Lauren Wasser, also known as the ‘girl with the golden legs,’ wants to warn others about the rare condition linked to tampon use that left her a double amputee.
Earlier this month A-listers once again flocked to the iconic Met Gala. Among the attendees was model Lauren Wasser, 38.
Wasser captured attention in a shimmering golden shorts suit from Prabal Gurung, with her gold prosthetic legs completing the look.
The heartbreaking story behind the gold legs
The story behind her golden legs is as heartbreaking as it is inspiring. Wasser has been very outspoken about the incident that led to the amputation of her legs in 2012.
She told InStyle she initially believed she was coming down with the flu after inserting a tampon during her period.
After attending a party that evening, friends reportedly told her she looked seriously ill and urged her to go home. The next thing she remembers is waking up to the sound of her dog barking as police officers knocked on her front door following a welfare check requested by her mother.
Later, she learned she had been found unconscious and rushed to hospital with a dangerously high fever.
“All this damage was caused by a tampon I was using correctly,” Wasser later stated.
The cause was toxic shock syndrome, a rare but life-threatening condition. Often shortened to TSS, it’s a bacterial infection that has been linked to tampon use. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting, dizziness, confusion and a sudden drop in blood pressure.
Why Lauren Wasser chose gold prosthetic legs
In 2023, Wasser was a guest on The Diary Of a CEO podcast and explained her experience in detail.
“I was on my period. It was super heavy. I guess I must have passed out. They found me face down on my bedroom floor. I was 10 minutes from death.”
Her feet were turning black and when she woke up she was informed her right leg had to be amputated to save her life. Medical staff couldn’t give her pain medication, and Wasser felt “every single thing that was done to me.”
Her left leg had to be amputated in 2018 because of lasting damage. When she saw the prosthetics available at the time she couldn’t see herself wearing them.
“To move forward, I knew I had to create something that fit with my identity. I have always loved gold, so I decided to make my legs a jewellery piece, to consciously make something that people look at and are fascinated by. The result is, I believe, something close to art.”
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