TNA wrestler Tessa Blanchard announced in a YouTube video that she recently underwent breast augmentation surgery, choosing to share the personal news to set the record straight from the beginning. Blanchard stated her primary motivation for the video was to “control my own narrative about it”. She described the decision to share her story as “a bit scary” and “vulnerable,” but emphasized that she has “always tried to be real with the people who follow me”.
Blanchard provided context by sharing a negative experience from early in her career. She recalled being told by a mentor figure in 2014, “Tessa, you are never going to make it in this business. You are never going to make it off the Indies if you don’t have your breast son”. While the comment stung at the time, she reflected on her subsequent achievements with pride. “The truth is, I did make it,” Blanchard said. “I’ve won championships, I’ve made history and, and I did it all without changing my body for anybody else, and, and I’m very proud of that”.
She made it clear that her current decision is for personal reasons and not a response to outside pressure. “I’ve come to a place where it’s not about approval, it’s not about chasing acceptance, it’s about looking in the mirror and doing something that makes me feel good in my own skin,” she explained. Blanchard added that the change was something she wanted for herself, noting, “There are dresses that I would love to wear, there’s bathing suits that I would love to wear, that I truly believe I will have the confidence to wear once I make this change”.
The surgery took place on July 30th in Guadalajara, and Blanchard took about a month off from wrestling to recover. The initial healing process was challenging. “The first four days were so difficult,” she recalled, mentioning she couldn’t sit up on her own and needed assistance with simple tasks. After a month of resting at home, which she admitted her body needed, she was eager to return to her routine. “I want to get back in the gym. I want to do something… I’m ready to get back to work,” she said.
Ultimately, Blanchard is pleased with her choice and wanted to share her story on her own terms. “This is for me,” she affirmed. “I feel happy. I feel honestly, I don’t know if it’s okay to say, but I like, I feel more woman like I feel more confident in my own skin”. She concluded by stating she feels “super, super happy with the results” and is glad to be back on the road and in the gym.
