Depressing impact

Following a body sculpting, fat-freezing cosmetic procedure, Linda Evangelista has filed a lawsuit against Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc., citing loss of work, emotional distress, and inability to engage in public appearances or promotions. Evangelista, a supermodel who rose to fame in the 1990’s, is seeking $50 million in compensation and has filed her claim in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. According to her argument, resulting from seven treatments that took place from August 2015 through February 2016, Evangelista suffered physical disfigurement.

The effects of the treatments are considered permanent and cover several areas of the supermodel’s body, including her chin, back, abdomen, inner thighs, and flanks. Evangelista has described the disfigurement as painful masses under her skin that appear to bulge and are hard to the touch. Four months after her last treatment, she was diagnosed with Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH) and has suffered from depression and deep self-loathing. Due to the emotional toll she has experienced, Evangelista has assumed a recluse lifestyle and is unable to work. Despite this personal impact, the procedures she received have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, which is committed to guaranteeing that all approved medical devices operate in expected and marketed capacities.

As part of her claim, Evangelista accuses Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. of hiding the potential risks associated with the seven-visit procedure. She was not properly warned and thus trusted that the treatments would provide her with a more contoured figure. Instead, the targeted fat cells grew and multiplied. Displeased with the result, in 2016 and 2017, Evangelista consulted with a doctor who was referred by Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. Under this doctor’s advisement, she endured full body liposuctions, which resulted in scarring and additional emotional anguish. The proposed remedy was unsuccessful and has left the now former model unrecognizable.