Linda Evangelista, one of the leading supermodels of the ’90s, has detailed that a cosmetic procedure has left her “brutally disfigured”, “unrecognisable” and “permanently deformed” in an Instagram post.
On Wednesday, Evangelista, 56, revealed that in 2016 she was diagnosed with Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH), an incredibly rare side effect of a cosmetic fat-freezing procedure called Cryolipolysis.
Since then, she has had full-body liposuction procedures to reverse the damage, which has left her with scarring.
In her Instagram post, she revealed that she wants to come forward with her story, and will be filing a lawsuit against Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting, who performed the procedure on her in the first place.
“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 which did the opposite of what it promised,” she wrote.
“I have been left, as the media has described, ‘unrecognizable.'”
PAH is an incredibly rare (1 in 20,000) body reaction to Cryolipolysis, which affects men more than it does women. Instead of freezing and breaking down fat cells (like the procedure is supposed to do), the body reacts adversely and actually expands and thickens the targeted fat cells, developing firm tissue masses.
“PAH has not only destroyed my livelihood, it has sent me into a cycle of deep depression, profound sadness, and the lowest depths of self-loathing. In the process, I have become a recluse,” wrote Evangelista.
She continued that with the lawsuit, she hopes to rid herself of the shame associated with her completely altered appearance and walk with her head held high.
“[This is] a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for over five years,” she wrote.
According to the New York Times, the lawsuit against Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting is seeking compensation for approximately US$50M in compensation for missed public appearances, distress and a significant loss of work.
“Ms Evangelista enjoyed a wildly successful and lucrative modelling career from 1984 through 2016, until she was permanently injured and disfigured by Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting System,” the lawsuit stated.
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