Supermodel Linda Evangelista says she's 'brutally disfigured' after a cosmetic procedure

Supermodel Linda Evangelista has revealed in an emotional Instagram post that she has been left "brutally disfigured" after a cosmetic procedure, and she's now taking legal action.

Evangelista on Instagram said that she underwent Zeltiq's CoolSculpting procedure, which is intended to decrease fat cells but "did the opposite of what it promised" and "left me permanently deformed even after undergoing two painful, unsuccessful corrective surgeries." She wrote that this is the reason she has not been working lately and has become a "recluse."

The procedure that Evangelista is referencing has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration to treat visible fat bulges, according to The New York Times.

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

But Evangelista announced that after more than five years of keeping this to herself, she has taken a "big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered" by bringing a lawsuit, though she did not provide further details about her legal challenge.

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

Evangelista's announcement drew support on Instagram, with model Carolyn Murphy commenting, "You are the greatest icon, forever beautiful from the inside out. We are all here to support you and love you."