Carol McGiffin has opened up about the possibility of having constructive surgery after undergoing a mastectomy back in 2014.
The 62-year-old star was diagnosed with a triple negative form of breast cancer in 2014 and had no choice but to have the surgery soon after.
"I've been over it for eight years nearly, and I don't think about it all the time, I try not to, but there is a constant reminder with the scar," Carol bravely explained during Tuesday's Loose Women.
Her fellow panelists Christine Lampard, Frankie Bridge and Kelle Bryan listened intently as she opened up about the possibility of having more surgery.
"Ever since I had the mastectomy, I've wanted to have the reconstruction because I want my body to look what I would think would be normal again," Carol said.
"I don't like the idea of that part of me missing and being so asymmetrical, but at the same time, I can't bring myself to do it because I don't wanna put myself through it just in case the cancer comes back.
"Because it's always a risk and if it comes back you know the month after I've been in hospital for two months... I don't know... I can't square that," she continued.
Speaking about women being proud of their mastectomy scars, Carol then admitted: "It's admirable, but I can't get past that. I can't stand there and look and say, 'look I'm really proud of my scars because it shows my strength'.
"It just shows that I was unlucky enough to have to go through that, and a lot of women are. You have to accept it and you have to accept the way it looks if you don't wanna have that massive operation, but you don't ever get used to it.
"I don't like looking at myself like that, and I know that's gonna sound really sad, but I don't," Carol continued.
"And I used to be really proud of my body, I used to walk around naked all the time! I was never a supermodel, but I did!"
She later told the panel that she's figured out what type of swimwear she can wear, before adding: "I'm not complaining, I'm alive for crying out loud!"
Loose Women viewers were quick to praise Carol on Twitter, with one person writing: "Tbf it’s good to hear Carol speak so honestly about her reality and relationship with her reconstructive post cancer surgery. #loosewomen."
Loose Women airs weekdays at 12:30pm on ITV and ITV Hub.
