Racing legend Danica Patrick has spoken out about the harrowing health ‘disaster’ she endured due to breast implants, revealing the severe physical toll it took on her.
The former IndyCar star, 43, detailed how her health began to spiral just three years after her initial surgery in 2014, leading to a ‘cascading effect.’
Speaking in an interview with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Patrick explained that while the symptoms started small, they eventually evolved into a total crisis.
‘Basically, I got breast implants in 2014. It was after three years that I started to notice stuff and another few years later, a disaster happened,’ she explained.
Desperate for answers, the driver consulted multiple specialists and attempted various medical protocols, but found herself trapped in a cycle of confusion.
‘I started doing every protocol, I didn’t care. I was just looking for something that worked. I was working with one doctor, then I worked with another.’
Danica Patrick has spoken out about the health ‘disaster’ she endured due to breast implants
Patrick claimed that she suffered from significant weight gain, hair loss and ‘full inflammation’
Danica Patrick and Wilmer Valderrama speak onstage during the 54th Academy Of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 07, 2019
Patrick claimed that she suffered from significant weight gain, hair loss and ‘full inflammation’ that left her body on constant alert.
Despite her body failing her, the athlete continued to push herself to the limit, even attempting to train for one of the most grueling races in the world.
‘I gained weight, lost my hair, full inflammation. I was exhausted. I had no recovery. During all of this, I ran the Boston marathon. It was a disaster.’
Patrick eventually underwent surgery to have the implants removed in 2022, joining a growing number of women speaking out about Breast Implant Illness (BII).
Since the removal, she has been a vocal advocate for transparency regarding the risks of cosmetic surgery, often sharing her journey with her followers.
In 2024, Patrick detailed the layered decision involved in both getting them and removing them.
‘I was always been a tiny little thing. I was curious about them when I was much younger. The news would make you think that there was nothing wrong with them. They were safe. It wasn’t like, a concern,’ Patrick said to Navwell.
‘I wasn’t like, ‘Oh, wow. I wonder if this will make me sick. Many people have them,” Patrick continued. ‘I was super lean and in shape and early 30s, and I remember thinking that I don’t want to wait until I’m done racing. I don’t know when that’s going to be to get implants. I want the whole package now.’
Patrick eventually underwent surgery to have the implants removed in 2022
‘I didn’t even look at two doctors. I just went to one and I got that done,’ Patrick added. ‘And I also thought it made me feel more feminine and sexy. … But in the end, I realized that one totally didn’t work either, because anytime they would be touched, I’d be thinking to myself, ‘They’re fake!”
‘Quickly, all those things, faded when, I was struck with the many, many things that slid into effect over time,’ Patrick concluded.
At the start of the month, meanwhile, Patrick broke her silence after being let go Formula 1 broadcaster Sky Sports just days ahead of the start of the 2026 season.
‘From my first @skysportsf1 race in Austin to my last 5 years later… I had such a blast!’ she wrote on Instagram. ‘The sky team was so much fun (thank you all), I saw so many amazing new race tracks and cities, and got to be part of a huge boom in F1!
‘I called after the last race in 2025 and said it was time for me to move on and I was so grateful for the opportunity and experience I was given!
‘….and now due to my deep exposure to F1, I will be glued to my tv for the season starting this weekend, like every other fan!’
