Real Life Ken Doll’s Nose is Rotting Away

Brazillian man Rodrigo Alves, 32, is a flight attendant, and image consultant, but he is perhaps best known for his media fame as a “human ken doll.”

Alves sufferes from the mental disorder body dysmorphic disorder, a debilitating condition that affects nearly every aspect of a person’s life. People with the condition “think about their real or perceived flaws for hours each day. They can’t control their negative thoughts and don’t believe people who tell them that they look fine. Their thoughts may cause severe emotional distress and interfere with their daily functioning. They may miss work or school, avoid social situations and isolate themselves, even from family and friends, because they fear others will notice their flaws, according to ADAA.com.

For Alves, his obsession with his looks has led him to spend more than $400,000 on 42 plastic surgery procedures since 2004—and counting.

“I feel no shame in how I invest my own money,” he said. “I was born in the wrong body. My soul never matched up with the rest of me, and now it does. I never set out to look like Ken. But people have increasingly commented on how similar we are. I’m happy with my look, but I will continue with surgery.”

It was his latest surgery three months ago that has had some truly devastating effects on Alves. His famous “Ken doll” nose suddenly had a hole in it. Alarmed, Alves consulted a doctor, who gave him the scary news that the hole was a result of necrosis, or the death of living cells.

Typically caused by lack of oxygen, trauma or infection, if not surgically treated immediately, necrosis can
spread to surrounding tissues, causing widespread cell death. For Alves, this could mean his face, and his entire life’s work, was at risk.
“I had a nose reconstruction three months ago and it seems like the new cartilage has been rejected by my body,” Alves said. “It is terrible and I am trying to go back to London as soon as possible for help. It got harder and harder to breathe and now my nose is completely blocked. A horrible hole has appeared in my nose and the infection is eating it. If it does not stop, it could eat my whole face. I am very worried.”

After getting initial treatment in Spain, Alves is traveling back to his home in London “feeling great and relieved,” as he shared on his Instagram page. Looks like despite the scare, we’re in for even more “Ken” surgeries to come!