An influencer has forked out over $40,000 on “restoring” her face after a dog bit her at a party.
Ju Isen tried to pet an Akita Inu that belonged to one of the other guests when it “lunged” at her – leaving her with scarring, particularly across her nose.
The animal lover said she could have “lost her face” in the attack, and has been focusing her efforts on getting her looks back ever since.
“I went almost six months without being able to smell anything,” the Brazilian influencer, who boasts 2.5m followers on Instagram, told Need To Know.
“The trauma has been emotional and physical.”
After the attack, which took place at a 2023 New Year’s Eve party, Ju was rushed to the hospital in Mexico City, where she underwent a two-hour emergency surgery to reconstruct the affected area.
Of the incident, she said: “After trying to pet the dog, it suddenly lunged at me and bit my face.
“I was in shock and feared I could have lost part of my face during the attack.
“In addition to the nose injury, I had to undergo surgery to remove bacteria introduced by the bite.
“I needed general anaesthesia and was hospitalised for antibiotics.
“Thankfully, my dog Francisco was not involved in the incident and wasn’t present — so my relationship with him remains unaffected.”
Since then, she has been receiving ongoing medical care and undergoing aesthetic treatments focused on restoring both function and appearance to her nasal region – with the cost estimated to total more than $40,000.
The current phase of treatment is taking place in São Paulo, at the Martelli Care Clinic, under the supervision of dermatologist Dr Priscilla Martelli, a specialist in facial rejuvenation.
It includes fractional laser therapy, bio-stimulator applications, and regenerative ingredients such as salmon semen extract, with the goal of softening scars, restoring volume, and rebalancing the structure of the face.
But even with her appearance slowly getting back to normal, Ju said the experience has taken a huge emotional toll.
She added: “Even after the surgery, the mirror didn’t give me back the person I used to be.
“This treatment is a form of reconstruction – not just physical, but also psychological.
“What happened to me could have happened to anyone.
“But I want to show that recovery is possible, with time, care, and the right professionals.”
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