How cryolipolysis left a supermodel disfigured –

the supermodel Linda Evangelista gave, in February of this year, his first interview in five years. Isolated from society and hidden away in her home, the reason was not an inner quest or a sabbatical. In fact, she dealt with her own personal hell: the disastrous results of a aesthetic procedure called CoolSculpting (or cryolipolysis, in Portuguese).

In impressive images on the cover of People magazine, Linda shows the changes in her appearance and says that she stopped looking in the mirror for fear of what she saw.

This is not the first, nor will it be the last, time that we hear stories about cosmetic procedures gone wrong, but it is always worth understanding what is behind these mistakes and the consequences of procedures like this.

WHAT IS CRYOLIPOLYSIS?

“Cryolipolysis is a non-invasive procedure that destroys fat cells through cooling,” he explains. Fernanda Porphirio, dermatologist at Clínica Vanité, in São Paulo. “It can be used in certain regions, such as the abdomen, flanks, back and submentonian, and inner thigh, where there is fat accumulation. The volume of fat in the treated area is reduced without damaging the surrounding tissues.”

The treatment is indicated exclusively in regions of localized fat and cannot be used, for example, as a slimming technique or on overweight people.

The expectation is that CoolSculpting will reduce local fat between 20 and 30% in the treated region. “The results vary from person to person, and the final result is reached after two or three months of the procedure”, he continues.

Despite the horror story reported by the supermodel, cryolipolysis is indeed a safe procedure, and must be performed by a trained professional, with a specific and adequate device.

There is always the possibility of complications, such as 2nd to 3rd degree burns, which can lead to hyperchromic stains at the application site. “But, generally speaking, these devices are safe, they have security measures in order not to exceed the ideal temperatures and not to generate this type of complication”, reassures the doctor.

WHAT HAPPENED TO LINDA EVANGELISTA?

In the case of the model, what happened was an anomaly. In fact, she had a very rare complication called paradoxical adipose hyperplasia, which can appear anywhere from one to six months after the procedure.

“It is characterized by a proliferation of adipose cells in the treated area, instead of ‘destroying’ the tissue that was the target of the treatment”, explains the doctor. “This is a complication that is not predictable. It can happen as an individual reaction of the organism – there is nothing in the person’s organism or in their bodily characteristics that indicates that this can happen.”

Unfortunately, this is not a reversible complication. It is possible to treat it with the help of liposuction, mechanically removing the adipose cells that have increased in that region, but this, as we well know, takes time and investment.

Therefore, having the help of a trusted doctor and assessing all the risks and possibilities before having an aesthetic procedure is vital to avoid future complications and discomfort.