Influencer sues surgeon for 'ruining career' after giving her bigger breast implants

YouTube influencer Danielle Mansutti says she was left with "disfigured" breasts and a "very poor cosmetic appearance" after undergoing three implant operations

An influencer is suing a Harley Street plastic surgeon for a massive £1.7million, claiming he ruined her career after giving her "overly large" breast implants. Danielle Mansutti said she was left with "disfigured" breasts and a "very poor cosmetic appearance" after undergoing three operations between December 2020 and May 2021.

The influencer gained 1.6m subscribers on YouTube after finding fame for her makeup tutorials, fashion, and lifestyle videos. The 30-year-old had breast implants in December 2020, before further surgery in January and May 2021 after her left breast began to droop and her nipple "point outwards". She saw a third surgeon, and claims she was finally advised that the implants had been too big for her size eight frame. She claims they caused her chest muscles on her left side to tear away from the bone and was left in agony and with asymmetrical breasts.

Ms Mansutti, who eventually had the implants removed, is now suing Harley Street plastic surgeon Dr Domenico Mileto, who carried out the original surgery, accusing him of recommending oversized implants. She says the physical and mental impact of her ordeal led to her quitting the UK and "stopping work as an influencer," losing her "successful social media career."

She is now suing for a massive £1.7m, including for potential lost social media earnings of about £1.4m, saying that she was left "disfigured" by the surgery. But Dr Mileto denies blame, insisting there was nothing wrong with the surgery, that the implants were not too big, and that she had asked for breasts that size.

UK born Ms Mansutti moved to Australia with her family aged 12, but then returned, creating a self-titled YouTube channel in January 2011. The High Court heard that she quit working as an influencer around a month after having surgery in December 2020.

In documents lodged with the court, her barrister Caroline Hallissey said surgeon Dr Mileto, working out of the MYA Clinic, in Wimpole Street, operated on her after she decided to increase her breast size. The barrister said the note of the initial consultation in November 2020 recorded that Ms Mansutti wanted to enlarge her breasts and was "now size bra is 34B, wants C/D."

"The claimant explained to Dr Mileto that she wanted a natural breast appearance. She was a size eight dress size and was sure she did not want the appearance of obviously augmented breasts. She was given two or three implants to try, in the range 350-400cc, which were inserted into a sports bra provided by the clinic....when she expressed a preference for the smaller implant, Dr Mileto advised her to go for the larger implant as he said the implant would 'drop' and 'shrink' in time.

"She did not appreciate that different options for implants were available. She believed that Dr Mileto was the expert and that if he considered a 400cc implant was required to achieve the C/D cup and the natural look she wanted, then he must be right.

"She was not advised of any specific risks pertaining to the size of the implant that Dr Mileto had selected for her. She was not advised that 400cc implants, in the context of her small frame, had potential adverse implications for the soft tissue and skin of the breasts or her pectoral muscles (or that) corrective surgery might be required if such large implants were used."

Ms Mansutti went on to have the implants removed by a third surgeon in May 2021, but said she has been left with "a visual deformity" caused by muscle damage and stretch marks. The third surgeon's note "records that the pectoral muscle on the left side had become detached from the sternal bone," the barrister said.

"The appearance of her breasts is disfigured and pain and muscle damage have had a significant effect on her quality of life and ability to work. As a result, she decided to return to Australia where her family live so she could access their support and care."

In his defence to the action, Matthew Barnes, for Dr Mileto, said he denies putting in "overly large" implants that were bigger than requested. "The claimant showed...a photograph of how she wanted to look, and whilst he did not keep a copy, it was consistent with 400cc implants," he said. "He gave the claimant the opportunity to try several implant sizes and take photographs so that she could consider her options after the appointment.

"He advised the claimant that she could have a second appointment if she was uncertain about the size. It is admitted that Dr Mileto did not advise the claimant that 'in the context of her small frame [the implants] had potential adverse implications for…her pectoral muscles'. It is denied that he ought to have advised in those terms.

Summarising her case at a hearing in February, Deputy Master Claire Toogood KC said Ms Mansutti had built a “significant following” online and claims “her injury prevented her from continuing with that career." At another hearing before Master Yoxall last week, Maria Barker, a costs lawyer for the claimant, told the court: "This is a £1.7m claim as pleaded. The schedule of loss is big."

The case is set to return to court for a five-day trial at a later date.