Cosmetic surgeon Dr Fredric Brandt hanged himself on Sunday at his Miami mansion.

Miami Herald columnist Lesley Abravanel told Daily Mail Online exclusively that sources close to Dr Brandt said he had hanged himself.

The City of Miami Police Department confirmed that Dr Brandt's death was a suicide by hanging on Monday.

Abravanel said Brandt, 65, was 'devastated' recently over rumors comparing him to a character on the Netflix show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

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Dr Fredric Brandt (left) has a striking resemblance to Dr Franff (right), a character on Tina Fey's Netflix show, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He was reportedly 'devastated' by the portrayal. Columnist Lesley Abravanel told Daily Mail Online exclusively that sources close to Dr Brandt said he had hanged himself at his home

Dr Fredric Brandt was last pictured on November 17, 2014 alongside life coach Tony Robbins and wife Sage Robbins (right) at a magazine party in New York City

The cosmetic surgeon, pictured left, with Hugh Jackman's wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, gallery owner Lisa Fox and Sting's wife Trudie Styler at a Donna Karan party in February last year

Dr Brandt, a cosmetic dermatologist and well-known art collector, at his apartment in New York on March 7, 2014

Dr Brandt, who was known for working with stars including Madonna, Kelly Ripa and Stephanie Seymour, died after ‘suffering from an illness,’ his publicist said.

Ripa's husband, actor Mark Consuelos, retweeted choreographer Isaac Calpito's post, which read: 'Devastated over the loss of our dear friend @drfredricbrandt. You are missed. You are loved. The world has lost one of its kindest souls.'

Publicist Jacquie Tractenberg did not reveal information about the illness, cause of death or the circumstances of the death.

Ms Abravanel, a Miami Herald columnist, posted a series of tweets on Sunday claiming that he had been 'devastated' by unflattering comparisons to Dr Franff on the hit show Kimmy Schmidt, according to unnamed sources.

She also reported that he was found dead at his Coconut Grove mansion in Miami by his housekeeper where he lived alone. She called 911 at 9.19am.

The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department confirmed that an autopsy will be conducted on Monday.

Abravanel pointed out that the cosmetic surgeon character, played by Martin Short, has a striking resemblance to Dr Brandt.

The New York Post also wrote a column last month comparing the real-life doctor to the fictional doctor on Tina Fey's hit comedy.

'Sources: Dr Fredric Brandt was "devastated" over comparisons to the protagonist on Tina Fey’s new Netflix show, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt",' Abravanel tweeted.

Marc Jacobs and Dr Brandt pictured after lunching at Pastis restaurant in The Meat Packing District of New York City in June 2009

Lesley Abravanel, a columnist for Miami Herald, claimed that Dr Brandt, pictured here with Lisa Falcone in 2007, claims she had a chance to speak with sources close to Dr Brandt

Brandt worked with stars including Madonna, Stephanie Seymour and Jane Holzer. Left, the doctor is pictured with morning show host Kelly Ripa in 2011 at his Dr Fredric Brandt's SiriusXM launch and right, with comedian Joy Behar at the same event

Dermatologist Dr Frederic Brandt poses for a portrait with his luxury skin-care line in November 2013, in Miami, Florida where he had one of two medical practices

Dr Brandt celebrates the release of his book 10 Minutes 10 Years with Kristy Rook in the Core Club in 2007

She then posted a tweet which read: 'Dr. Brandt's publicist says he was suffering from an "illness". Sources close say that illness was depression.'

Dr Franff only appears in one episode, titled 'Kimmy Goes To The Doctor!', of the first season.

The character shares Dr Brandt’s smooth skin, platinum blond hair and enthusiasm for plastic surgery, but his door sign claims he’s a ‘board certified D, DS, DDSOBGYN’, rather than a cosmetic dermatologist.

The Dr Franff character is depicted on the Netflix show with a high-pitched laugh and unable to speak certain words due to his plastic surgery.

He is also seen drinking from a surgical bag and reinflates his own face after being punched.

Netflix had no comment when contacted by Daily Mail Online.

Tractenberg, the publicist, said that everyone who knew the famed dermatologist 'is devastated'.

'I worked with him for over 20 years and he was an amazing man, not only what he a brilliant doctor, but he was the kindest human being,’ she told the New York Post.

Dr Brandt was famed for his appearance, which displayed many of his dermatology techniques.

In a 2014 profile in The New York Times, he said that his goal was to 'restore the face to harmony'.

'I approach each face with a visual perception, an artistic perception and a medical perception,' he said.

The article, which described the doctor as an 'unnervingly ageless-looking personage', said that he was sought out by the rich and famous for his signature Y lifts, where fillers are injected below the cheekbones.

Though Abravanel suggests that Dr Franff is a protagonist on the show, Martin Short's character only appeared in one episode of the first season

The Miami-based columnist later suggested on Twitter that the cosmetic surgeon was suffering from depression before his death

It was also widely known that Dr Brandt injected products including Botox, Restylane, Perlane, Juvéderm, Voluma The Times reported, into his own face, erasing his wrinkles, leaving him with full lips and an ageless quality.

The doctor told The Times that people often asked him if he was from Sweden.

Representatives for Dr Brandt and Fey did not immediately return requests for comment from Daily Mail Online.

Dr Brandt grew up in Weequahic section of Newark, New Jersey where his parents ran a candy store.

Security was tight in the gated entrance to Dr Brandt's Miami home on Sunday. His publicist declined to comment on the circumstances or cause of death

Dr Brandt had famed practices (pictured) in Miami and Manhattan. In a 2014 profile, he said that his goal was to 'restore the face to harmony'

His father died when he was a teenager and he lost his mother before he graduated from Rutgers University in 1971. He went on to attend Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia.

He completed residencies at NYU's Department of Internal Medicine and then in Dermatology at the University of Miami.

He set up a practice in Coral Cables, Miami in 1982 and began part-time work in New York in 1998 but quickly expanded to become one of the most in-demand cosmetic appointments.

He would sometimes see around 30 patients a day at his midtown Manhattan offices, which is filled with expensive art works, for appointments costing thousands of dollars.

The 65-year-old was considered as the number one injector of Botox and Restylane filler in the world.

The doctor was regarded by his peers as a pioneer in the field and often gave lectures on the use of products.

Dr Brandt also has a range of high-end dermatological products. A 1.35 oz 'Do Not Age with Dr. Brandt' Transforming Pearl Serum costs $150.

He wrote two books about his work, '10 Minutes/10 Years: Your Definitive Guide to a Beautiful and Youthful Appearance' and 'Age-less: The Definitive Guide to Botox, Collagen, Lasers, Peels, and Other Solutions for Flawless Skin'.

Along with his Miami mansion, Dr Brandt had a luxury apartment on the West Side of Manhattan with sweeping views of the Hudson River and filled with the esteemed art collection.

Tributes poured in for Dr Brandt following the news of shocking death. TV presenter and beauty editor Nadine Baggott wrote: 'RIP Frederic Brandt - I loved every fascinating minute spent interviewing him.'

@idrisjoel postd on Twitter: #RIP to one of the kindest and most brilliant physician I've ever met, Dr Frederic Shelton Brandt.'

TV Host Jeannette Kaplun ‏wrote: 'So sad that the world has lost a wonderful, kind and brilliant human being, Dr. Frederic Brandt'