Fix your pectus.
Without surgery.
The complete non-surgical system for pectus excavatum, carinatum, and rib flare.
Watch - 12 minutes, no fluff
Find your exact condition & best fix.
A 1-minute assessment that pinpoints your condition, then builds a personalized non-surgical plan - with a video from me.
Which of these matches your chest?
Pick the closest match - or choose "Not sure" and we'll work out exactly what you have from a few simple questions.
I had it.
I fixed it.
I'm Mihail. I had pectus excavatum. Instead of surgery, I spent a decade testing every non-surgical approach I could find - exercises, breathing protocols, vacuum bells, custom braces.
I fixed my own chest. Then I built a system so you can too.
The protocols I teach are the exact ones that worked for me - and for over a thousand people since. I run this alone. Every inquiry comes to me directly.
Prof. Dr.
Mustafa Yüksel.
Chest Wall International Group President Thoracic & cardiovascular surgery 2,000+ pectus operations
The surgeon who checks the case for not operating performs the operation for a living. That is the whole point. If the non-surgical argument on this site cannot survive a chest wall surgeon reading it, it does not belong here.
- 48 yrs
- In thoracic surgery
- 19
- Countries operated in
- 100+
- Surgeons trained
- 5,000+
- Clinic patients treated
- 450+
- CWIG members, 52 countries
Three conditions.
Three different plans.
Pectus excavatum, carinatum and rib flare each behave differently - so each one gets its own non-surgical correction plan, never a one-size-fits-all fix.
Pectus Excavatum
A sunken, caved-in chest - the sternum sits deeper than the ribs around it.
Pectus Carinatum
A protruding, pigeon chest - the sternum and ribs push outward.
Rib Flare
Lower ribs that flare outward and up instead of sitting flat.
Here's how I can help you.
Everything I've built for non-surgical pectus correction - pick the path that fits where you are right now.
Work directly with me
A custom plan, fitted equipment and direct access to me - built around your case from day one.
Apply to work with me →Self-paced video courses
The full non-surgical system for pectus excavatum, carinatum and rib flare.
Explore courses →Custom-fitted devices
Vacuum bells and braces, 3D-printed to your exact measurements and shipped to your door.
See equipment →Training built for your chest
Structured plans for each condition - home or gym.
View programs →Breathe Deeper
The complete 1,127-page non-surgical system for pectus excavatum.
Read the eBook →Get the details right
Practical guides for braces, the vacuum bell and confidence.
Browse guides →Transformations & Real Stories
Read them by rating, or by what people actually got out of it - the transformations, the honest reviews, and the messages that land in my inbox every week.
across 35 rated statements
500+ reviews collected since 2015. Open a bar, a tag or a condition to read the published ones.
What the 4.8 is made of
45 published statements · 500+ collected since 2015
- ★★★★★
I came across your blog about a year ago and I just want to say how much you've changed my life for the better. I thought it was going to be another average article, but the tips you gave were things I hadn't heard of before. Now I've improved so much and im more confident then ever.
Cristian PE 17
Read the blog USA 🇺🇸
- ★★★★★
Had rib flare since i was a teen. the brace plus the breathing drills changed everything. my waist looks normal in a fitted shirt for the first time in my adult life
Daniel K. Rib Flare 27
Rib Flare Brace Bristol, UK 🇬🇧
- ★★★★★
Mihail doesnt sugarcoat anything. told me exactly what to expect and exactly how long it would take. 12 months in and my carinatum is flat. i finally take my shirt off at the beach
Aiden R. PC 19
1-on-1 Coaching Melbourne, Australia 🇦🇺
- ★★★★★
spent two years researching surgery before i found this. six months in and i wish id found it sooner. the progress photos dont lie
Tom W. PE 24
Pectus Excavatum Course Manchester, UK 🇬🇧
- ★★★★★
the breathing protocol alone changed how i feel day to day. didnt realise how shallow i was breathing until i fixed it. the rib flare correction kind of followed on its own
Sam B. Rib Flare 21
Rib Flare Course Oregon, USA 🇺🇸
- ★★★★★
Was skeptical, id tried everything before. the custom vacuum bell was different to anything id used. three months of consistent use and i can already see the sternum coming up
Chris L. PE 31
Vacuum Bell Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦
- ★★★★★
The carinatum brace is really well made. fits perfect to my chest and i can wear it under a t-shirt at work. results started showing around 4 months
Nico P. PC 17
Pectus Carinatum Brace Milan, Italy 🇮🇹
- ★★★★★
direct, no nonsense. mihail knows this condition better than any doctor ive seen. my GP was shocked when i showed him my 9 month comparison photos
Ryan H. PE 29
1-on-1 Coaching Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪
- ★★★★★
the course structure is exactly what i needed. not overwhelming, not vague. each module builds on the last and you always know what to do next
Jake M. Rib Flare 23
Rib Flare Course Texas, USA 🇺🇸
- ★★★★★
been watching mihails youtube since 2017. finally bought the program in 2023 and kicked myself for waiting. shouldve trusted him years earlier
Liam O. PE 26
PE Exercise Program Auckland, New Zealand 🇳🇿
- ★★★★★
My son is 15 and was getting self-conscious at the pool. The carinatum brace and the fortnightly check-ins are what kept him consistent. Six months and the ridge has visibly dropped.
Parent of Ethan PC 15
Pectus Carinatum Brace Michigan, USA 🇺🇸
- ★★★★★
what sold me is that every claim links to a study. only place online that treats pectus like an actual training problem instead of selling a miracle
David P. Rib Flare 34
Read the blog Rotterdam, Netherlands 🇳🇱
- ★★★★★
Seven months with the bell now. dip is maybe half what it was and i've stopped turning sideways away from people at the gym lol. didnt expect that part
Tobias PE 24
Vacuum Bell Hamburg, Germany 🇩🇪
- ★★★★★
started at 19 with a chest i couldnt look at in the mirror. went with the excavatum course cus everyone kept telling me nothing but surgery works and i didnt buy it. 5 months of doing the work most days and my chest sits noticeably flatter now - the surgeon who told me wait and see at 17 wouldnt recognise it. only regret is i didnt start the day i turned 17
Wes PE 19
Pectus Excavatum Course Colorado, USA 🇺🇸
- ★★★★★
Nine months in and my cardiologist literally asked what id changed. resting heart rate came down and i sleep breathing through my nose now. still kind of wild to me
Andrés Vásquez PE 31
1-on-1 Coaching Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱
- ★★★★★
1100 pages sounded ridiculous til i realised its a reference not a book you read front to back. im in the vacuum bell chapters basically every day
callum_g PE 22
Breathe Deeper Glasgow, Scotland 🏴
- ★★★★★
Back and rear delt work changed how my chest reads more than anything i did to the actual chest. did NOT expect to be told that
Dmitri PE 29
PE Exercise Program Riga, Latvia 🇱🇻
- ★★★★★
App keeps me honest ngl. i log the bell session and it tells me when ive earned the next step up. before this i was just guessing
Joon-ho Park PE 26
The app Seoul, South Korea 🇰🇷
- ★★★★★
my mum found mihail tbh. four months of coaching and the difference between the photos is obvious. never had to sit in front of a surgeon
Tomás Ferreira PE 17
1-on-1 Coaching Porto, Portugal 🇵🇹
- ★★★★★
gaining weight was the bit nobody would explain to me. 3 months on the nutrition plan, 5kg up, and the same chest reads completely different at that weight
Felix PE 28
Pectus Nutrition Program Graz, Austria 🇦🇹
- ★★★★★
It works. the suction takes getting used to and i gave myself a bit of skin bruising the first fortnight, until i dropped the pressure back to what the guide actually says. my fault not theirs
Marc-Antoine PE 33
Vacuum Bell Quebec, Canada 🇨🇦
- ★★★★★
honest review. 5 months of consistent bell use and my depth has barely moved. im 35 and my chest wall is stiff, which the guide does warn about upfront. the posture and breathing side genuinely helped and i dont regret the money, but i wouldnt tell someone my age to expect what the teenagers are getting
Nikolai PE 35
Vacuum Bell Guide Sofia, Bulgaria 🇧🇬
- ★★★★★
dip and flare at the same time. THE FLARE WENT FIRST, which nobody warned me would happen, and that alone changed my whole silhouette
Bruno Salgado PE + Rib Flare 30
1-on-1 Coaching São Paulo, Brazil 🇧🇷
- ★★★★★
brace did its job on the flare. what i actually wanted was how to run it alongside the vacuum bell work in the same week. asked and got a proper answer same day, but that should be in the material, not something you have to know to ask for
Otto PE + Rib Flare 25
Rib Flare Brace Tampere, Finland 🇫🇮
- ★★★★★
Everyone i asked just told me to do more core. turns out i was breathing into my neck this whole time. learning to actually use my diaphragm was the entire fix
Georgia Rib Flare 24
Rib Flare Course Perth, Australia 🇦🇺
- ★★★★★
started out flat on my back every night checking whether my ribs still stuck up, they always did. got the rib flare program and actually did the breathing side properly this time instead of just the exercises. four months later i lie down and theyre flat - i still check out of habit and still cant quite believe it
Hanna Rib Flare 22
Rib Flare Program Malmö, Sweden 🇸🇪
- ★★★★★
the fortnightly check-ins are the only reason im still doing this. left on my own id have quit around week 3, easy
Katarina Rib Flare 31
1-on-1 Coaching Split, Croatia 🇭🇷
- ★★★★★
obsessed with watching that number drop every month ngl. 10/10
marta_v Rib Flare 25
The app Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸
- ★★★★★
clear, cited, actually practical. heavy going in the anatomy chapters if you have no background, but id rather be given too much than too little
Aisha M. Rib Flare 27
Rib Flare Brace Guide Dubai, UAE 🇦🇪
- ★★★★★
material's good and i have no issue with the science. my honest gripe is the early modules cover the same ground as the free blog posts, which id already read before buying. the later phases are where the real value sits. wouldve paid the same to skip straight to those
Stefan Nagy Rib Flare 34
Rib Flare Course Budapest, Hungary 🇭🇺
- ★★★★★
Wore it 8 hrs a night for 5 months. the ridge is basically gone. im 16 so i got lucky on timing, but you still have to wear it every single night. beat the operation they were lining us up for
Elias PC 16
Pectus Carinatum Brace Bergen, Norway 🇳🇴
- ★★★★★
The wear-schedule chapter is honestly the whole product. everywhere else online just goes "wear a brace" and leaves you to figure out the rest
hamza PC 20
Pectus Carinatum Course Casablanca, Morocco 🇲🇦
- ★★★★★
spent two years hiding the ridge under hoodies before i actually did anything about it. what changed it was the carinatum program - building the chest and back around the ridge instead of just bracing and hoping. six months in and it reads flat enough that the hoodies are gone
Rafael PC 22
PC Exercise Program Cebu, Philippines 🇵🇭
- ★★★★★
He replied to my messages same day, every time. at 17 with a chest you hate, that matters way more than the plan does honestly
Théo PC 17
1-on-1 Coaching Ghent, Belgium 🇧🇪
- ★★★★★
solid guide and the pressure numbers are genuinely useful. half a star off cus im 28 and the whole thing is pitched at teenagers. an adult section, where the timelines are honestly different, wouldve been worth a lot to me
Jonas B. PC 28
Carinatum Brace Guide Aarhus, Denmark 🇩🇰
- logged case
Two months in and I've put on 3.2 kg of muscle. My chest doesn't cave the way it used to when I'm standing relaxed, and that alone was worth it.
Milo PE 25
Germany 🇩🇪
- logged case
Nine months, 5.7 kg of muscle on, and 0.9 cm off the depth of my chest. I am 32. I had been told the window for fixing this closed at 18.
Liam PE + Rib Flare 32
Seattle, WA 🇺🇸
- logged case
I came in skinny with a deep dip and ribs that flared out. Six months later I am 4.5 kg heavier, and the flare is the part people notice is gone.
Ian PE + Rib Flare 22
Canada 🇨🇦
- logged case
The brace handled the flare, the training filled out the chest. 6 kg on and 0.9 cm less depth in seven months. I wear fitted shirts now.
Alejandro Sanz Torres PE + Rib Flare 29
Bilbao, Spain 🇪🇸
- logged case
Five months, 4 kg up. The dip is still there if I go looking for it, but nobody else finds it anymore.
Lars PE + Rib Flare 25
Sweden 🇸🇪
- logged case
I am 52 and carried both a ridge and a dip my whole life. Dropped 9 kg in five months and my chest finally reads as one shape instead of two.
Greg Henderson PC + PE 52
Ohio, USA 🇺🇸
- logged case
Three months, 5 kg on, and the ridge sits lower than it ever has. At 19 I thought surgery was the only thing that would fix it.
Ethan PC 19
North Carolina, USA 🇺🇸
- logged case
Nine kilos in six months. Building the muscle around the ridge did more for how it looks than the years I spent hiding it under loose shirts.
Omar Al Mansoori PC 24
Abu Dhabi, UAE 🇦🇪
- logged case
Four months of coaching and the ridge you could see from the side has flattened out. I stopped checking my profile in every window I walk past.
Beau PC 30
Missouri, USA 🇺🇸
- logged case
My carinatum was the first thing I saw in every photo of myself. Now I have to point it out to people. Same chest, trained differently.
Taras Bondarenko PC 29
Czech Republic 🇨🇿
"I came across your blog about a year ago and I just want to say how much you've changed my life for the better. I thought it was going to be another average article, but the tips you gave were things I hadn't heard of before. Now I've improved so much and im more confident then ever."
"Had rib flare since i was a teen. the brace plus the breathing drills changed everything. my waist looks normal in a fitted shirt for the first time in my adult life"
"Mihail doesnt sugarcoat anything. told me exactly what to expect and exactly how long it would take. 12 months in and my carinatum is flat. i finally take my shirt off at the beach"
"spent two years researching surgery before i found this. six months in and i wish id found it sooner. the progress photos dont lie"
"the breathing protocol alone changed how i feel day to day. didnt realise how shallow i was breathing until i fixed it. the rib flare correction kind of followed on its own"
"Was skeptical, id tried everything before. the custom vacuum bell was different to anything id used. three months of consistent use and i can already see the sternum coming up"
"The carinatum brace is really well made. fits perfect to my chest and i can wear it under a t-shirt at work. results started showing around 4 months"
"direct, no nonsense. mihail knows this condition better than any doctor ive seen. my GP was shocked when i showed him my 9 month comparison photos"
"the course structure is exactly what i needed. not overwhelming, not vague. each module builds on the last and you always know what to do next"
"been watching mihails youtube since 2017. finally bought the program in 2023 and kicked myself for waiting. shouldve trusted him years earlier"
"My son is 15 and was getting self-conscious at the pool. The carinatum brace and the fortnightly check-ins are what kept him consistent. Six months and the ridge has visibly dropped."
"what sold me is that every claim links to a study. only place online that treats pectus like an actual training problem instead of selling a miracle"
I came across your blog about a year ago and I just want to say how much you've changed my life for the better. I thought it was going to be another average article, but the tips you gave were things I hadn't heard of before. Now I've improved so much and im more confident then ever.
Shared with each client's permission.
Did I help you with your pectus?
Share your before & after
Drag each slider to compare. Published only with the client's written consent.
Medically reviewed by Prof. Dr. Mustafa Yüksel
Tap any message to read it full size. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & TikTok comments, DMs, WhatsApp and email - real messages from real clients. Names and handles blurred, content untouched.
“Two months in and I've put on 3.2 kg of muscle. My chest doesn't cave the way it used to when I'm standing relaxed, and that alone was worth it.”
“Nine months, 5.7 kg of muscle on, and 0.9 cm off the depth of my chest. I am 32. I had been told the window for fixing this closed at 18.”
“I came in skinny with a deep dip and ribs that flared out. Six months later I am 4.5 kg heavier, and the flare is the part people notice is gone.”
“The brace handled the flare, the training filled out the chest. 6 kg on and 0.9 cm less depth in seven months. I wear fitted shirts now.”
“Five months, 4 kg up. The dip is still there if I go looking for it, but nobody else finds it anymore.”
“I am 52 and carried both a ridge and a dip my whole life. Dropped 9 kg in five months and my chest finally reads as one shape instead of two.”
“Three months, 5 kg on, and the ridge sits lower than it ever has. At 19 I thought surgery was the only thing that would fix it.”
“Nine kilos in six months. Building the muscle around the ridge did more for how it looks than the years I spent hiding it under loose shirts.”
“Four months of coaching and the ridge you could see from the side has flattened out. I stopped checking my profile in every window I walk past.”
“My carinatum was the first thing I saw in every photo of myself. Now I have to point it out to people. Same chest, trained differently.”
What people ask
before they begin.
The four that come up most, answered the same way I would answer them on a call.
Take the 60-second quizHow long before I see a change? +
Posture and breathing shift first - most people feel that inside the first few weeks. Visible chest change is slower. In the case log above, Milo saw his first real change at 2 months, Ian at 6, Liam at 9. The programs run 16 weeks because that is roughly how long it takes for the training to show up in the mirror.
Am I too old for this to work? +
Almost certainly not. The clients documented on this page were 22 to 32 when they started. Cartilage does stiffen with age, so progress is slower the older you are - but slower is not the same as stopped. What changes is the timeline, not whether it is worth doing.
Do I need a gym, or can I do this at home? +
Either works. Every program ships with a gym track and a no-equipment track for the same 16 weeks, so you pick the one that matches what you actually have access to. You can switch between them mid-program without losing your place.
Pectus excavatum, carinatum, rib flare - is it the same plan? +
No, and that matters. A sunken chest and a protruding chest need close to opposite work, and rib flare often rides along with both. There is a separate program for each. If you are not sure which one you have, the 60-second quiz sorts it out and points you at the right starting place.
1-on-1 Coaching.
I take on a small number of clients each month. Your case. My full attention.
Work directly with me.
Limited spots each month. Custom plan, fitted equipment, direct WhatsApp access, bi-weekly revisions - built around your specific case from day one.
- Personalized correction planBuilt around your scan, severity, age, and lifestyle - not a template.
- Direct access to meWhatsApp and weekly check-ins. No support tickets, no waiting.
- Custom-fitted equipmentBell and/or brace built specifically for your chest dimensions.
- Bi-weekly plan revisionsAdjusted every two weeks based on your measurements and photos.
- Progress documentationBefore/after measurements tracked from day one through completion.
- Priority responseI work with a limited number of people at once. When you're in, you have my full attention.
Self-paced video courses.
Similar to the plans I run with 1-on-1 clients - structured so you can follow them on your own.
Pectus Excavatum
The complete PE correction protocol.
Everything that works for pectus excavatum - exercises, breathing patterns, vacuum bell timing, posture correction, and mobility work - structured into a 12-module system you can run at home.
Pectus Carinatum
Correction led by compression, backed by a protocol.
A structured protocol for pigeon chest correction - built around brace compliance, breathing mechanics, and the postural habits that make or break results. Brace-friendly progressions throughout.
Rib Flare
Close the flare. Fix the foundation.
Rib flare is a core and diaphragm problem, not just a cosmetic one. This course addresses the root cause - diaphragm dysfunction, poor bracing patterns, and rib cage mechanics - with a 7-module system designed for lasting correction.
Built to fit you.
Custom vacuum bells and braces - 3D-printed to your exact measurements and shipped to your door.
Vacuum Bell
Built to fit your chest exactly - not a generic size.
The vacuum bell is the most effective non-surgical tool for pectus excavatum. Every unit I build is custom-fitted to your chest measurements - no guessing, no adaptation required.
Rib Flare Brace
The brace I designed because nothing else existed.
Off-the-shelf rib flare braces don't work because they aren't built around the specific mechanics of flare correction. I designed this one from the ground up for sustained rib cage compression.
Pectus Carinatum Brace
Consistent compression and a fit built for your chest.
Correction brace I custom-build for pectus carinatum, fitted to your chest circumference and sternum protrusion measurements. Pairs with the Carinatum Course for the full protocol.
Built for your chest.
Structured training plans built around each condition's mechanics - zero guesswork about what to do in the gym.
Pectus Excavatum Workout Program
The only training program built around PE mechanics.
A 12-week progressive program targeting chest opening, thoracic mobility, and postural correction - engineered specifically around pectus excavatum anatomy.
Pectus Carinatum Workout Program
Train around your brace. Accelerate the results.
Strength and mobility program designed to complement carinatum brace therapy - upper thoracic work, postural rebuilding, and brace-friendly exercise progressions.
Rib Flare Workout Program
Core-first training that closes the flare.
A 10-week system built around what causes rib flare in the first place - diaphragm control, rib cage bracing, and the movement patterns that hold the correction.
Fill out your frame.
Training fixes the shape. Food builds the size. The complete gaining system for the naturally skinny pectus frame.
Pectus Nutrition Program
Gain weight and fill out your frame - even with no appetite.
People with pectus are naturally skinny, and a hollow chest looks worse on a thin frame. This is the complete, heavily-referenced nutrition system to put on real weight and muscle - the blender protocol, calorie math, and the low-appetite playbook that finally makes eating enough possible.
Breathe Deeper.
The complete non-surgical system for pectus excavatum - every method that works, in one 1,127-page book.
Breathe Deeper
The complete non-surgical system for pectus excavatum.
The entire at-home correction system in one 1,127-page book - vacuum bell therapy, bracing, exercises, posture, flared ribs, nutrition and life quality. Everything I used to make my own chest unnoticeable, structured into one A-Z roadmap you can start today.
Get the details right.
Focused, practical guides for braces and the vacuum bell - the specifics that make everything work.
Vacuum Bell Guide
The complete protocol. Not the manual that came in the box.
Suction levels, session duration, progression milestones, and what to do when results stall. Science-backed, based on 11 years of working with vacuum bell users.
Pectus Carinatum Brace Guide
How to wear a brace so it actually corrects.
Fitting, compliance schedules, measurement tracking, skin care, and the exercises that compound the correction. Everything missing from the standard brace instructions.
Rib Flare Brace Guide
Compression done right - protocol, not just pressure.
Wear schedules, posture integration, measurement checkpoints, and the exercises that work alongside rib flare compression. Science-backed approach to brace compliance.
Having surgery?
Don't go in alone.
Walk into the operating room as prepared as possible - so you recover faster and protect the result.
Pre-Surgery Pectus Excavatum
Go into the Nuss procedure as strong as possible.
The breathing, posture, strength and nutrition prehab that gets you into the operating room as fit as possible - so you recover faster and protect the result.
Pre-Surgery Pectus Carinatum
Prepare for carinatum repair the right way.
The ribs-down posture, breathing and conditioning prehab that readies you for surgery and helps the flattened chest hold afterward.
Pre-Surgery Rib Flare
Build breathing control before costal-margin surgery.
The diaphragm and ribs-down core control to build before a rib flare or pectus repair - the prep that makes recovery smoother and the result stick.
Post-Surgery Pectus Excavatum
Protect your repair and recover safely after the bar.
The breathing, posture and progressive-strengthening plan that protects your repair, speeds recovery and keeps the result - safe around the bar.
Post-Surgery Pectus Carinatum
Lock in the correction after carinatum repair.
Posture, breathing and strengthening progressions that protect the correction and rebuild the chest wall after surgery.
Post-Surgery Rib Flare
Rebuild rib control once you have healed.
The diaphragm, core and posture program that locks in rib position and rebuilds control once you have healed from a procedure.
The mental side matters too.
The psychological weight of a visible chest condition is real - here's the science-backed way to handle it.
The Confidence Program
The science of rebuilding confidence in your body.
Evidence-based strategies for managing the psychological impact of a visible chest condition - body image research, CBT tools, social confidence protocols, a daily practice and a 4-week plan that makes physical correction stick.
Start free, today.
The full non-surgical plan for each condition - the method, the research, and what to do. No fluff, no payment. Grab yours and start tonight.
Blog.
No filler. Just the research, the data, and what I've found actually works.
Reach me.
I run this alone. Every message comes directly to me. No AI, no team, no autoresponders.
I get your message instantly.
I reply personally as soon as possible. No automated responses.