In a scenario that sounds almost too absurd to be true, an Australian woman discovered the hard way that chasing clout may come at a high cost and with serious consequences. Video below.
Jolene Dawson, a 29-year-old TikTok trendsetter from the Gold Coast, spent a staggering $8,000 (AUD $12,000) on a series of “experimental” treatments to make her look as like to a cat as possible. To attain her aim of viral stardom, she had treatments to widen her nostrils and sharpen her cheekbones in the hopes of perfecting the feline look.
Now, Dawson says the entire ordeal was a “cat-astrophe.” Speaking to Jam Press, she confessed that she never actually identified as a cat. Instead, she admitted bluntly: “I’ll be honest with you, and I don’t want to admit this, but I was just doing this for attention.”
Unfortunately, the attention came with a high cost. Dawson revealed that her body began to “reject” the filler as it traveled to areas of her face where it was never intended to be. Things became even worse when she tried an experimental “barbed threading” operation, which left her in such much pain that she attempted to take out the threads herself, resulting in lesions and scars.
“This was always intended to be a publicity stunt and I stuck with reversible options because I knew I wouldn’t want to look like a cat forever,” Dawson told What’s The Jam. “However, I could have never predicted my body’s reaction to these treatments and the way it has changed the composition of my lower face.”
In addition to the visible damage, Dawson said she also developed extreme acid reflux, allegedly caused by filler migrating through her nasal cavity. “I thought I could push it a little further,” she said of her ill-fated campaign for internet fame.
After enduring months of pain and complications, Dawson has had all her fillers and implants removed. She says she’s “hopeful” about getting her health back on track and has hired a therapist to work on her “need for validation in the form of public attention.”
Reflecting on the entire experience, she didn’t hold back: “I’m well aware of how dumb this was,” she admitted. “I have been in a lot of pain because of it.”
Her final advice to others chasing viral fame? “I just want to advise against ever getting experimental procedures and any procedure for the wrong reason.”
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