The 90s supermodel Linda Evangelista claimed she was “permanently disfigured” and “deformed” after a cosmetic procedure went wrong.
In a social media post, the 56-year-old woman talked about the rare side effects she had experienced after undergoing a non-surgical cosmetic surgery nearly five years ago.
She explained to her Instagram followers her recent “lonely” behavior and why she had stayed away from the spotlight, blaming the fat reduction procedure that allegedly left her disfigured.
On Wednesday, the 90s icon revealed that she had undergone CoolSculpting, seeking to decrease the body’s fat cells to eliminate localized fat permanently.
However, the cosmetic treatment increased fat production, and Evangelista developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH). It’s a rare adverse effect that reportedly affects only 0.0051% of the 1.5 million CoolSculpting procedures that have been performed to date.
The supermodel said she would take legal action over her case.
In the Instagram statement, she wrote: “Today, I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself over five years.”
“To my followers who have wondered why I have not been working while my peers’ careers have been thriving, the reason is that I was brutally disfigured by Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting procedure,” she added.
Evangelista stated that the CoolSculpting results had not turned out as expected, adding that it did not decrease but rather increased her fat cells even after undergoing two other “painful and unsuccessful” corrective surgeries.
“I have been left, as the media described, ‘unrecognizable’,” she went on.
Linda claimed that she had not been properly warned about the non-surgical cosmetic surgery’s possible side effects. She also revealed that she would sue the people behind the procedure, as the PAH had destroyed her livelihood and sent her into a cycle of deep depression, sadness, and self-loathing.
Increased fat deposits are not harmful to health. However, they do not go away on their own and more surgeries are needed to remove them.
Linda Evangelista is best known for being one of the world’s 90s six supermodels, alongside Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, and Kate Moss.
Both her fans and friends in the industry responded to her announcement to leave love and support messages.
Naomi Campbell wrote in the comment section: “I applaud you for your Courage and strength to share your experience and not be held hostage by it anymore.”
“Linda – your strength and true essence are forever recognizable and iconic!” Cindy Crawford said.
However, many netizens criticized the model for trying to be “superficially beautiful,” saying that she should have decided to age gracefully rather than undergo surgeries and quick fixes.
