Kerry Katona: Why I Had My Nose Rebuilt After Cocaine Abuse

Former Atomic Kitten star Kerry Katona has bravely opened up about the physical toll her years of drug addiction took, confirming she underwent major reconstructive surgery on her nose to repair severe damage.

Rather than letting the injury fade as a private reminder, Katona has turned her experience into a powerful warning against drug abuse.

Kerry Katona, who has been clean for 14 years, revealed that years of excessive cocaine use caused her nasal septum to collapse, leaving her with holes in her nose and breathing difficulties.

The extensive surgery, a septo-rhinoplasty, was medically necessary. Surgeons had to take cartilage from her rib to rebuild and reinforce the structure of her nose.

Appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Kerry Katona spoke candidly about the operation, describing the pain and the initial emotional shock of seeing her new appearance.

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She explained that she had long aggravated the hole in her septum as a form of "self-harm" when she was at her lowest.

For the mother-of-five, the decision to be public about her past and the resulting surgery is crucial. She says she "can't sit with regret" and must own her past to truly move on.

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Kerry Katona is vocal about her darkest days, stating that cocaine had become her "best friend" and a "crutch" during struggling periods.

Her primary motivation for being so open is her children.

She shared details of the damage with her daughter before the surgery, preferring them to hear the truth from her than read about it elsewhere.

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Kerry Katona hopes her story serves as a deterrent, stating, "Let this be a lesson, don't do drugs!"