• [Daily Mirror Icon]
• News
• Health
• Weight loss injections

'I used skinny jabs and was left with body of an 80 year old and needed surgery'

Grace had weighed 19st 11lbs until weight loss jabs changed everything

[Grace Parkin aged 18]

View 3 Images

Grace Parkin aged 18(Image: Jam Press/@forevergraceful21)

A woman who used 'skinny jabs' to conquer her shopping addiction has spoken out about how she was left with the 'body of an 80-year-old' but has splashed out 10,000 on surgery to finally wear a bikini. Mum-of-one Grace Parkin had tipped the scales at 19st 11lbs at her heaviest.

The 34-year-old knew something had to change and quickly but not solely in terms of what the scales were showing. Grace, from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, was splurging up to 1,000 a month on clothes, dining out, holidays and alcohol out of "sheer boredom".

To tackle her addiction and shed the pounds, she began taking Mounjaro at 150 per month - saving her a whopping 7,200 per year as she was no longer impulse buying. Despite the financial savings, and shedding 9st, the estate manager was left with an "apron tummy" of excess skin.

[Grace Parkin before the skin removal surgery]

View 3 Images

Grace Parkin before the skin removal surgery(Image: Jam Press/@forevergraceful21)

Ironically, Grace found herself covering up even more than she had before her weight loss. Now, however, she's spent 10,500 flying to Lithuania to have a tummy tuck, liposuction and a breast uplift carried out.

"I was so happy about the weight I had lost, but I was finding that instead of embracing my new body, I was covering up more," she said. "I hated my shape, the way everything pulled down and under my clothes I looked 80 years old.

"No amount of exercise or supplements were going to correct it. So I made the decision to have skin removal surgery. Now, I'm really happy with the way things are going.

"I'm much more confident in the clothes I'm able to wear and I'm excited to see the final results." Grace recalls being "big" her entire life and says that sustaining weight loss long-term only ever felt like a dream.

She began taking Mounjaro in May 2024 as a last solution after various diets and even gastric balloon surgery had little to no effect. And although the weight was dropping off rapidly, the person staring back at her in the mirror wasn't who she had expected.

She said: "I was looking in the mirror and still had a large stomach. I didn't look how I imagined I'd look after losing [that much] weight. I thought that if I lost more, my stomach would disappear. But that wasn't the case at all."

[Grace Parkin's scars from the skin removal surgery]

View 3 Images

Grace Parkin's scars from the skin removal surgery(Image: Jam Press/Faye McCann)

Grace made several enquiries in the UK about skin removal surgery, but was left stunned by quotes of 20,000 from "average" clinics. Although apprehensive about travelling abroad, the mum of one felt she had little alternative.

She ruled out Turkey after coming across numerous "horror" stories and opted for a clinic in Lithuania instead. Following a consultation, she paid an 800 deposit with the remainder due upon arriving for the procedure in February 2026.

She said: "I never felt nervous once. The staff were friendly and the clinic was immaculate.

"I was just excited. I felt fine when I woke up, but achy in my stomach area since I had muscle repair. But, all in all, I was fine."

While Grace has struggled to remain on her feet for extended periods, she is gradually making her recovery. After 10 days, she flew back to the UK.

Grace will carry on using Mounjaro

Since returning home, there has been just one minor issue with a small incision that opened up, which she said proved to be insignificant. Grace, who is "overjoyed" with the results so far, has decided to resume taking Mounjaro, at 320 per month, in an effort to maintain her current weight of 11st 10lbs.

She intends to remain on the injections until she's "buried in the ground" as they've become an integral part of her life. It will take anywhere from six months to a year before the final results of the surgery become apparent.

For now, however, she's eagerly anticipating summer and confidently showing off her figure in a bikini. She added: "I feel weird when I look in the mirror, as I almost don't recognise myself.

"I'm so happy with the results. But I'm now looking at other parts, such as my arms, and if they need to be done, too.

"Overall, though, it feels amazing. I no longer avoid my reflection and I catch myself looking in the mirror multiple times a day.

"I've got a couple of holidays planned this year. And a few bikinis at the ready. I used to be modest and go with a cover-up or I would avoid walking around the pool without a towel wrapped around me.

"My bum would sag and I'd feel so conscious about how I'd look. I can't wait to parade my new figure around.

"I've always had an outgoing personality, but I'm more adventurous. I got on the rides in Orlando for the first time as I didn't fear getting stuck in the seat or the weight limit. It was a blast."

[Daily Mirror Icon]

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Choose Daily Mirror as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.