Linda Evangelista has posed for a photoshoot for the first time since she was left "brutally disfigured" by a cosmetic procedure over five years ago.
Last September, the supermodel took to Instagram to share a candid post in which she revealed that she was suing executives at Zeltiq. She alleged she had been left "permanently deformed" after undergoing the fat-reduction procedure CoolSculpting.
Alongside a photoshoot published in the latest issue of People, Evangelista opened up about how she no longer wanted to hide her face.
"Why do we feel the need to do these things (to our bodies)? I always knew I would age. And I know that there are things a body goes through. But I just didn't think I would look like this," she told the publication. "I don't recognise myself physically, but I don't recognise me as a person any longer either."
Linda went on to allege Zeltiq's CoolSculpting procedure did the opposite of what it promised, and increased, rather than decreased, fat cells. Eventually, her doctor diagnosed her with Paradoxical Adipose Hyperplasia (PAH).
"I was like, 'What the hell is that?' And he told me no amount of dieting, and no amount of exercise was ever going to fix it," the 56-year-old continued, adding that she hopes by sharing her story she can help others. "I hope I can shed myself of some of the shame and help other people who are in the same situation as me. That's my goal."
Representatives for Zeltiq have not commented on Evangelista's latest allegations, due to the ongoing legal case.