Brazilian Influencer Left Deformed After Underground Clinic Injected Mineral Oil and Laxatives in Her Face

A Brazilian influencer whose face was drastically warped by a disastrous cosmetic procedure has finally begun the long fight to repair the damage nearly eight years after it happened.

According to a report published by the U.S. Sun on Monday, November 24, Juliana Oliveira thought she was getting a simple filler treatment back in 2017. Instead, staff at an underground clinic reportedly pumped her face with an unapproved mix that included mineral oil and laxatives. The substances ballooned her cheeks, distorted her features and left her convinced she would be stuck with the disfigurement for life.

Oliveira, now 32, has been candid about how the ordeal destroyed her confidence and her ability to work. Per the outlet, her appearance changed so dramatically that she says employers would not even consider her, and she felt trapped in a body she didn’t recognize.

After nearly a decade of searching for help, she has finally found a surgeon ready to attempt a reconstruction. The U.S. Sun reports that the influencer underwent the first operation last week in São Paulo. Doctors worked for more than four hours removing hardened tissue and trying to reduce the swelling that has plagued her for years. It is the first of several major surgeries she is expected to face.

Per the outlet, her surgeon says additional procedures will be needed after her face heals from this initial step. For now, Oliveira has told fans she is holding onto hope as she begins the slow process of rebuilding her life.