AceShowbiz -

Ariel Winter has gone under the knife to reduce her breasts from a 32F to a 34D. "It made me feel really uncomfortable, because as women in the industry, we are totally oversexualized and treated like objects," the teenage actress said of her struggle as she showed off her newly-reduced breasts in Glamour magazine.

"We live in a day and age where everything you do is ridiculed. The Internet bullies are awful. I could post a photo where I feel good, and 500 people will comment about how fat I am and that I am disgusting," she added. "I definitely seemed confident; I'm an actress, that's what we do. But on the inside, I wasn't feeling so happy."

"I'd have to wear the dress that was super tight and form-fitted everywhere because if I didn't, it didn't look good," she explained. "Everyone would [say], 'Why is she dressing so mature? That's so inappropriate for her age!' I understood what they were saying. It's not like I wanted to pick out those inappropriate dresses, it's just that I didn't really have another choice, or I was going to get ridiculed."

Her big breast also caused her physical pain. "It was so painful. I had a lot of back problems. I really couldn't stand up straight for a long period of time. It started to hurt so bad that I couldn't take the pain. My neck was hurting so bad and I actually had some problems with my spine," the 17-year-old actress opened up.

It affected her career as well. "I couldn't play younger roles anymore. Once I developed, I couldn't really play 12 or 13 or 14 anymore. They'd want to send me out for 18 or 19, but the problem with 18 or 19 is that I'm not 18 yet," she explained. "That was a problem I ran into. [Having large breasts] automatically makes someone look older and more mature."

"I have felt more happy with myself than I ever have," she said, "People start looking me in the eye. Guys I'm friends with can start looking me in the eye. Other people I know can finally not turn around and whisper behind my back about, 'Are those real? Are those fake?' I've heard that for so many years. ... But we live in a society that that's what they think about."

Now she looks forward to her upcoming appearance at the Emmys. "It will be my first [public] appearance," she said. "I'm just excited to try on all the dresses! Now I can wear all styles of dresses and all styles of things! I don't always have to pick the tightest, most form-fitting dress I can find. I can pick something else and still feel good about myself. I couldn't do that before. I'm excited to finally actually feel confident and not just appear confident."

Did she tell her "Modern Family" co-stars about her surgery? "I [only] told Julie Bowen because I had talked to her before about my desire to have the surgery. She was really supportive and understanding. I just saw Sofia [Vergara] the other day and she was like, 'Oh my God! I love them! They're great!' " she revealed.

While she got support from her sister, father, and boyfriend during the surgery and recovery, her estranged mother was missing. "She and I don't speak. She will find out by reading it and that's the way that is. And that's fine. I'm in such a happy place now, and in such a better place now surrounded by people who love me and really support me, and that's all I need," she said.