Toyin Owoseje, CNN
Former supermodel Linda Evangelista says she has settled a lawsuit over cosmetic procedures which she claimed ruined her career.
The 57-year-old Canadian fashion model sued cosmetic company Zeltiq Aesthetics, a unit of Allergan Aesthetics, for $50 million last year, alleging she became a recluse after a CoolSculpting treatment to reduce fat left her “brutally disfigured.”
“I’m pleased to have settled the CoolSculpting case,” she told her 1.2 million Instagram followers on Tuesday. “I look forward to the next chapter of my life with friends and family, and am happy to put this matter behind me.”
She added: “I am truly grateful for the support I have received from those who have reached out.”
Evangelista did not reveal the terms of the settlement.
CNN has contacted Evangelista’s representatives and Allergan Aesthetics for further comment.
In September last year, the fashion model, who appeared on multiple Vogue covers and walked runway shows for major brands at the height of her career, revealed that the results of the procedures left her depressed.
“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,” Evangelista wrote on Instagram at the time.
The star went on to claim that she developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), a rare side effect of the fat-freezing procedure, which causes fatty tissue thickens and enlarge in the treated area. According to a 2018 editorial published in Science Daily, PAH has been estimated to occur in 1 out of every 4,000 treatment cycles.
“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,” Evangelista added.
This week, Evangelista celebrated her return to modeling by announcing her first campaign in years. Taking to social media, she shared a photo of herself posing with an array of Fendi hats and bags for the Italian luxury fashion house’s latest campaign.
She added in the caption that she was “grateful” to be a part of the campaign as she revealed details of an upcoming “special fashion show in New York City to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the #FendiBaguette.”
The-CNN-Wire
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