Russia's Economy Worsens as 'Used Fake Breasts' Flood Online Market

Amid a deepening economic crisis in Russia, a peculiar trend has emerged: women are selling their used silicone breast implants online. Advertisements for these "second-hand fake breasts" have flooded Russian online marketplaces, with prices slashed to one-third or one-quarter of their original cost. For example, Mentor implants originally costing 140,000 rubles (about $455) are now being sold for 35,000 rubles.

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After childbirth

Sellers, some from affluent cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, cite reasons such as "after childbirth," "body pain," or simply "getting tired of them." However, the underlying motive appears to be financial necessity, as they seek to recover some of the initial surgery expenses. Analysts attribute this unusual trend to the severe economic downturn gripping Russia, marked by volatile exchange rates, declining purchasing power, the withdrawal of Western banks and corporations, and recent domestic fuel shortages.

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Body pain

Medical professionals have issued stern warnings about the dangers of using these implants. They highlight that removed implants retain biological material from their previous host and cannot be thoroughly sterilized. Reusing them poses significant risks, including severe immune rejection, tissue necrosis, and potentially fatal complications.

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Getting tired of them