Ariel Winter, ‘Modern Family’ Star, Opens Up About Breast Reduction Surgery

Ariel Winter, who stars as Alex Dunphy on ABC comedy Modern Family, recently spoke publicly about her decision to undergo breast reduction surgery.

Ariel Winter’s Breast Reduction

Winter, 17, was 15 and flat-chested when puberty hit and seemed to instantly increase her cup size to an F.

“It really did happen overnight,” Winter told Glamour. “I remember being in my sister’s wedding and being so flat and thinking, I just wish I would grow boobs! And then overnight I did. But then they kept growing and growing and growing, and it didn’t seem like they were going to stop…I was 15 years old with [size] F [breasts]. It’s like, How do you navigate that?”

Winter struggled with the size of her breasts, which led to trouble going swimsuit shopping and other tasks. The teen actress resolved to go under the knife to reduce her breast size and received support from her on-screen mom Julie Bowen. Sofia Vergara, who plays Winter’s young step-grandmother, was also happy for her.

“I told [only] Julie Bowen because I had talked to her before about my desire to have the surgery,” Winter said. “She was really supportive and understanding. I just saw Sofia [Vergara] the other day, and she was like, ‘Oh my God! I love them! They’re great!’ I was like, ‘This is hilarious.’ Everyone is really happy for me and has been super supportive. They understand I’ve been struggling with this for so many years.”

Winter decided to share her experience with breast reduction surgery to potentially inspire other girls and young women with similar circumstances. For her, having the reduction has been a great experience, and she wants to raise awareness for reductions as a possible option for others.

“It’s something that I did to better my life and better my health, and I think that can benefit a lot of young girls,” Winter said. “I have felt happier with myself than I ever have. I am living a dream that a lot of girls my age would love to be living, and I’m aware of that. I’m really grateful that I’m able to do that and have a voice that I’m able to speak to teenagers. I don’t want to do anything to mess that up.”

Modern Family returns to ABC on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 9/8c.