Linda Evangelista Says She's 'Pleased to Have Settled' CoolSculpting Case After Fat-Freezing Trauma
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Linda Evangelista is ready to move on after an experience with a cosmetic procedure that she had claimed left her "disfigured" and with a life spent "hiding."
"I'm pleased to have settled the CoolSculpting case," the supermodel, 57, wrote in a statement posted to Instagram Tuesday. "I look forward to the next chapter of my life with friends and family, and am happy to put this matter behind me. I am truly grateful for the support I have received from those who have reached out."
Evangelista first shared her story on Instagram in September in a lengthy statement posted to the social media platform, explaining how CoolSculpting — a popular, FDA-cleared "fat-freezing" procedure that's been promoted as a noninvasive alternative to liposuction — left her "permanently deformed" and "brutally disfigured."
She later opened up to PEOPLE in February about the emotional and physical pain she subsequently endured.
A doctor diagnosed Evangelista with Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), a rare side effect that affects less than 1 percent of CoolSculpting patients, where the freezing process causes the affected fatty tissue to thicken and expand.
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The Canadian model filed a lawsuit in September suing CoolSculpting's parent company, Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc., for $50 million in damages, alleging that she's been unable to work since undergoing seven sessions of CoolSculpting in a dermatologist's office from August 2015 to February 2016.
Reps from CoolSculpting parent company Zeltiq Aesthetics did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
RELATED VIDEO: Linda Evangelista Shares First Photos of Her Body Since Fat-Freezing Nightmare: 'I'm Done Hiding'
"With this settled and the recent Fendi ad campaign, Linda is ready to try to move on. After literally years of hiding, she's out and about," a source close to Evangelista tells PEOPLE.
Adds the source: "She feels all the goodwill from her industry, other supermodels and her fans, and it makes her feel loved."
Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
On Saturday, the industry icon gave fans a glimpse of her recent work with Fendi, sharing a stunning photo of herself all decked out in a stack of hats and cat-eye sunglasses while showing off the luxury brand's handbags on Instagram, writing in the caption that she was "so grateful" for everyone who helped with the campaign.
On Tuesday, she shared a behind-the-scenes look of her getting glammed up for the shoot, simply captioning the photo, "It takes a village. #grateful."
