Bullies used to call me ‘horse face’ because of my overbite so I paid £25,000 to fix it – now people say I look like Kate Beckinsale
- Olivia Boardman, 29, from London, said strangers now call her a ‘supermodel’
- READ MORE: Woman can smile without being scared for the first time
A woman who was branded ‘horse face’ due to her extreme overbite says a £25,000 jaw operation has made her feel like a new woman – and she’s even been compared to Kate Beckinsale.
Olivia Boardman, 29, who lives in Wembley, London, was taunted by bullies since the age of 10, when fellow pupils first noticed her overbite, which occurs when the front teeth protrude far beyond the bottom row of teeth.
But the cosmetic problem soon transformed into a health one when Olivia began experiencing sleep apnoea and lower oxygen levels to her brain – both caused by her overbite.
The film and TV trailer maker, who’s originally from Manchester, said the condition made her feel confused and tired all the time, and things became so dire she even swore off dating.
But now after going under the knife, Olivia says she has a new lease of life and is flattered at being mistaken for a ‘supermodel’.
Olivia Boardman (pictured), 29, from Wembley, London, spent £25,000 on a double jaw operation after bullies branded her ‘horse face’
Olivia said she’d been taunted by bullies since the age of 10, when fellow pupils first noticed her overbite – but now strangers say she looks like actress Kate Beckinsale
She said: ‘Already so far I’m so happy. It was so strange to see myself, I was so happy and relieved. I can’t stop looking at my side profile.
‘One person said I looked like Kate Beckinsale online, it’s ridiculous. Someone even called me a supermodel, which I don’t think I am by any means, it’s just a dream.
‘My breathing is insane now. I feel so much more awake and refreshed, it feels effortless to breathe.
‘I’ve still got a lot of healing to do but I can already tell my confidence has gone up a lot, I’m so happy with it’.
Olivia’s newfound confidence is thanks to a life-changing £25,000 double jaw surgery, half of which was covered by her medical insurance.
On September 27, Olivia underwent a grueling six-hour operation that saw her top and bottom jaw broken and brought forward, as well as genioplasty to change the position of her chin.
After a two-day stint in hospital, four weeks off work and a month-long liquid diet, Olivia finally has the jaw of her dreams.
Although she won’t see the full results of her operation for another six months to a year, she admitted she was initially fearful of what her new face would look like.
For Olivia, the cosmetic problem soon transformed into a health one when she began experiencing sleep apnoea and lower oxygen levels to her brain – both caused by her overbite. (Pictured: Olivia left to right before and after jaw surgery)
The film and TV trailer maker said the condition made her feel confused and tired all the time, and things became so dire she even swore off dating (Pictured: Olivia with an overbite)
She recalled her misery leading up to the operation: ‘It got to the point where it was unbearable, it hurt to talk.
‘I felt so ridiculously tired. I couldn’t get my words out and my jaw was aching. It had such an impact on my day to day life.
‘The sleep apnea caused me so much anxiety that I couldn’t even walk across the street because I had barely any oxygen getting to my brain.
‘I was so fed up, the world felt like a blur to me. The operation wasn’t just for aesthetics, it was for my health.
‘I was so scared I wouldn’t like my face even more after the operation. You get so used to seeing yourself’.
Olivia said she became desperate to have the surgery after being tormented through school and university by cruel bullies due to her protruding jaw and larger teeth.
The mocking comments continued up until her late twenties, negatively impacting her social and romantic lives.
Olivia’s newfound confidence is thanks to life-changing £25,000 double jaw surgery (Pictured: Olivia recovering after the surgery)
On September 27, she underwent a grueling six-hour operation that saw her top and bottom jaw broken and brought forward
Olivia has also had genioplasty done to change the position of her chin (Pictured: Olivia shortly after her operation)
She said she reached breaking point when she was left struggling to walk and speak due to the overbite impacting her airways.
What is an underbite and how is it managed?
An underbite is when the lower teeth rest further forwards than the upper teeth. They are mainly down to genetics and can cause dental issues.
Braces can help with the issue. But elective jaw surgery is also an option if the mismatch is larger.
The surgery corrects irregularities of the jaw bones and realigns the jaws and teeth, to improve function and change the appearance.
Jaw surgery is typically done after growing stops, usually around 14 to 16 years for females and 17 to 21 for males.
It is considerable surgery and often involves a few nights in hospital afterwards. Once discharged, recovery takes between four and six weeks.
Source: NHS
‘It was something that was a constant thing for me every day’ said Olivia.
‘I got picked on at school, it was something I was very aware of. It probably started when I was 10 or 11. They used to call me horse face, beaver, and that typical sort of stuff.
‘It got really bad at one point. I was bullied all the way through high school, all the way through college, even at university.
‘I was so aware of my face looking so different from everyone else’s. My nose hadn’t formed correctly because of my jaw and my eyes didn’t sit correctly.
‘I just didn’t want to date. I’d go out with pretty nice people and I’d always get dumped. That always made me feel insecure, it made me question ‘what’s wrong with me?’.
‘It had such a big impact on my confidence’.
Olivia recalled visiting a dentist when she was 27, hoping it would be the answer to all of her problems.
After a two-day stint in hospital, four weeks off work and a month-long liquid diet, Olivia finally has the jaw of her dreams (Pictured: Olivia after some of the swelling went down)
Olivia said she won’t see the full results of her operation for another six months to a year, but she is pleased with the results so far (Olivia poses after the surgery)
The content creator has stunned social media users with her new transformation, with many comparing her new face to that of stunning actress Kate Beckinsale
But when her dentist came up stuck at how to resolve the overbite, she accepted fate – albeit briefly.
‘I got to 27 and 28 and it started to become difficult to eat’ she added. ‘It was difficult to speak and my anxiety was through the roof.
‘I knew something wasn’t right’.
But that was the past, and Olivia’s new surgery has left her feeling rejuvenated and like a brand new woman.
It’s been weeks since the operation and Olivia said she has been given a new lease of life – and has praised both the health and cosmetic benefits of the surgery.
She said: ‘I have this new burst of energy, which is something nobody really prepares you for.
‘I’ve been given a new lease of life’.
The content creator has stunned social media users with her new transformation, with many comparing her new face to that of stunning actress Kate Beckinsale.
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