonal side effects similar to other hormonal medications.
Ridener has since had a different IUD fitted without further breast growth. She is now losing weight and her breasts are getting smaller. 'People don't stare at me now. I can go to the store now and buy clothes now and I don't have to buy them all online,' she said.
