Linda Evangelista settles botched cosmetic procedure case and shares first selfie in years

Linda Evangelista says she is ready to move on with her life after settling a lawsuit about claims she'd been left "brutally disfigured" by a cosmetic surgery procedure several years ago.

The model, 57, recently stepped back in front of the camera after revealing she had been "hiding" after developing paradoxical adipose hyperplasia (PAH), following a "fat-reducing procedure".

"I'm pleased to have settled the CoolSculpting case," the supermodel wrote in a statement shared to Instagram on 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."

Read more: Celeb cosmetic surgery regrets: Simon Cowell, Courteney Cox, Linda Evangelista and more

The model also shared a close-up photo of her face on the social media platform, commenting it 'takes a village' to get her ready. Other models and high-profile personalities were quick to respond to the image, with fashion designer Marc Jacobs writing: 'So happy to see you back in the village!'.

Fellow supermodel Helena Christensen commented: 'The face that launched a thousand magazine covers' while Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott wrote: 'It also takes a legend (that's you!)'

Last September the model explained why she removed herself from the public eye, revealing she'd been left "permanently deformed" as a result of a CoolSculpting procedure.

Via a lengthy statement on Instagram, the model described how she had suffered a series of rare side effects after undergoing a fat-freezing process, and that two corrective surgeries had been “unsuccessful”.

"Today I took a big step towards righting a wrong that I have suffered and have kept to myself for over five years," she wrote.

"To my followers who have wondered why I have not been working while my peers' careers have been thriving, the reason is that I was brutally disfigured by Zeltiq's CoolSculpting procedure which did the opposite of what it promised," she continued.

Watch: Linda Evangelista claims she's 'permanently deformed' following cosmetic procedure

Evangelista went on to explain that she hadn't been made aware of certain risks of the procedure, including PAH.

"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," she continued.

"In the process I have become a recluse."

According to a study, published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, PAH is a rare, moderate-to-severe adverse side effect associated with cryolipolysis, a cosmetic procedure using cold temperatures to reduce fat deposits.

The condition is estimated to impact less than 1% of patients who undergo the procedure and occurs when the freezing process causes the affected fatty tissue to thicken and expand.

Instead of shrinking in response to the procedure, the fatty tissue grows instead.

Evangelista previously opened up about the impact being diagnosed with PAH had on her health, both physically and mentally.

"The bulges are protrusions. And they're hard," she said. "If I walk without a girdle in a dress, I will have chafing to the point of almost bleeding. Because it's not like soft fat rubbing, it's like hard fat rubbing," she added.

"I don't look in the mirror. It doesn't look like me."

Read more: No more body shaming: Tilly Ramsay, JLo and Adele join the celebs who have had enough

But after seemingly settling the case, it appears Evangelista is ready to step back into the spotlight and resume her modelling career, much to the delight of fans who hailed her return to the industry.

Over the weekend she shared a photo of herself to Instagram from the latest Fendi campaign, in what appears to be the first modelling project she's done since opening up about the situation.

In the photo she looked every inch the 90s supermodel as she posed with a stack of hats on her head and wearing cat-eye sunglasses while showing off the luxury brand's handbags.

In the accompanying caption she explained that she was "so grateful" to everyone who helped with the campaign.

On Tuesday, she shared a behind-the-scenes look of her getting shoot-ready, simply captioning the photo, "It takes a village. #grateful."

Read more: Florence Pugh calls out 'vulgar' body-shamers after wearing nipple-baring dress

After the recent Insta shares fans were quick to welcome the model back in front of the camera.

"Yaass honey! We have waited so long but the queen has returned," one user wrote.

"We are all so grateful that you are back in the game Linda," another added.

"So glad to see you back modelling," yet another fan agreed. "Always beautiful. Be kind to yourself."

In February 2022, after claiming she had been living hidden away for almost five years, Evangelista shared the first photos of her body since the ordeal with People magazine, and opened up about the experience that she said left her "brutally disfigured".

In a statement to People, a representative for CoolSculpting said at the time that the procedure "has been well studied with more than 100 scientific publications and more than 11 million treatments performed worldwide" and added that known rare side effects like PAH "continue to be well-documented in the CoolSculpting information for patients and health care providers".