Tulisa Contostavlos has recently spoken publicly about her experience with Bell’s palsy, a condition that affects around 100,000 people in the UK. Amy Green, from Leeds, also suffers from Bell’s palsy, and said that seeing Tulisa on TV was “like looking at a mirror image” of herself. Though the two women look different, both have a lack of volume in their faces.
Bell’s palsy causes temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face and can affect the eyelid and mouth, making it difficult to open and close them. The condition affects everyone differently. Some people experience a mild muscle weakness while others experience no movement at all.
Tulisa first experienced Bell’s palsy 12 years ago, and after a series of surgeries, she has found it is under control. However, while appearing on I’m a Celebrity, Tulisa was criticized by some viewers for her appearance and broadcaster Rylan Clark urged people not to “make jokes about her”.
Amy’s experience with Bell’s palsy hit her seven years ago after a stressful period at work and has taken her over 18 months to recover. Even after all this time, there are still some areas of her face that she cannot move. While Amy was offered Botox, she decided against it because the results are not constant.
Despite negative feedback from colleagues and strangers, Amy thinks that Bell’s palsy has made her a stronger person and far more empathetic towards others with disabilities. She praised Tulisa for raising awareness about a condition that has affected both their lives
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