Not everybody can become a Shilpa Shetty

What this model was told when her skin-lightening procedure went horribly wrong at a spa which is co-owned by the star. Spa staff denies negligence

A model and aspiring actress from Dehradun trying to become fairer than she was has ended up with her face disfigured after the chemical pigmentation programme at one of the citys top spas went horribly wrong.

Gauri Khan, 22, who has done an item number in a yet-to-be-released film, The Legend Of Mayawati, and frequently models for tele-brand products, has now sent a legal notice to actress Shilpa Shetty and Chandrakiran Kaur Bawa who together began the spa venture Iosis in February last year.

Shetty, in addition to being a director and part-owner with the firm is also the ambassador for the spa and it was upon seeing her endorsement that Khan signed up for the 14-session glow and pigmentation treatment in June last year. For this she paid the spa Rs thirty-eight thousand ahead of the treatment.

However a year down the line her visage is peeling, wrinkled and covered with ugly dark spots reducing a beautiful women to move around with her face covered. In addition she claims that she has lost on all possibilities of work.

The model has registered a non-cognisable complaint at Oshiwara police station and sent a legal notice to Bawa and Shilpa Shetty claiming Rs seventeen lakh in compensation. Iosis lawyers have denied all of her charges saying that she did not take adequate care while undergoing these treatments.

Shilpa Shettys spa venture Iosis is currently under fire for a botched skin-lightening treatment

"I was always very presentable but decided to deal with the niggling issue of dull skin by going for the glow treatment at Iosis in June 2008. However within two-three months itself my skin began to deteriorate. I panicked but a doctor at Iosis kept assuring me that everything would be fine,” said Khan. “By January this year, my entire face was disfigured. When I asked the spa for my money back they flatly refused and when I pointed out about Shilpa Shetty endorsing the spa, Kiran Bawa told me, “Not everybody can become a Shilpa Shetty.” I am a model and my entire earning is dependent on my face. I told them, I dont wish to be Shilpa Shetty but please give my face back. I have lost everything.”

The spa staff, Khan alleges, told her that she would need to shell out extra money if she wanted further treatment on her disfigured face.

Khan who belongs to Dehradun says she is determined to pursue her case against the spa.

For her part Kiran Bawa the co-owner of Iosis, said, “I am aware of this person and whatever has happened is due to her own mistake. We had told her categorically that she should not go out in the sun whilst under treatment but she did not pay heed.

Apart from that she also disappeared for three months during the treatment and one fine day turned up at the spa saying that she was a poor person, and that we should please return her money. My manager refused. Now I am not someone who would cheat people for Rs thirty-eight thousand but this is the class and culture of these people. I have all the proof and pictures to prove that what I am saying is true.” However when we asked her for the pictures, her staff was unable to send us those.

Source: mumbaimirror