Heidi Montag Technically Died During Plastic Surgery

Any surgery can put extreme stress on the body, but 10 surgeries in 24 hours is exceptionally brutal. While it’s unusual to hit double digits when it comes to surgical procedures in a single day, that’s exactly what reality star Heidi Montag did, putting so much stress on her heart during elective plastic surgery that she went into cardiac arrest.

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"Spencer thought he lost me," Montag told Paper Magazine in an interview. "I died for a minute. With that much surgery, I had to have 24-hour nurse care and Spencer didn't want to leave my side. I was at a recovery center and had Demerol to deal with the pain because it was so extreme."

Heidi was undergoing a browlift, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, ear pinnings and a chin reduction (among other procedures) at the time of the incident. Thankfully, Montag pulled through the ordeal, but the star remembers this time as “rock bottom” for herself, saying she can scarcely recognize the person she once was who risked her "own life for vanity." 

All surgeries—even cosmetic procedures—come with risks, especially for those with a history of cardiovascular disease, obesity or diabetes, the Mayo Clinic reports. Therefore, it’s vital to seek out a board-certified doctor and do your research before undergoing any procedure. As the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.