Supermodel Kate Upton says she got frostbite during the Sport's Illustrated photo shoot in Antarctica for the magazine's 2013 Swimsuit Issue.
"When I came back I was losing hearing and eyesights becaue my body was shutting down, it was working so hard to keep me warm," said the 20-year-old on the NBC's Today show. Upton, a Florida native, said she was surprised when she found out the shoot was going to take place in one of the most hostile environments in the world.
In Antarctica wind gusts of 80 mph are common and temperatures can change dramatically within minutes, according to the National Science Foundation. The lowest temperature ever record in the world was in Antarctica at -126 degree. Upton endured the harsh weather dressed in only a sexy swimsuit and a Parka.
The lengthy shoots took their toll on her body, Upton says she was in pain for months. If not treated immediately, frostbite can be severe and lead to amputations of affected parts of the body. The temperary loss of hearing and site that Upton says she felt was a result of hypothermia, Dr. Rupe Hansra, the senior director of eye care at LensCrafters, told the Huffington Post.
When asked on Al Roker's Weather Channel show, Wake Up with Al , whether she would do it again Upton replied yes.
"I think it was worth it. It made me realize that I can do anything," said Upton. "I wouldn't trade that experience for anything because it's the most beautiful place I've ever been."
Upton has been chosen to grace the magazine's cover for the second year in a row. She is the first to do so since Tyra Banks in 1996-97. This year's Swimsuit Issue is the 50th ever released by Sport's Illustrated. For the first time, the magazine includes photos shot across various landscapes on all seven continents.
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