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"I'm a campaigner on exercise and diet."

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Neven Ciganovic is one of those celebrities who's mainly known just for being himself. An eccentric with an unusual appearance and personality. He's mostly gotten famous for his looks, being a self-confessed plastic surgery addict, and for the long journey he's taken in pursuit of the perfect face. Of course he also has a long and successful career as a costume designer and as a stylist, but that doesn't generate the same juicy headlines as had his struggle with "priaprism" and the general oddness of his personal life. You might be surprised to find that he's actually a very relatable and likable individual behind all the weirdness of his cosmetic surgery adventures.

Youth and Fashion

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Neven Ciganovic was born in Zagreb, Croatia on April 20, 1970. Growing up, Neven was always attracted to fashion and would go on to pursue a career in that field. As soon a the opportunity presented itself, Neven was working as a stylist and fashion designer, which would eventually carry him to the television industry. Here he would design outfits for various Croatia productions, including the first Croatian soap opera, Villa Maria (2004-present).

Villa Maria follows the drama of three bourgeois families in charge of a vineyard, the titular Villa Maria. Like most soap operas, the show has all of the melodrama, surprise twists and backstabbing you could ask for from your daytime entertainment. And like most soap operas, the show is basically a non-stop runway fashion show of high-end outfits. These are all thanks to Neven's flair for the showy and dramatic.

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Neven's career in television would eventually have him featuring on Celebrity Big Brother: Croatia (2008). Fans loved Neven for his odd, playful personality, his natural charisma and of course, his looks. Long before he debuted his reconstructed face, he was six foot two and a half inches and a major fitness buff. He struck an imposing figure, comparable to that of Dolph Lundgren, which made him instantly appealing to viewers who were into big handsome men. The show launched Neven into the spotlight.

A Face Made For Fame

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To look at Neven Ciganovic today compared to his time on Big Brother, he is very nearly unrecognizable. After appearing on the show he made it his life's goal to never age a day. This meant a good mix of exercise, diet and cosmetic surgery.

While many celebrities will shy away from questions regarding whether or not they've had work done, Ciganovic has never been shy about the subject. Whenever he's had work done, he's been quick to admit it to any interviewers who care to ask. Some celebrities hope to do a little nipping and tucking here and there with nobody the wiser. Ciganovic sees himself more like a sculptor or an architect, designing the face he's always wanted, and proud to show it off.

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This journey is not without its pitfalls, of course, and over the course of his twelve or so surgeries, he's experienced some health scares. A nose job in Iran left him having an allergic reaction to the anesthetic used in the operation, and the resulting priaprism had to be treated with another procedure.

Despite Neven's total honesty regarding his addiction to plastic surgery, the Croatian public continues to speculate every time he shows up in the media with a new look. Whether he's trying out a new hairstyle, a new diet, or just dressing a little differently, you'll find internet comments asking if he's done something with his nose or with his chin or maybe changed his ears this time. Lately most of Neven's work has simply been in the name of maintenance, however. An eyelid-tuck here or some skin-filler there. The bone structure is pretty much just what he wants it to be, and any continued work is just to keep everything looking young.

Whether you find Neven's plastic surgery journey fascinating or just kind of odd, he stands as an example of a celebrity who is famous primarily just for being who they want to be in life. You can say it's too bad that Neven's addiction to cosmetic surgery seems to overshadow his obvious talents as a fashion designer and stylist, but he seems to be having a good time with the fame surrounding his passion for plastic.

In 2017 he was the subject of a documentary following his journey to construct the perfect face and fight aging. He'd hoped that the movie would help him to become an international celebrity, but world fame hasn't hit for the Croatian eccentric just yet.

"My operations are no secret, I have always made them public."