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Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson will be getting a suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve in late August, her rep told TMZ. The reality star will turn 17 in late August and plans to get the surgery after her Aug. 28 birthday. The procedure will be taking place in New York City, and Alana is going under the knife in hopes of getting healthier. She is reportedly currently 275 pounds and wants to lose 125 to get down to 150 pounds.
A suture sculpt endoscopic sleeve is a “non-surgical outpatient procedure.” It reduces the functional volume of the stomach by 70 to 80 percent, leading to fullness in patients when they eat smaller portions. The recovery time is much less than other weight loss procedures, and patients are generally discharged within hours of having the surgery.
The 16-year-old’s guardian, her sister, Pumpkin, has signed off on her getting the procedure. Alana has tried dieting and exercise, but has not gotten the results she wanted, according to TMZ. The site also reports that Honey Boo Boo’s boyfriend, Dralin Carswell, is planning on having the procedure done, as well. Alana and Dralin have been dating since the beginning of 2021.
Alana’s mom, Mama June, lost custody of her to Pumpkin in June. Alana has been living with Pumpkin for years due to June’s addiction struggles. Even though June is now sober, Alana has made the decision to live with her sister instead of her estranged mother.
Mama June also previously had weight loss surgery. In 2016, she underwent a gastric sleeve procedure. She lost over 100 pounds in the months following the surgery. In addition to having the gastric sleeve, Mama June also had skin removal done to remove “loose skin” on her neck, arms and stomach.