Toxic Shock Syndrome explained as model wears golden prosthetics to Met Gala after losing both legs

Model Lauren Wasser has been dubbed 'the girl with the golden legs' after making a stunning debut at the Met Gala 2026.

Wasser was wearing a gold Prabal Gurung suit, with an open blazer and matching knee-length shorts, showing off her signature gold prosthetic legs.

The popular model lost both limbs to Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) in 2012 and 2018.

Wasser has posed for covers for Vogue, Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar, as well as walking the runway for some huge fashion houses.

She fell ill with TSS in 2012, and recalled it as 'the darkest moment of my life' when speaking to Vestal magazine.

“I couldn’t believe it happened and happened so fast. My life changed forever within a few minutes and the damage done was already irreversible. The recovery seemed like it was impossible.”

Model Lauren Wasser made her debut at the 2026 Met Gala (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)

In the months and years after becoming ill, she said she was 'stripped of everything I knew' as she experienced hair loss and weight gain.

Her right leg was amputated first in 2012 following complications from TSS, with the left leg being amputated in 2018.

“I had no right leg and my left foot was a huge painful question,” she explained.

“I was in a wheelchair for a long eight months. I would cry in the shower screaming at God every single day. I was so angry, and I didn’t see a future. In my mind, it was over. I really believed I would never be accepted by the modeling world or by anyone.”

Following her experiences, she is now an advocate for the Robin Danielson Menstrual Product and Intimate Care Product Safety Act.

This is proposed U.S. bill, which is seeking to increase the National Institutes of Health's research into the health risks of menstrual products.

Tampons and other menstrual products can be linked to TSS (Getty Stock)

What is Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)?

TSS is most commonly linked to the use of tampons and menstrual products.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is a rare but life-threatening condition which is caused by toxins produced by certain types of bacteria.

It is usually found when a tampon is worn for more than four to eight hours, causing the bacteria to build.

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, better known as staph bacteria, are often the ones responsible for toxic shock syndrome.

However, toxins produced by group A streptococcus bacteria, also called strep bacteria, can also cause the condition.

Menstrual cups and birth control sponges or diaphragms can also cause them, as well as skin wounds after surgery.

TSS is caused by bacteria that builds up on menstrual products or on skin wounds (Getty Stock)

Symptoms of Toxic Shock Syndrome

Symptoms come on very quickly, and the results can be catastrophic.

They include:

• High fever.
• Low blood pressure.
• Vomiting or diarrhea.
• Rash that looks like a sunburn, most often on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
• Confusion.
• Muscle aches.
• Redness of the eyes, mouth and throat.
• Seizures.
• Headaches.
• If left untreated, they can cause shock, kidney failure, damage to other organs, such as heart and livers, or even death.

Lauren Wasser had her legs amputated in 2012 and 2018 after complications from TSS (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images)

How to prevent Toxic Shock Syndrome

If you use tampons, choose the lowest absorbency possible.

A good way of knowing what is the right absorbency for you, is if you can wear one without changing it for eight hours, chances are the absorbency level is too high.

Change tampons often, at least every 4 to 8 hours.

Switching between sanitary towels and tampons can also help.

If you have ever had TSS, you can still get it again, and are advised not to use tampons.