Man who suffered from a deformed ‘caved in’ chest is now a Calvin Klein model – after having a metal BAR bolted to his ribs to push them back into place
- David James Seed, 25, from Manchester, was born with chest growing inwards
- Rare condition pectus excavatum dented his confidence and he had operation
- Underwent surgery tor have a metal bar bolted to his ribs to correct it, aged 12
- Now a model, he has won jobs with major names including Calvin Klein
A man with a deformed ‘caved in’ chest endured excruciating corrective surgery by having a metal bar bolted to his ribs – only to go on to land a job as a Calvin Klein model.
David James Seed, 25, from Manchester, dreaded summer holidays as a youngster for fear of having to undress thanks to a deformity that meant his chest grew inwards.
After years of discomfort and embarrassment, David was 12 when he underwent gruelling surgery to insert a metal bar to push the bones back into the right position, to correct the condition known as pectus excavatum.
Now a successful full-time model and fashion blogger, David had the bar surgically removed on May 15 and bravely shared photos of his transformation to inspire others suffering from the condition.
Now working with the likes of Calvin Klein, Ted Baker and Alfred Dunhill, David thanks the ‘life-changing’ operation for his success in his career.
David James Seed, 25, from Manchester is now a model after life-changing surgery to correct his ‘funnel chest’
David had a chest deformity called pectus excavatum, which caused his ribs to grow inwards (left). David said that in addition to his career, surgery has enabled him to go on summer holidays without worrying about showing his chest
When he was 12, David had a curved metal bar placed underneath his sternum and attached to both sides of his rib cage with wire and pins to force the bones back into their correct position.
This metal bar put pressure on David’s ribs and chest leaving him in immense pain that felt like being ‘crushed under a heavy weight’.
But every moment of agony was worth it for David as the surgery allowed him to become a confident young man instead of one too insecure to ever take his shirt off because of his chest deformity.
David said: ‘Essentially I would not have a career working in fashion without the surgery.
David during a modelling shoot: He now works with the likes of Calvin Klein, Ted Baker and Alfred Dunhill, and credits the ‘life-changing’ operation for success in his career
‘I wouldn’t be able to do topless shoots and the clothes wouldn’t fit me like they do.
‘When I started to get all these modelling jobs, it was mad really because I knew I never would have been able to do them if I hadn’t had the operation.
‘Apart from my career, I also appreciate the simple things the surgery has given me like being able to go on summer holidays and not having to worry about showing my chest.
‘I have been allowed to become a confident young man. I have never worried about taking my shirt off or been insecure with girls.
David recovering from surgery to remove a metal bar that was inserted in his chest when he was 12-years-old, to push the bones into the correct position
David had a curved metal bar placed underneath his sternum and attached to both sides of his rib cage with wire and pins to force the bones back into their correct position
‘You grow into the deformity as well, so if I didn’t have the surgery, my shoulders probably would have rolled forward. But now I can stand up proud with my shoulders back.
‘I can’t contemplate being 25 let alone 35 or 45 and living with a chest like I had. I can’t fathom it.
‘I just know that I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for the surgery. It has changed my life.’
After first noticing the dip in his chest aged 10, David watched as it got deeper over the next two years.
David pictured on holiday as a youngster (left). He first noticed the dip in his chest when he was around 10-years-old. Right: David, pictured after recovering from his chest surgery in 2006. He dreaded summer holidays as a youngster because of a deformity that meant his chest grew inwards, and was self-conscious about taking his top off
Pectus excavatum occurs when the cartilage in the rib cage grows too fast so the ribs start to grow inwards and cause the sternum to sink.
And the rugby-mad youngster felt ‘uncomfortable’ when other lads in the changing room started to point it out and make fun.
After receiving an official diagnosis of pectus excavatum at age 12, David’s parents Elizabeth Seed, 59, and Neil Seed, 61, pushed for their son to have the corrective surgery.
The two-hour operation was performed at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in summer 2006 giving David the school holidays to recover.
David started working out at home when he was 15 and told his mother it was his ambition to become a Calvin Klein model one day
The fitness fan has always been passionate about exercise and puts in the hours in the gym to stay in shape for his job as a model
David remembers the moment he woke up and the first thing he did was look down in amazement at his new flat chest.
David said: ‘I went to a big sports school and we would play rugby four or five times a week. In the showers, people started to notice my chest and ask ‘what’s that?’.
‘I was never really bullied, it was just kids being kids but I didn’t like them pointing it out. I know I felt uncomfortable with it and I was very self-conscious about it.
‘That started when I was about 10 and over the next two years it got deeper and deeper.
‘When we got the diagnosis my parents did loads of research and they found out that it could be fixed. They really pushed with the doctors for me to have the surgery.
‘I remember meeting the consultant and he was explaining to us what was going to happen and that it was going to be extremely painful and it just freaked me out. I got a nose bleed and almost passed out.
‘But going into hospital for the operation I was really naive. I was just a happy little boy going along.
‘It wasn’t until I was about to get the anaesthetic and the nurse mentioned that this is the second most painful surgery that they’re allowed to do that I started panicking.
‘Then I woke up and I had a flat chest. It saw it straight away, it was mad. I was just amazed to have this new body. I had gone from having such an extreme dip to a perfectly flat chest.
David (right) on holiday with (left to right) his brother Andrew, 27, his mother Elizabeth, 59, and his father Neil, 61. His parents pushed for their son to have corrective surgery when he was diagnosed with pectus excavatum at 12
David experienced cracked ribs and bruising after his second surgery to remove the metal bar, but has otherwise recovered well
‘The pain was excruciating. I had this foreign object in my body and it was pushing and putting all this pressure on my bones.
‘It was like having a really heavy weight on your chest but you can’t lift it off.
‘I went back to school after the summer holidays but it took me a long time to recover fully. It was a huge change to my body adjusting to having this object in me.
‘And it takes time for your bones to realise that this is how they’re supposed to grow now instead of constantly trying to keep growing inwards.’
After fully recovering, David, who always loved exercise and sports, started working out to build muscle and get the rounded chest he only could have dreamed of before the surgery.
And at 15 the confident lad strolled up to his mum in his Calvin Kleins, flexing his pecs and six pack and jokingly declared that one day he would be a model for the fashion giant.
But it wasn’t until his gap year working as a teaching assistant in Sydney, Australia, when a stranger suggested David pursue modelling that the then 19-year-old took the idea seriously.
The teen was signed immediately after attending a walk-in at a modelling agency and gave up his place at university to explore the career.
Pictured: James Seed, aged 12, recovering in hospital from his chest surgery
Since then David, who is now signed with the London agency Models 1 and Boss in Manchester, hasn’t looked back and travels the world modelling for designers, magazines and editorials.
David said: ‘I have always been in good nick. I’ve always loved exercising and playing sports.
‘I always had a six pack and after my surgery I was able to get a round chest too. I started doing home workouts when I was about 15.
‘I had just finished one and I was wearing my Calvins. I went up to my mum and I was mucking around and flexing and I told her ‘one day I’m going to work for Calvin Klein’.
‘I was just taking the mick and she laughed almost dismissively.
‘But when I was in Australia, our school was hosting a charity auction and someone walked up to my boss and asked who I was then said ‘he should be a model’.
What is pectus excavatum?
Pectus excavatum (also known as funnel chest) is a condition in which, instead of being level with the ribs, the breastbone (sternum) is ‘sunken’ so that the middle of the chest looks ‘caved in’.
Pectus excavatum affects about one in 1,000 children and is four times as common in boys as in girls.
We are not sure what causes ribcage problems, but it seems to be linked to the cartilage in the ribcage overgrowing. More research is needed to confirm the cause. There may be a genetic link to ribcage problems, as it seems to run in families.
If the ribcage problems are not causing any physical or psychological problems, a child may not need any treatment. When ribcage problems are affecting a child’s lung function or are causing serious psychological problems, an operation to correct the problem might be suggested.
This surgery is usually suggested when a child’s rib cage problem is affecting his or her breathing or lung function. It may also be suggested if it is causing severe psychological problems.
[Information from Great Ormond Street Hospital]
‘My boss helped me out and I went to a walk-in at a modelling agency and got signed. I ended up deferring university then deferring again and then I never went.
‘I just fell into it but it’s been amazing. I’ve travelled all over the world.’
Despite not knowing anything about fashion before ‘falling into’ modelling, David quickly developed an eye for the latest styles and trends and now runs his own Instagram fashion blog.
The model’s blog features men’s outfits all put together with items from affordable retailers such as George at Asda, New Look, Primark and River Island.
And David is now using his blog to share his journey since his chest surgeries as he wants to show people the reality of what he’s been through to get to where he is today.
David said: ‘There are so many fake people on Instagram but I wanted to share my life with people.
‘I wanted people to know that I don’t just have an Instagram to look pretty, I go through real things – there’s pains and there’s struggles.
‘I’m not just a person with a perfectly rounded chest and a six pack. There was a time before that and I have been through a lot and worked really hard to get where I am.
‘After I shared my first post, I couldn’t believe how many people messaged me to say they had the same deformity and they had never heard of the surgery.
‘I can’t imagine what it must be like living your whole life with a chest like that.’
The metal bar was removed from David’s chest during 90-minute surgery on May 15 this year as it is no longer needed to keep his rib cage and sternum from sinking in.
Despite a few cracked ribs and bruising, David is recovering well and can’t wait to get back to work.
David said: ‘Because the first operation affected me so much, it was scary going in for the second surgery.
‘I never get nervous about anything then all of a sudden I was dead nervous and worried and having flashbacks thinking it might be like the first time.
‘The surgery went well. They had to tussle a bit to get the bar out so I’ve got a few cracked ribs and I’m pretty bruised up but because I’m older, I’m able to deal with it a a bit more.
‘It’s an inconvenience being off work. I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t like sitting around doing nothing but I have to..’
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