A Filipino teen who once paid just 500 pesos ($10.74) for cosmetic procedures on his nose and chin has been regretting his decision ever since, as the intervention left him disfigured.
Ever since he was 16 years old, Ellowe Alviso had been using his good looks as a source of income, by landing various modelling jobs. About three years ago, he decided to increase his chances of being selected for modelling gigs by enhancing his facial features. However, he also wanted to save some money, so instead of going to a certified plastic surgery clinic, he got in touch with Kasheca Magallanes, a transgender nurse who was allegedly well-versed in cosmetic procedures. She agreed to work on his face for just 500 Philippine Pesos, which was apparently too good an offer to pass up. Unfortunately, Ellowe would live to regret his decision.
The young man says Kasheca injected a fluid – which she claimed was collagen – into his nose and chin, and actually managed to alter his face according to his specifications. He was happy with the results, and apparently so were his modelling employers, as soon after having the work done on his face, Ellowe started getting booked for more projects than he previously had been. Everything was well until around 2 years after the surgery, when he noticed both his nose and chin had become deformed. Soon, modelling jobs stopped coming in, and his nose began to swell.
When he finally decided to go to the hospital and have his nose and chin checked out by real doctors, he learned that the liquid that had been injected into his face was a mix of wax, petroleum jelly, and sealant. It had granulated and hardened over time, eventually causing facial deformities. His body had also begun rejecting it, so it had to be removed. The emergency surgery left him looking even worse than before.
Ellowe’s tragic story made headlines in the Philippines last year, but was just recently reported in English by ABS-CBN News. The young man has apparently spent the last year trying to fix the damage to his face and attempting to bring Kasheca Magallanes to justice. He originally contacted the alleged beautician about covering at least half of his hospital expenses, since she was the one responsible for the botched procedure, but that only made her mad. “She cursed me and threatened my life. She accused me of tarnishing her reputation,” Alviso told reporters.
Since his pleas didn’t have the desired effect, Ellowe filed an Illegal Practice of Medicine case against Kasheca. Authorities have put out a warrant for the arrest of the transgender nurse, and are now trying to track her down.
As if his disfigured face wasn’t hard enough to deal with, Ellowe Alviso also had to cope with the death of his aunt, who had helped raise him, and being kicked out of his home after his stepfather died, all in just one year. Unable to support himself with modelling commissions, he reportedly had to sell ballut – boiled duck eggs with partially formed chicks – for a living.
With his modelling days now behind him, Ellowe has been trying to make some extra cash by moonlighting as a Halloween character, and photos on his Instagram account show him with his face painted and wearing scary costumes.
But despite all his been through, the former male model hasn’t given up home that he will one day regain his dashing looks. An Instagram post from four months ago shows him getting ready for his seventh facial reconstruction surgery. He has been asking for support and donations for upcoming operations, via social media.
Sources: ABS-CBN News, Today in Manila, Coconuts
