Jessica Alves, formerly known as Rodrigo Alves, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars turning herself into a real-life version of a Ken doll is now regretting one major surgery she went through. But how did this all start and who is the mysterious Human Ken?
How much has Jessica spent on this incredible transformation and how did it all start? This is the unbelievable and painfully sad story of this walking, talking living doll.
How much has Jessica spent on this incredible transformation and how did it all start? This is the unbelievable and painfully sad story of this walking, talking living doll.
How It All Started
This D-list celebrity was once simply a fresh-faced child called Rodrigo Alves, who was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Due to her family background, she is actually a British national.
Her childhood was fraught with body insecurities. But what had caused Jessica to feel the need to change her look in such a drastic way? And to such an extent that it very nearly killed her?
Traumatic Childhood
As Jessica experienced puberty, she realized that she was not developing in the same way as her friends. Something was very wrong. In fact, the problem became the trigger for her transformation.
It was something that caused her to be bullied for several years and teased relentlessly. She was verbally and physically abused when others saw how she was developing.
Hormonal Horror
At the tender age of 16, when change for teenagers is hard enough, Jessica was diagnosed with a hormone dysfunction that had terrible results for the already insecure teenager from Brazil.
Her hormones were behaving incorrectly and her breast tissue started to grow at the same rate as her female friends. She was distraught as she noticed her breast area grow uncontrollably.
Sixteen And Suffering
By the time Jessica was 16, her voice had dropped, she was starting to grow facial hair and other male features of puberty, yet her breasts were extremely prominent. It caused the fragile teen to be mocked mercilessly. She dreaded going to school, where her cruel peers would tease her for having “boobs”, but that was only part of the bullying campaign.
They picked on her relentlessly for having a big nose – they would call it a “potato nose”. They poked and prodded her stomach whilst calling her “jelly belly”. And it wasn’t just verbal abuse….
Physical Abuse
The hormone abnormality caused weight gain that she couldn't control. As much as she tried to exercise and curb her eating, she simply grew and grew. Her frame was much wider than her classmates and she couldn’t cover up the flab no matter how hard she tried.
She recalls that she had her “face pushed against the urinal because I had a wide nose.” Bullies pushed her down a flight of stairs, seeing her as a target because of her physical differences. No one at school empathized with or helped her. She was alone and desperately unhappy. The bullying was happening daily and there was no escape for the teen.
Rodrigo The Star
Fast-forward many years and this mild-mannered Brazilian was now in her mid-thirties and morphed into an uncanny resemblance of a Ken doll. Her face looks plastic and her features are like those of Barbie’s boyfriend in the ever-popular Mattel toy range.
She used her freakish looks to carve out a career of sorts. She endorsed products, appeared at premieres, and loved to work the red carpet for the media. She relishes being in the spotlight and didn't mind striking a pose whilst in giant-sized doll packaging boxes. Some might call it tacky but Jessica basked in the heat of the lights.
The First Surgery
Rewind to when Jessica was merely 17. She saved up $3,500 to have her breasts reduced to a normal size for a man, but the scars never truly healed – both physically and mentally. It led to more and more trips to the operating theater as she tried to eradicate all the faults she saw in the mirror.
The list is truly shocking and the cost of each procedure was not only financial, as each operation had potentially deadly consequences.
Eighteen Years Of Dangerous Cosmetic Procedures
Since 2004, Jessica Alves has had a shockingly huge amount of nips, tucks, tweaks, and cuts. Here is a list of just some of the drastic work she’s undergone, after such a traumatic childhood:
Botox, fillers, several nose jobs, liposuction to alter the shape of her jawline, pectoral implants, fillers in her arms, hair transplants, and perhaps the strangest of all, a fake six-pack. That alone set her back $27,500.
The Full List
Jessica has spent a small fortune on her transformation. Hardly any part of her body remains untouched by the surgeon’s knife. She admits to having had a fat transfer operation to obtain the look of a “Brazilian” bottom. Her calves have been reshaped and she has had liposuction on her legs to achieve the “Ken” look.
It’s claimed that she has undergone approximately 57 procedures. So how much has it cost her to date?
The Actual Cost To Look Like Ken
The answer is a staggering $880,000. She earns money from endorsements, magazine appearances and has received some inheritance over the years. In addition, she received payment and notoriety for appearing on Celebrity Big Brother in the UK.
The hugely popular reality show didn't help Jessica gain more fans; as she was abruptly evicted after using the “N-word” live on television. She claimed that she had uttered it when drunk but the producers were having none of it. She left in disgrace and the footage was never aired.
Fans or Foes?
They say that there's no such thing as bad publicity and Jessica continues to amass followers on her Instagram account. It currently stands at nearly three million, though not all of them are kind with their comments.
Several are incredibly rude and seem to think that it’s okay to bully her online. Even after all these years and all the changes that Alves has made, she cannot outrun the bullies.
Getting Rid of Her Ribs
In one of her most extreme procedures, Jessica had four ribs removed. She did it because she wanted her waist to look smaller and to achieve a 20-inch waistline. In 2018, when she did it, she claimed that she had gone through the $24,000 procedure in order to look more special, and not in order to match conventional beauty standards.
Jessica told Barcroft TV, “Having my ribs removed is not important. What’s important to me is to look a certain way. I like to look different. I like the fact that I have reinvented myself, with the help of plastic surgery, and that I don’t look like any other man, I don’t look like anyone else and I do like that." After the surgery, she did lose five inches from her waist, but there were other things that she didn't expect when she went under the knife.
Her Biggest Regret
After her ribs surgery, she revealed that she had one big regret about the countless procedures she had undergone. Speaking to MailOnline, Jessica said, "I am in pain in the evenings. It’s not unbearable but it’s on my mind and now I wonder what I was thinking. I’ve been left with two scars on my back, but the worst thing is, I don’t feel any smaller than I did before."
Other than the pain and the scars, Jessica also said that she has to wear a corset all the time and even though she did the surgery to achieve a 20-inches waistline, she admits, "I only look smaller when I’ve got it on. As soon as I take it off, I feel like I am back to normal." Jessica had one more procedure that was almost fatal.
The Near-Fatal Nose Job
It was in 2016, after her fourth nose job, that things began to go terribly wrong. Everything seemed to have gone smoothly and it was only after all the swelling had subsided that she noticed that something out of the ordinary was happening.
Jessica says that the fillers that were used to reshape her nose had moved from their intended position. Instead of being positioned on the bridge of her nose to change the shape in the way she had hoped, they had moved to the tip. This was horrendous for the insecure Brazilian.
The Decision That Turned Dangerous
Unable to stare at herself in the mirror, Jessica was desperate to have repair work done immediately on her misshapen nose. She booked herself in for another nose job straight away to reset the misplaced fillers.
As with any trip to the hospital, there is always a risk of side effects and the chance of picking up an infection. Of course, Jessica knew about all of the dangers of cosmetic surgery, but her obsession to look perfect in her eyes meant that she glossed over these cautions each and every time.
Why Wasn't She Healing?
During the recovery process, Jessica was not feeling well. She was used to the pain and discomfort from all of her previous work, but she was low on energy and not bouncing back as she usually did.
In what must have been a truly horrifying moment, Jessica noticed a hole in her nose. She raced to the hospital where doctors diagnosed the potentially fatal disease known as necrosis. This infection causes skin tissue to die and simply wither away. It can spread quickly and can result in the entire face simply rotting away. Jessica was scared that her body image problems were about to kill her.
Stopping the Rot
Sitting in an emergency ward in Spain, doctors informed Jessica that they needed to remove most of her newly constructed nose to stop the spread of the necrosis. The disease was literally eating her alive.
Jessica was filled with horror as the severity of the situation began to sink in. If the team could not stop the spread of the necrosis, it would slowly and painfully consume the skin and tissue of her nose, then her cheeks, and finally, the rest of her face. She would die from the pain if they could not stop the rot.
Life-Saving Measures
The operation was performed quickly and Jessica endured months of pain and panic as doctors rebuilt her nose over the course of another four reconstructive nose jobs. They even used cartilage from her wrist to rebuild certain sections of it.
Now fully healed, she has revealed that this life-saving series of operations has left her unable to breathe through her nose. She has to inhale through her mouth for the rest of her life.
Mental Issues
Jessica had to get some control over this obsession for perfection that was causing her such pain, depression, and deep-rooted unhappiness. Having struggled with her self-image for so many long and unhappy years, Jessica visited a psychologist at the age of 30 and was finally diagnosed with body dysmorphia. This is a mental health condition that causes the sufferer to overly-obsess about their looks. They see flaws where they are none and will spend hours studying themselves in the mirror trying to work out ways to improve how they look. It’s often accompanied by anxiety and depression.
The awful thing about this mental issue is that no matter how much work is done and how many changes are made, it will never be enough for someone who suffers from this cruel disorder. This is evident in the fact that the necrosis wasn’t the only nearly fatal problem Jessica has encountered in the search for physical perfection.
Almost Paralyzed
During another dangerous procedure, Jessica had gel injected into her arms that was supposed to give them a more muscular look. But things took a life-threatening turn for the worse. She contracted a deadly bacterial infection that left her paralyzed in both arms. She was unable to feed herself or even shower her body without assistance. She was unable to work in her regular job as a flight attendant and fell into a deep depression as the doctors fought to save her arms from amputation.
She spent her days praying and crying, wishing for an end to the torment but her condition grew worse. Eventually, the potentially lethal infection was cured with strong antibiotics and the skill of the medical team. It took a long 30 days before she regained feeling in her arms. The relief flooded through her body as she took stock of just how lucky she had been.
A Major Next Step
Early in 2020, Jessica came out as transgender. She officially changed her name from Rodrigo to Jessica. It became her mission to transform herself into human Barbie. She spent over $100,000 on surgery to transform her body.
Jessica explained her decision, “I am very happy to be a man for now but I don’t want to be an old saggy man. I will do what Caitlyn Jenner did. When I reach my late 50s, I would rather be a sexy old lady than a saggy old man”.
Ready For a New Relationship
"I am ready to lose my virginity", Jessica confessed, after admitting she never had a gay relationship when she was a man, as she always saw herself as a woman. After spending 6 hours on the operating table for a Penile-Peritoneal Vaginoplasty in Bangkok, a procedure that cost over $15,000, she has fantasized with finding 'a magical love' since transitioning.
In addition, she has conceded that she has never met another trans woman, which has been quite a 'lonely' experience in her opinion. She added: 'The issue is that I don’t have anyone on my radar yet. I want that day to be magical and special even, so if I have to wait longer for it I will do so until the right man for my me comes along.'
The Sad Daily Battle
According to Jessica, “When I look in the mirror, I don’t see what other people see. I see flaws that I want to fix. It takes me ages to leave the house in the mornings because I have to correct everything.”
Jessica insists that surgery has been the right decision for her, despite people sometimes still calling her a “freak” and “ugly”. As she defiantly says, “I did what was right for me.” One can only hope that maybe one day she will finally look at her reflection in the mirror and be satisfied.
More Surgeries and Anxiety
Jessica Alves aspires to be at the forefront of a groundbreaking trans womb procedure, eagerly awaiting the day science aligns with her maternal aspirations. The notable trans personality, who postponed her hopes for the surgery in 2021, shared with MailOnline her enduring desire for a future where she can proudly flaunt a baby bump.
Leading authorities in this field predict that the revolutionary transplants could be accessible for trans women, assigned male at birth, within the forthcoming years. However, Alves disclosed that the mounting expectations to secure a relationship and embrace motherhood before reaching 40 are triggering profound anxiety within her: "I am now afraid to stay at home alone and every night I have to dress up to go out with friends or on dates as I can't stay at home because then I become anxious."
The Story of Valeria Lukyanova, the Human Barbie Doll
Valeria Lukyanova was obsessed with Barbie dolls when she was growing up. Unlike other girls her age, who grew out of playing with dolls, Valeria’s fascination with Barbie dolls didn't fade away. The 33-year-old transitioned from playing with dolls to transforming herself into a real-life Barbie doll.
Since she was a teenager, Lukyanova has altered her appearance to turn herself into a human version of the iconic doll. This is the life story of the human Barbie doll.
Love of Dolls
Lukyanova was born in the East European country of Moldova, which was still a part of the USSR. Her mother, Irina, worked for the Russian army. Valery, her father, was a builder by day and a DJ by night. She grew up adoring Barbie dolls as most young girls did in the 80s and 90s. She amassed a huge collection of Barbies and kept them in their packages to show off their different styles.
Unlike most girls, however, Lukyanova didn't just play with her dolls. The perfect symmetry of their bodies and faces fascinated her, and she carried this fascination into her adult life.
A Life-Changing Decision
Lukyanova grew up during the collapse of the Soviet Union, at a time when unconventional lifestyles challenged the old conservative ways. In 2014, Lukyanova emigrated to escape the looming civil war and fled to Mexico. This was the first step in the process of changing her life.
Lukyanova grew up watching her parents dealing with financial struggles, working hard to support Valeria and her sister. Lukyanova wanted more than the mundane out of life, and she dared to be different by thinking of alternative ways in which she could make a living. Being a naturally beautiful young woman, modeling was an easy choice.
Natural Beauty
Even before Lukyanova adopted her elaborate make-up and extreme body form, she was still very beautiful. She even won the title of "Miss Diamond Crown of the World" in 2007. Her pout, gorgeous dark eyes, and lustrous blonde hair set her way above her competitors.
No one suspected that her childhood fascination with the perfection a Barbie doll exemplified had become an obsession.
The Transformation Begins
To become a flawless Barbie doll, Lukyanova needed to have perfect proportions and so she turned to surgical enhancement. She began with breast implants but it wasn't long until she pursued more drastic surgery.
Initially, Lukyanova denied she had altered her body in any way. She maintained that her figure was the product of great genes, alongside rigorous diet and exercise programs. But people remained skeptical. Her 19-inch waist is biologically impossible for someone of her height and proportions. It became increasingly clear that Lukyanova had undergone surgery.
Living on Air
It's not all plastic surgery, though. Lukyanova keeps a very strict and unusual, even dangerous, diet. She tried to live as a “breatharian” for a while, living off nothing but sunshine and air. Unsurprisingly, this didn’t work out as she hoped.
One essential part of the breatharian’s diet is sunlight. However, Lukyanova claims that pictures that show her lounging on a sandy beach, bathing her delicate skin in the sun’s rays, are just for show. Lukyanova avoids daylight as much as possible. Her Barbie perfection demands smooth, fair skin rather than a tanned look.
Sculpting Her Body
Normally, someone who is too thin will have unnaturally protruding ribs, but Lukyanova doesn't have those. Skeptics claimed that she removed some of her ribs. Critics point to her bikini pictures as evidence, as they reveal anatomically impossible features, like large breasts with no upper ribs to support them, and a waist that tapers sharply before diverging into generous hips.
Such a figure may not be natural, but it’s only fair to give credit where credit’s due. Lukyanova works hard to maintain such a body. Working out is a key part of Lukyanova’s quest for the perfect body. However, she also waits several hours after exercising before eating or drinking. In addition, she doesn't drink any water while she eats.
Olga
Lukyanova has a sister, Olga. Like her sister’s, Olga’s eyes are dark and intense. Olga is also naturally beautiful in a way that is reminiscent of the younger Lukyanova. According to Olga, she envied her sister’s looks when they were younger and sought to emulate her older sibling. Olga did briefly try her sister’s look, but she struggled to fit the Barbie identity.
Olga explains that she no longer strives to be like her sister. Instead, she tries to “look at her as an example.” She’s upset that so many people think of her sister as a Barbie because of the name’s association with “airheads”. It’s not how she would describe her sister, as she says her sister is very intelligent.
Nothing Is Perfect
Everyone knows that nothing is or can ever be perfect. But Lukyanova takes this piece of wisdom and flips it on its head. She believes that “perfection has no limitations.” Lukyanova refuses to settle for just “okay.” She goes to the most extreme lengths to wow the world with her immaculate make-up and mannequin stillness.
Yet she confesses that carrying around the title of “the human Barbie” is an enormous burden. People tend to forget the “human” part, at times to the point of ignoring it completely. Lukyanova spoke in interviews about how it hurts to be seen as a “freak” rather than a young woman in search of her true self.
Physical Threats and Attacks
On Halloween, 2014, two thugs attacked Lukyanova outside her house in Odessa. They punched and throttled her until a vigilant neighbor chased them off. Friends took her to the hospital for treatment of her injuries.
Sadly, Lukyanova is no stranger to physical threats. Lots of ruthless critics are only too happy to bring her down and stoke hatred against her.
Media Fire
Of course, Lukyanova isn’t surprised that people object to her unusual take on life and question how “real” her body is. She anticipates such skepticism. But skepticism is one thing, viciousness is another. When people attack her, they don’t always do so fairly.
“I noticed that the media is only interested in the negative,” Lukyanova says. “Show someone in a bad light, show someone’s mistakes.” But Lukyanova takes negative media attention in her stride. She addresses the problem of a ruthless press via her own media platform.
The Energy Vampire
The Internet exposes her to all sorts of comments, attacking everything from her thinness to the way she speaks. But she doesn’t let these comments get to her. In fact, she does the exact opposite. She feeds off them.
Lukyanova describes herself as an “energy vampire”, who thrives off all the negativity that’s thrown at her. She craves both good and bad attention. Even though she triumphs over those who seek to harm her, Lukyanova bears them no ill-will. She insists she wants everyone to “be happy” and hopes they can achieve this by focusing less on her and more on themselves.
The Teenage Witch
Lukyanova’s teenage years were quite different from her current state. It’s not uncommon for teenagers to obsess with “finding themselves,” which often leads to some crazy experimentation. Like many other teens, Lukyanova quested after who she really was.
Lukyanova stunned fans and skeptics alike by revealing what she looked like during her teen years. She was not about glitz then. Instead, we behold a girl garbed in black, surrounded by a flickering fire. She fancied herself a witch then, long before she delved into her astral personas. As she grew older, however, her beliefs became even stranger.
Is Valeria an Alien Being?
It’s fair to say that Lukyanova doesn’t look like most women. In fact, at first sight, she appears otherworldly, almost non-human. According to Lukyanova herself, this might not be so far off the mark. In an article entitled “Space Barbie,” Lukyanova announced that she’s indeed not human, but an alien who has much to teach us.
According to Lukyanova, she’s not from earth but Venus. At least, this is what she remembers. Beyond the simple fact of her origins, her memory grows hazy. She claims that ever since childhood, she’s borne a hyperawareness and sees swirling spiral visions.
Of Body and Spirit
It is because of her experience of the spiritual realm that Lukyanova aims for a perfect physical form. She wants to go beyond her physical limitations to reach the depth of the spirit. And she wants to help others do the same. She believes she has something unique to offer the world, beyond her striking appearance.
Lukyanova is so keen to share her esoteric knowledge, she has written a book for aspiring gurus. She published her book, “Astral Travel Amatue,” in 2012. It’s available for free through her website, so anyone can read it.
Transcending the Body
One of Lukyanova’s highest goals is to perfect the art of astral travel. She seeks to shed her physical body so that her soul will be free to explore the cosmos. Lukyanova believes we’re all capable of escaping our worldly flesh. For those who are willing to attempt, it’s possible to pry open the universe and discover all its secrets.
Lukyanova admits that the first thing anyone will notice about her is her extraordinary physical appearance. But that’s the trick. Lukyanova knows her ideas are beyond the understanding of most people. However, she also knows that her beauty captures audiences. Once she snares them superficially, she can guide them into the depths and then reveal to them the knowledge she possesses.
Space Barbie
Because of her unusual beliefs, Lukyanova has acquired a new name. On top of her human Barbie title, she is now “Space Barbie.” Of course, unlike the plastic toy she resembles, she doesn’t come equipped with a spacesuit or flying saucer.
The picture above is from one of Lukyanova’s meditation videos, in which she appears in a deep trance. As Amatue, her spiritual persona, she plays the role of a wise mystic surrounded by stars and holding a huge serpent.
The World According to Lukyanova
Lukyanova has established a persona and lifestyle so unique that people can’t help being curious. “Only love and joy exist in the place I come from,” Lukyanova explained. “Beings in our dimension are sexless… we can look inside any being and see our self.”
Perhaps after learning this about her it won't come as surprise to also learn that Lukyanova has found herself in need of psychiatric help several times. She visited a psychiatrist to talk about her issues, but he told her that she was “very lucky”. The psychiatrist noticed something special in Lukyanova.
The Human Barbie’s Body-Shaming
For a woman who’s faced so much online body shaming, you’d expect Lukyanova to be sympathetic towards her fellow women. However, she didn’t show much sympathy towards Sex and the City actress, Sarah Jessica Parker.
In April 2017, Lukyanova released an online video in which she verbally assaulted women who failed to meet her standards of beauty, including Parker. According to Lukyanova, Parker is a lazy “horse face.” She also connects those who fall short of her beauty standards to an “inner ugliness.”
Bigotry and Racism
In a GQ interview, Lukyanova told writer Michael Idov that “race-mixing” increases the need for plastic surgery. This is because, according to Lukyanova, people of mixed races are more likely to require surgical help to look attractive. She holds the belief that women were more naturally beautiful in the 1950s and 1960s before mixed-race pairings became common.
In the same interview, Lukyanova also said that she found the thought of having children revolting. She would rather undergo torture and die than have babies and a family lifestyle.
Movie Career
A woman of many talents, Lukyanova doesn’t rely on her internet fame and psychic powers. She has also explored several alternate careers, including DJ-ing and – more importantly – acting.
In 2016, Lukyanova made her debut in the sci-fi movie, “The Doll,” where she played a deadly, blood-thirsty alien doll. The director, Susannah O’Brien, had nothing but praise for her unusual star, stating that she “was a natural.” No one dared suggest she had perhaps been typecast!
Makeover
Having spent so much time, money, and effort, Lukyanova’s approach to her body and how she wants it to look has suddenly changed.
Having attained the perfect Barbie body, Lukyanova now wants to concentrate on honing that look by enhancing her abs and biceps. Is she turning from a human Barbie into a bodybuilder? Only time will tell.
What Next?
Lukyanova still aspires to share her spiritual knowledge with the world. She also aims to achieve something quite ambitious.
She’s recently teamed up with some composers and musicians to put together an opera. But this will not just be any opera. She plans to produce a new age work, with soft melodies that mimic the sounds of the natural world.
Human Ken
The male equivalent of a human Barbie would be a human Ken. And a human Ken does exist, as embodied by Justin Jedlica. Jedlica is an American model who strives to look like a real-life Ken. To this end, he has undergone at least 190 surgical procedures. Unlike plastic Ken, however, human Ken doesn’t seem to get along with Barbie.
According to Jedlica, though he finds Lukyanova attractive, he downplays her Barbie resemblance, by claiming her beauty to be the result of cosmetics, corsets, and other “drag-queen” gimmicks. Jedlica admits to using surgery to achieve his perfect face and figure. He also has tried to hug Lukyanova, only to receive a cold shoulder from the expressionless living doll. Hell has no fury as a human Ken scorned.