Summer Walker is getting candid about just how far she once considered going to achieve a dramatically smaller waist.
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In a recent social media video, the R&B singer reflected on her appearance following surgery and admitted that she previously thought about having a rib removed. Walker also connected those thoughts to what she described as body dysmorphia, acknowledging that she now sees how extreme the result could have been.Walker said:
“OK, so this is actually how I know I have body dysmorphia, because this waist is starting to get out of control. And it’s really kind of sickening, and it’s the fact that when I first got out of this last surgery, I was like, ‘Damn, I really should have took my rib out.’ [Expletive], what rib? Take what rib out. I would’ve looked [expletive] insane. It would’ve just been like, just a line and titties…Like, that’s why you gotta have people around. Everybody told me don’t do that [expletive], and for once in my life, I listened. It’s [expletive] nuts.”
Walker’s comments offer a revealing look at how perceptions of cosmetic results can continue shifting even after someone has already undergone surgery. In her case, she acknowledged that people around her encouraged her not to pursue rib removal and that she ultimately listened.
The conversation is particularly notable because rib removal surgery is more than a dramatic social media talking point. The procedure exists, although available research on cosmetic rib removal remains limited compared with more common procedures such as liposuction or abdominoplasty.
According to a 2023 study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open and available through the National Library of Medicine, cosmetic rib removal for waist narrowing can involve surgically removing portions of the 11th and 12th ribs.
Those ribs are known as floating ribs because they do not connect to the sternum at the front of the chest. According to StatPearls through the National Library of Medicine, most people have 12 pairs of ribs, with the lower floating ribs ending within the abdominal musculature rather than attaching to the breastbone.
The goal of cosmetic rib removal surgery is typically to narrow the lower portion of the torso and create a more exaggerated waist-to-hip ratio.
Researchers behind the 2023 study examined five patients who underwent bilateral removal of portions of their 11th and 12th ribs. According to the study, the patients’ average waist-to-hip ratio dropped from 0.78 before surgery to 0.72 afterward, an average reduction of approximately 7.7 percent. The authors reported no complications among those five patients and said the participants were generally satisfied with their results.
However, a study involving only five people cannot establish the overall safety of a major cosmetic procedure.
A larger 2025 systematic review published in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and indexed by PubMed analyzed eight studies involving 444 patients who underwent either rib removal or rib remodeling for cosmetic waist reduction.
According to the researchers, the available studies showed that these procedures can reduce waist circumference, but reported complications included pain, wound separation, and pneumothorax. The review’s authors also stressed that more rigorous research and longer follow-up periods are needed before the long-term safety and effectiveness of cosmetic rib procedures can be firmly established.
@therealtiktokdoc Rib removal is one of those procedures that’s gained viral attention—but few people talk about the real risks involved. As a surgeon, I’m here to say: just because something is technically possible, doesn’t mean it’s safe or recommended. Your ribs are there to protect vital organs. Removing them for aesthetic reasons? It’s invasive, high-risk, and often unnecessary. There are many safer ways to contour the waist with liposculpture or muscle repair. Ask questions. Demand transparency. Stay safe. 💬 … #R#RibRemovalR#RibRemovalRisksC#ComplicationsB#BodyContouringP#PlasticSurgeryA#AestheticSurgeryHealthAwareness ♬ original sound – Dr. Ricky Brown
Pneumothorax is one of the more serious potential concerns because it involves air entering the space surrounding a lung, which can cause the lung to partially or completely collapse.
The location of the ribs makes surgery in that area especially delicate. According to StatPearls, arteries, veins, and nerves run along the underside of the ribs. The rib cage and lower ribs also sit near major organs and structures, including the lungs, liver, spleen, and kidneys.
That means possible complications can extend beyond cosmetic dissatisfaction or scarring. Damage to surrounding nerves and blood vessels, bleeding, persistent pain, or injury involving the chest cavity are potential concerns when operating in the region.
Research has also raised questions about what rib removal surgery could mean for breathing.
A 2024 study published in BMC Women’s Health examined respiratory function in women who had undergone cosmetic floating rib removal. According to the researchers, participants who had undergone the procedure showed poorer measures of lung function and respiratory muscle strength than women in the comparison group.
The researchers said the findings suggest potential respiratory consequences should be discussed with patients considering cosmetic rib removal. They also noted that larger studies conducted across multiple medical centers are necessary to better understand those effects.
Rib removal carries the general risks associated with cosmetic operations as well. According to Mayo Clinic, complications from cosmetic surgery can include bleeding, infection, scarring, wound healing problems, blood clots, anesthesia complications, and nerve damage that may result in numbness or tingling.
Walker specifically describing her thoughts as body dysmorphia adds another important dimension to the discussion, although her statement should not be interpreted as a medical diagnosis.
According to Mayo Clinic, body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition in which a person becomes intensely focused on perceived flaws in their appearance that may be minor or not apparent to other people. Mayo Clinic notes that some people with the condition seek cosmetic procedures and may experience only temporary satisfaction afterward.
Only a qualified health professional can diagnose body dysmorphic disorder.
Walker’s own reflection underscores another part of cosmetic surgery conversations that often gets lost online. She said people around her repeatedly advised her against removing a rib, and she now appears thankful that she listened.
For a procedure capable of permanently changing the structure of the torso, that hesitation may matter. Although published studies show cosmetic rib removal can create a narrower waist, researchers are still working with relatively limited evidence about its long-term consequences.
Walker may have once looked at her post-surgery body and wondered whether she should have gone further. Now, judging by her own words, she sees just how extreme that next step could have been.
