An influencer was left “unrecognisable and blind” after undergoing an extreme facelift that doctors in Turkey – a country known for its controversial procedures – refused to perform.
Joni Hesselgren had previously undergone several procedures abroad with no issues including a rhinoplasty, a 360 liposuction and dental work.
But when the reality TV star was denied his latest request, due to his age, he simply jetted off from Turkey to South Korea instead.
He went under the knife to celebrate his 30th birthday.
“I consulted with several Turkish surgeons about the possibility of getting a lower facelift,” the Big Brother Finland star told Need To Know.
Joni before. (Jam Press/@hesselgrenjoni)
“They told me they wouldn’t perform a facelift on someone my age, and honestly, I do respect that decision.
“I’ve always been unhappy with how my jawline looks, so I thought maybe tightening the skin could help improve it.
“V-line surgery had been a dream of mine for several years but I was absolutely terrified of going through with it.
“I was desperately trying to find an alternative, something easier and faster that could give me a similar result.
“But as time went on, I realised I just had to man up and go through with the surgery I originally wanted.”
Joni travelled to the South Korean capital Seoul to undergo the operation.
Joni before. (Jam Press/@hesselgrenjoni)
He ended up losing a lot of blood during the procedure.
Joni said: “The surgeons suggested pairing my V-line surgery with a deep plane facelift.
“Of course I was thrilled to hear that because it meant I could get everything I ever wanted done in a single procedure.
“And I had three different surgeons working on me.
“One surgeon handled the facial contouring, which included V-line surgery and cheekbone reduction.
“Another performed the facelift, and a third did my lip lift.
Joni after facelift. (Jam Press/@hesselgrenjoni)
“They told me afterwards that the surgery was more difficult than usual because I bled quite a lot during the procedure.
“The first night was pretty uncomfortable, I couldn’t close my mouth properly, it just stayed open.
“When they discharged me the next morning, I took a taxi back to the Airbnb.
“That’s when things really started to escalate and my swelling suddenly got much worse.”
Joni’s troubles were about to get even worse on the second and third days after the operation.
He said: “On day two, I started losing my eyesight.
“I tried to fight it by stretching my eyelids open so I could see something, anything.
“In the evening, my friends had to walk me to the bathroom, feed me, wash me, basically take care of everything for me.
Joni after facelift. (Jam Press/@hesselgrenjoni)
“That second night, I barely slept. I was sitting there in the dark with my eyes completely swollen shut, unable to see anything.
“At one point, I even tried going to the bathroom by myself which, in hindsight, was a terrible idea considering I was basically blind and had zero awareness of my surroundings.
“I ended up hitting my head on the wall.”
Luckily for Joni, his friends woke up due to the noise and helped him to the bathroom.
Joni spent that night crying because he had to remain upright and couldn’t sleep.
He said: “I had a follow-up appointment at the clinic on post-op day three, at this point I still couldn’t see anything at all.
“I couldn’t even tell whether it was day or night.
Joni after facelift. (Jam Press/@hesselgrenjoni)
“My friends helped me into a taxi and guided me everywhere, I couldn’t see shadows, lights, shapes, nothing.
“The only thing I could feel was the warmth of the sun on my face.
“When we arrived at the clinic, they immediately took me to a hyperbaric chamber for oxygen therapy.
“It’s basically a pressurised chamber that feels a bit like being on a plane during takeoff or landing.
“Koreans really take their de-swelling treatments seriously because my eyes started to open within a few hours.
“The swelling went down super fast, I was so relieved.
Joni now. (Jam Press/@hesselgrenjoni)
“The total time I was effectively blind was about 12 to 15 hours.
“I can’t wait to see the final results.
“I guess we’ll see them in about six months!”
Joni also had advice for anyone thinking about undergoing similar procedures in a foreign country.
He added: “If you ever consider going through this many procedures, please take a friend with you.
“The recovery process is physically exhausting, but it’s a lot to go through mentally as well.
“You really need love and support during that time.”
READ MORE: ‘After 10 years as an NYPD officer, I left it all behind and moved 4,000 miles away’
