[News] Supermodel Linda Evangelista says she was left ‘permanently deformed’ by fat freezing cosmetic procedure

Linda Evangelista, a Canadian fashion model and one of the top supermodels from the 1990s has revealed that she was left “permanently deformed” by a cosmetic procedure.

 

Sharing her pain on Instagram, Evangelista said she developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), a rare side effect of the treatment five years ago. This reportedly increased her fat cells and destroyed her source of livelihood.

 

The model further revealed that she fell into “a cycle of deep depression”, which led to her becoming a recluse.

 

 

Evangelista who started modelling at the age of 16 after she was spotted by a representative from Elite Model Management while taking part in the Miss Teen Niagara beauty pageant, also hinted on taking legal action over the procedure which left her “brutally deformed” even after undergoing two painful, unsuccessive, corrective surgeries.

 

“Today I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for 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 I was brutally disfigured by Zeltiq’s CoolSculpting procedure which did the opposite of what they promised.

“It increased, not decreased my fats cells and left me permanently deformed even after undergoing two painful, unsuccessive, corrective surgeries.

“I have been left, as the media has described, ‘unrecognisable’.

“I have developed Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia or PAH, a risk of which I was not made aware before I had the procedures.

“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.

“With this lawsuit, I am moving forward to rid myself of my shame, and going public with my story.

“I’m so tired of living this way. I would like to walk out my door with my head held high, despite not looking like myself any longer.”

 

 

The non-surgical procedure which has grown in popularity in recent years, uses cold temperatures to reduce fat deposits in certain areas of the body.

 

 

During her heyday, Evangelista was a regular fixture on the catwalk and magazine covers, as well as numerous advertising campaigns. She also appeared alongside Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington in the famous music video for George Michael’s Freedom! 90.

 

Her fellow supermodels left messages of support underneath her post.