A US woman who treated herself to breast surgery for her birthday ended up so deformed that she looked as though she actually had four breasts.

The Daily Mail reports that 47-year-old mother-of-two Maria Alaimo splashed out on having her breasts increased to a size 36C cup in time for her 40^th birthday – but she ended up with ‘double bubble’ deformities that left her in pain and feeling humiliated.

At the time of her operation, she had a happy marriage with her husband Dominic – but she was so embarrassed by the lumps and scars surgery had left her with that she refused to allow him to see her naked and the marriage ended.

Mrs Alaimo had selected Dr Keith Berman to perform the surgery, after searching online for a breast augmentation surgeon. She paid £4,600 for the operation, jurors at the New York Supreme Court in Staten Island were told in the opening statements of the case.

The court heard that Mrs Alaimo believes the surgery – undertaken in March 2003 – ruined her body rather than improving it and left her with a deformity to her breasts known as ‘double bubble’ in the cosmetic surgery world.

Photographs shown to the jurors revealed that the procedure had left Mrs Alaimo with heavy scarring at the lower part of her breasts, which appeared to be ‘flattened’ – and swelling at the top. Dr Berman performed further surgery four months after the original operation, which allegedly caused even more scarring.

Mrs Alaimo – from Staten Island – claims that the implants have’ slipped’ downwards, making her breasts appear even more shapeless. She is seeking damages from Dr Berman, staff at his surgery in Staten Island – and two Internet companies that referred her to him – for ‘pain, disability, loss of  self-esteem, humiliation and embarrassment’.

Dr Berman told the court he had warned Mrs Alaimo of the risks, including the possibility the implants might slip and the procedure might result in scarring.

The trial continues.

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