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Valerie Bertinelli has learned to accept herself for who she is.
But it took time, and during her previous quest to change her body, which included receiving breast implants in the 1980s and having them removed in 2024, she was left with grave complications.
"I liked it for a little while and then started to hate it," she said in an interview with People on March 4. "At one point, I'd gained and lost so much weight that my boobs were literally down to my belly button. 'I just want my little boobs back.'"
But when she went to get them removed, she says in her new novel, Getting Naked, according to Us Weekly, she was shocked to see they had become “hard and crusted over,” likening them to ostrich eggs.
"The look on my doctor's face when he finally saw me made me think, 'Oh s--t, I guess I should have come in earlier,'" Valerie told the newspaper. "And he removed everything [the implant and surrounding tissues], and my breast became infected and began to cave in on itself. "It became a crater."
According to her memoir, the implants and removal caused an infection in her right breast, which took six months to recuperate and regrow.
"They are now two completely different sizes; the implant on the left is over the muscle, and my right side is sad and misshapen," according to the 65-year-old. "Eventually I'll have a fourth operation that will, I am assured, even things out once and for all.”
Valerie, who jokingly noted to People that only her pets are interested in her breasts, emphasized that adopting a lighter mindset has aided her in navigating tougher times.
The mother of Wolfgang Van Halen shared that humor has helped her cope with serious situations. While Valerie acknowledges the common practice of appearance alterations, including her own use of fillers and Botox, she has grown to value the experience of aging.
She humorously expressed a desire for a firmer body but recognizes the capabilities of her body at sixty. Valerie appreciates her strength, noting her ability to carry her 35-pound dog and enjoy watching her son perform on stage.
