The Major Surgery Decision That Changed Modern Family Star Ariel Winter's Life

Ariel Winter has had a stunning transformation since entering the public eye, growing into a strong woman who isn't afraid to live her life how she wants. When Winter was 17, she chose to undergo a breast reduction surgery that made her go from a 32F to a 34D. And, in 2016, the "Modern Family" star attended the SAG Awards and didn't shy away from revealing her surgery scars as she posed for photographs on the red carpet. A day after the event, she took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to explain that she didn't hide them because the scars were a testament to her experience, and she was unashamed.

While many rightfully lauded her decision, the actor's mother, Crystal Workman, wasn't too pleased. Winter has a complicated relationship with her mom, which led the former child star to legally emancipate from her in 2015. The mother-daughter duo stopped talking after that, and since Workman couldn't privately communicate her thoughts about the breast reduction, she chose to do it publicly in an Insider Edition interview. 

"She should never be embarrassed by her scars, but she shouldn't flaunt them and show them to everybody," Workman argued. "I am surprised that she did it so young and that the doctor did it for her before she was at least 21 to fully develop." But it's easy to understand that the "Modern Family" star couldn't wait until she was older to get the procedure because her being well-endowed negatively affected her life in several major ways.

Ariel Winter recalled to Glamour that when she was younger, she couldn't wait for puberty to bring her large breasts. But for the actor, the change happened too swiftly, and she got more than she bargained for. Winter's breasts caused her tremendous physical pain, and she shared some of these problems with ABC News: "I couldn't sit up straight. It was always super uncomfortable for me to sleep. It was uncomfortable to sit. It was uncomfortable to walk." Being big-breasted also greatly limited her clothing choices. 

Over the years, Winter has received tons of criticism for wearing overly revealing outfits. While she's rightfully defended her choices several times, she informed Glamour that her breasts restricted her to more mature, curve-hugging clothes and unflattering pieces that earned her negative comments online. In fact, the "Modern Family" star ultimately decided to get breast reduction surgery after she went bathing suit shopping with her cousin. 

Because they didn't have anything that fit her perfectly, all she could do was throw on something that wasn't made for summer. In an essay for TIME, Winter shared that her well-endowed chest also started affecting the public's perception of her. People's focus increasingly shifted from her job to her breasts and she started receiving creepy texts from middle-aged men. In her Glamour interview, the actor revealed that her breasts also affected her ability to land roles because she couldn't fit the look of a teenager or an adult.

Ariel Winter's life changed for the better in several ways following her surgery, with the actor proudly telling ABC News that she was considerably more confident as a result. Winter also clarified that she did it for herself, rather than because of any negative attention. As Winter told Glamour, "Guys I'm friends with can start looking me in the eye. Other people I know can finally not turn around and whisper behind my back about, 'Are those real? Are those fake?'" 

She noted, "I've heard that for so many years. Even at 14, people would ask me, 'Do you have fake boobs?'" In her TIME essay, the "Modern Family" star detailed how as she recovered from her surgery, she began to look forward to her previously dreaded shopping experience. Fortunately, her excitement wasn't in vain because she found several options that fit her perfectly. For someone who has struggled with finding normal clothes for years, it was a big moment. 

Winter even admitted to Glamour that she teared up. At the time of the interview, the Emmys were on the horizon, and the former child star couldn't wait to go dress-shopping and try everything that she had previously missed out on. And, although Winter didn't tell her real-life mother that she was planning the surgery, Winter brought up the idea with her "Modern Family" mom, Julie Bowen, who encouraged her to follow through with it.