There’s Always Room for Improvement’: Woman Who Had Six Ribs Removed in Quest for 23-Inch Waist

‘There’s Always Room for Improvement’: Woman Who Had Six Ribs Removed in Quest for 23-Inch Waist

For Anakaliyah Mooi, looking different has never been something to apologise for.

The 29-year-old Florida-based social media personality has spent more than £75,000 on cosmetic procedures and body modifications in her quest to create what she describes as her ideal appearance.

“I’ve always loved myself, I just believe there’s always room for improvement,” she said.

Her journey began shortly after she turned 18, when she underwent her first breast augmentation. Since then, she has had four breast surgeries, rhinoplasty, veneers, butt fillers, rib removal and several procedures aimed at reshaping her waist.

Anakaliyah says she has never been interested in achieving a natural look. Instead, she draws inspiration from fictional characters such as Jessica Rabbit and Betty Boop, whose exaggerated appearances helped shape her vision of beauty.

“I want to be a walking, living fantasy. I consider my body a work of art,” she said.

The transformation has taken her from an A-cup to a 34H bust. Her latest implants measure 2,070cc and weigh about eight pounds.

She currently has a 23-inch waist, 41-inch hips and a 34H bust, but hopes to reduce her waist further to 22 inches.

The dramatic changes, however, have also affected her everyday life. She says she now has to be selective about the clothes she wears because some outfits can no longer accommodate her figure.

“There are certain clothes I just can’t wear anymore,” she said.

Anakaliyah has also undergone rib removal and travelled to Peru in September 2025 for RibXcar, a controversial waist-contouring procedure in which selected ribs are partially fractured before being reshaped during recovery with the help of a corset.

She later underwent FrontXrib surgery to address rib flare, a procedure she says has proved considerably more difficult to recover from than her earlier rib removal.

“I still can’t twist properly, and if I stretch, I still feel pain,” she said.

Medical experts have raised concerns about the long-term safety of some rib-contouring procedures. Potential complications can include nerve irritation, problems with rib healing and pneumothorax, or a collapsed lung.

Beyond cosmetic surgery, Anakaliyah has also undergone body modification, including having a silicone implant placed beneath the skin of her thumb.

She says she enjoys standing out and has plans for further procedures, including a lip lift, facial reshaping and larger, anime-inspired eyes.

Funding the transformation has required her to make significant financial choices. She says she spends little on travel, alcohol and luxury items, preferring to save much of her disposable income for future procedures.

“I don’t really live a luxurious lifestyle. I save almost everything for surgery,” she said.

Her appearance has earned her a loyal online following, but it has also attracted criticism, with some people comparing her breasts to airbags and accusing her of taking cosmetic surgery too far.

Anakaliyah, however, says the criticism has not changed how she sees herself or her plans for the future.

She believes she is about 90 per cent through her transformation but does not expect to stop undergoing cosmetic procedures completely.

“Eventually ageing is going to happen,” she said, adding that she expects there will always be procedures available to address changes associated with getting older.

For Anakaliyah, the transformation is not over. As far as she is concerned, there is always something else to improve.