My fat-freeze hell like Evangelista’s

A MUM has told how she suffered burns, sepsis and was left disfigured by a fat-freezing procedure like the one model Linda Evangelista says “destroyed her livelihood”.

Hema Patel-Bounds says cryolipolysis left her “traumatised and in agony”.

Cosmetics watchdog Save Face says 54 Brits have reported ill-effects from the procedure since 2017.

Nineties icon Linda, 56, told this week how she became a recluse after image-altering complications from cryolipolysis five years ago.

Hema, 46, said: “Hearing about her reduced me to tears. I also struggled to leave the house after being left disfigured.

“Like Linda, I’ve battled with body dysmorphia and low self-esteem because of it.”

Hema says she opted for the £120-a

Mum left in agony by septic blisters

time non-surgical procedure after a beautician recommended it. It uses paddles to freeze body fat, killing the cells. A heated pad is then applied to dissolve fat and awaken muscles.

Hema stopped her second treatment in April 2019 after feeling “a sensation of burning” when heat was applied to her tummy. The teacher, who says she was warned only of “mild” side-effects, said: “I screamed out to stop. “There were two large red marks on my stomach. The next day [they were] massive blisters, 10.5cm and 9.5cm long.” Two weeks later, her GP told her she had sepsis. Hema, of Leicester, said: “I felt lucky they caught it when they did.” Save Face’s Ashton Collins said some rogue clinics buy cheap kit from China that does not meet safety standards. She added: “The number of complaints about it is still relatively low, but we want to raise awareness now.”

TRAUMA Former model Linda, left, had same procedure as Hema, right

MODEL Linda in heyday