A 35-year-old mother from Swindon, Wiltshire, has warned others against seeking cosmetic surgery abroad after a £4,500 nose job in Turkey left her with a 'non-functional' nostril that she describes as 'piggified'. Kayleigh Mckenna, a maternity healthcare support worker, travelled to Turkey in October 2024 for a rhinoplasty to correct a deviated septum and a breast reduction, after seeing a clinic promoted by a social media influencer.
The surgery, expected to last seven hours, took ten. Mckenna said she was 'screaming in pain' afterwards and developed blood circulation issues in her breasts. Days later, her left nostril became completely blocked, and the surgeon had to remove a blood clot and take out her splints a day early. After returning home, tests revealed her septum was still deviated.
In December 2024, she visited a UK clinic to have her stitches removed as they were causing sinus infections. More than a year on, she says her nostril is 'collapsed and wonky' and she relies on weekly nasal spray to breathe. She shared her story on TikTok, where a photo showing her pulling her nostril to the side to breathe has garnered over 77,000 views.
Mckenna now faces a choice between paying £9,000 for a private operation or risking minor NHS surgery that may not help. She regrets the procedure and urges others not to follow influencers abroad. 'I'm absolutely devastated and traumatised,' she said. 'They've completely botched my nose.'
