Linda Evangelista's Plastic Surgery Controversy Explained

Linda Evangelista was one of the biggest supermodels of the 1990s. The stunning star has appeared on the cover of the some of the most prestigious magazines in the world, including Vogue, and has been widely credited with being one of the world's first major supermodels. While Tyra Banks has the smize and Elle MacPherson is The Body, Evangelista has an iconic phrase. Back in 1990, she coined the now infamous supermodel quote, "We don't wake up for less than $10,000 a day," while speaking to Vogue.

She later clarified her comments, saying (via Huff Post): "I feel like those words are going to be engraved on my tombstone. It was brought up every single time I did an interview. I apologized for it; I acknowledged it; I said it was true; I said it was a joke. Do I regret it? I used to regret. Not anymore. I don't regret anything anymore."

But among her more eyebrow raising comments are some more down to earth remarks, including when she told nine.com.au in 2014, "I do want to age, that is my goal. I want to get old. I don't care how old I look but I want to look good. I have wrinkles. I look my age." But she didn't rule anything out, adding, "I'm not saying no ever to a facelift or plastic surgery."

However, it seems like those words may have come back to haunt her...

Linda Evangelista opened up about her around five years away from the spotlight in a statement posted to Instagram on September 22, where she claimed she'd stepped back for a while after being what she described as "permanently deformed" and "unrecognizable" following a cosmetic procedure that went wrong.

She explained in her somewhat lengthy post that she'd experienced a rare side effect from the fat-reducing procedure CoolSculpting, which claims to "decrease" fat cells. However, Evangelista's procedure allegedly went the other way and "increased" her fat cells instead, which she claimed left her "brutally disfigured." Evangelista told fans she'd developed paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH) as a result, which she claimed she had not been "made aware" was a possible side effect before getting the treatment.

The supermodel said she'd already undergone "two painful, unsuccessful, corrective surgeries" to try and fix the botched procedure while telling her followers that PAH had "not only destroyed [her] livelihood" but had also "sent [her] into a cycle of deep depression, profound sadness, and the lowest depths of self-loathing." She added that she'd "become a recluse" and was preparing a lawsuit as she attempted "to rid [herself] of [her] shame," as she wants to be able to head out in public again "despite not looking like [herself] any longer."

Linda Evangelista doesn't appear to have been spotted in public for a few years before sharing her health issues with the world, though candid snaps shared by Daily Mail showed her out and about in New York City in September 2017, when she was described by the outlet as looking "unrecognizable." The star rocked a black baseball cap, scarf, and oversized black top.

The sighting came mere days after Evangelista was noticeably absent from a big reunion. Her supermodel peers, Naomi Campbell, Carla Bruni, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, and Helena Christensen, walked the runway for the big finale at the Versace Spring/Summer 2018 fashion show during Milan Fashion Week to commemorate 20 years since Gianni Versace's death (via Vogue).

Evangelista has since shared a few throwback snaps of her face on Instagram, but doesn't appear to have shared a selfie on her grid since she posted a gorgeous natural snap in June 2019. She admitted the photo wasn't taken at that very moment due to security concerns, but confirmed the photo — which showed her getting back to nature in Utah — was taken sometime that summer. Her face was partially hidden by a hat as she looked at the camera.

Earlier that month, she gave fans a clearer look at her face in another Instagram selfie while out on a hike wearing a Raptors baseball cap in Canada.

We're wishing this star all the best after sharing her truth with the world.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.