Linda Evangelista, 58, Gets Candid About Her Botched Plastic Surgery And No Longer Feels ‘Guilt And Shame’—’I Didn’t Do Anything Wrong’

Linda Evangelista made a fashionable appearance at the Yves Saint Laurent runway show during Paris Fashion Week, dressed in an all-black ensemble that exuded elegance.

In the City of Love this week, the supermodel, 58, rocked a striking oversized double-breasted blazer with prominent lapels, paired with a sheer top and a delicate black scarf. Additionally, the style icon flaunted her toned legs with sheer tights that added a touch of allure to her outfit.

This outing comes after Evangelista got candid about her experience with a plastic surgery procedure mishap that caused her to become “permanently deformed” and “brutally disfigured.” The 90s runway icon sat down with the Sunday Times in November 2023 and reflected.

Linda Evangelista Steps Out For A Chic Paris Fashion Week Outing After Opening Up About Her Cosmetic Surgery Mishap

"How people feel about me still bothers me a little bit, but it used to bother me a lot," Evangelista revealed to the outlet. "I know now that I didn’t do anything wrong. For the longest time I thought I did."

She went on: "I’m not completely rid of it, but I work hard at getting rid of the guilt and the shame. And I’m not letting it ruin my life. I wouldn’t have stayed locked up if I’d known how many people cared."

In September 2021, the model took to Instagram to announce that she had opted for a CoolSculpting procedure, with the intention of reducing her fat cells. However, instead of experiencing the desired outcome, the cosmetic procedure is said to have resulted in an increase in her fat cells.

Allegedly, this "increased" them, according to Evangelista, and left her "permanently deformed" despite "two unsuccessful corrective surgeries." The mom of one added: "My son will say to me sometimes, ‘You might want to know that you have a pimple on your chin.’ And I’m like, ‘What?’ But life is better without mirrors."

Having survived breast cancer twice, Evangelista has a simple yet paramount goal: to "stay alive." Her struggles with the disease began in December 2018 and resurfaced again in July 2020. She also told the Sunday Times: "When I hear other people’s stories, I think, 'Oh God, I have no right to complain.'"

In 2021, Evangelista also divulged that she had been afflicted with a peculiar side effect known as Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH). This led to her being portrayed by the media as "unrecognizable," as she herself attested.

In a post for her 1.5 million IG followers, she wrote at the time:  "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."

Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc. faced a $50 million damages lawsuit from Evangelista, which was eventually resolved in July 2022. The precise amount of the settlement remains undisclosed. She also wrote in an IG message to her fans: "I’m pleased to have settled the CoolSculpting case."

Evangelista added in her statement: "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."