A fashion influencer has died weeks after complaining about complications from so-called “fox eyes” cosmetic surgery.
Adair Mendes Dutra Junior, a 31-year-old Brazilian known as Junior Dutra on Instagram, had told local news outlets last month that he suffered an infection following the procedure from celebrity surgeon Fernando Garbi, whom he was also suing, People magazine reported.
He had the surgery — which lifts the corners of the eyes to create an exotic cat-like look — in March, sharing photos of his bruised and swollen face.
Junior shared images of her bruised face during an interview last year.
On Oct. 3, he “became ill, felt very short of breath, and was taken to the nearest emergency room at a public hospital,” where he died, close friend Gean Souza told Brazilian magazine Quem.
“We still don’t have the medical records indicating the cause of death,” Souza emphasized.
Junior had recently asked São Paulo police to investigate surgeon Fernando Garbi and had filed a lawsuit against him, alleging medical malpractice, fraud, and causing serious bodily injury.
Garbi’s attorney denied any connection between the doctor and Junior’s death, calling those making accusations “people eager for brief moments of notoriety” and warning that legal action could follow.
The “fox eye” lift—also known as canthoplasty or canthopexy—has surged in popularity, in part due to people showcasing it on social media, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The procedure involves lifting the corners of the eyes to create a more exotic, cat-like appearance.
Souza said he hopes to see “justice” for his late friend. “He still had many dreams to fulfill; he wanted to be closer to his family and travel abroad,” he told Quem.
