Supermodel Linda Evangelista is opening up about a cosmetic procedure which she says has left her "permanently deformed."
The 56-year-old took to Instagram to explain to her fans why she had been out of the limelight for the past few years, writing about how she suffered an adverse reaction to a fat reduction procedure.
"Today I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for over five years," she began her statement. "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 continued in the post.
Evangelista went on to write about how the procedure had the opposite effect. It "increased, not decreased" her fat cells, allegedly causing her to be "permanently deformed even after two painful, unsuccessful, corrective surgeries." She described herself as "unrecognizable."
In her statement, Evangelista wrote that her livelihood had been destroyed and that she has subsequently sunk into a "cycle of deep depression, profound sadness, and the lowest depths of self-loathing." She has now taken legal action against the company that performed the procedure.
"With this lawsuit, I am moving forward to rid myself of my shame, and going public with my story," she noted. "I am so tired of living this way. I would like to walk out my door with my head high, despite not looking like myself any longer."
Court documents obtained by People state that the model has suffered "severe and permanent personal injuries and disfigurement" causing her "pain and suffering, severe emotional distress and mental anguish." The lawsuit further claims that as a result of the alleged "disfigurement," Evangelista has experienced "economic losses" due to "being rendered unemployable and unable to earn an income as a model."
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Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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