“People are in denial if they don’t think young girls are talking to their mothers about these things,” Romano tells PEOPLE of her mother’s support at the time.
Christy Carlson Romano has no regrets.
The former Disney Channel star turned podcasting pro caught up with PEOPLE ahead of her 40th birthday, and part of starting her “next chapter” includes looking back at how far she’s come since her teenage years.
“I remember being in the news recently because I mentioned that my mom kind of talked to me about whether or not I should [breast] implants. And I actually had a very positive experience through that process because I had someone to talk to,” says Romano about her decision to undergo cosmetic surgery after turning 18.
Romano first talked about the procedure in the episode about her Vulnerable podcast last fall.
“After that, I actually had problems with my body image Cadet Kelly — a great honor,” Romano told co-star Andrea Lewis. “I wore that very tight, stiff uniform for Jennifer Stone. And I remember seeing – and this often comes up in memes – where I’m standing face to face with [Hilary Duff] and I’m completely flat-chested.”
Shawn Ashmore, Hilary Duff and Christy Carlson Romano in Cadet Kelly in 2002.
Everett
Christy Carlson Romano developed an eating disorder that made her ‘unhappy’ and ‘unhealthy’
Romano said she struggled with her own body image — especially while filming the TV movie — and her mom, Sharon Romano, let her know plastic surgery was an option.
“She was a stage mom, so she knew everything about my life. I couldn’t hide anything from my show mom. She was there the whole time. So, there are pros and cons, but just in case [my implants]it wasn’t bad,” Romano tells PEOPLE of his mother’s support.
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Christy Carlson Romano and her mother Sharon Romano in 2017.
Michael Tullberg/Getty
“I will say one thing that I think my mom guided me through every step and I was never afraid of that decision,” she adds. “Actually, I’ve never regretted making them. Never.”
Romano is now a mother herself after having daughters Isabella (7) and Sophia (5) with her husband and business partner Brendan Rooney. Her girls may be tiny, but Romano knows all too well the reality they may face as they grow older.
“I think people are in denial if they don’t think young girls talk to their mothers about these things. I’ve had a really positive experience with it and I think my girls could come and talk to me if they had any concerns,” she adds about how she would put up with her daughters asking about cosmetic procedures one day.
Christy Carlson Romano on the first performance when her daughters saw her: ‘Mom, you’re on stage!’
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After all, Romano has one rule he tries to follow as a parent: keep communication open.
“I just want them to talk to me. I’m just interested in that. Just let your kids talk because I think body positivity is something that wasn’t around when I had my breasts done,” she says.
“While I understand that eating disorders are still very prevalent among young women and even men, I still just want my girls to know that they are beautiful regardless of their body shape. So that’s the first and most important thing,” she continues. “That being said, if they want something, as long as it comes from confidence and not desperation [because] this must be an informed decision, [I’ll support them].”
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Source: HIS Education