Lyn May, once one of Mexico’s most famous actresses and dancers, appeared in nearly 100 films and was known as “The Goddess of Love.” Her career skyrocketed in the 1970s and 80s, but one tragic mistake changed everything. In the early 1990s, she trusted a fake cosmetic specialist who promised collagen injections. Instead, he injected her with baby oil or cooking oil, permanently altering her face and leaving her with painful lumps she still lives with today.
Born Lilia Guadalupe Mendiola in Acapulco in 1952, Lyn came from poverty and started working young. She later married an American sailor, had two daughters, and eventually left him after discovering he’d abused them. After the divorce, she returned to Acapulco, became a dancer, and soon rose to fame on Mexican television and in burlesque theaters, where her charisma earned her legendary status.
Her personal life remained turbulent. She later married businessman Antonio Chi Su, and after his death from cancer, grief drove her to an extreme confession: she admitted she had exhumed his body and kept it at home for a time because she “couldn’t let him go.” In later years, she also made headlines by claiming she was pregnant at 68, a story that her much younger fiancé eventually revealed was a publicity stunt.
Despite scandals, heartbreak, and a devastating cosmetic tragedy, Lyn May remains a resilient cultural icon. Her life reflects the harsh pressures of beauty, fame, and survival — and the complicated cost of chasing perfection in the spotlight.