Tulisa Reveals Health Battle Behind Rumored Surgery as She Shares the Truth About Her Changing Appearance
Tulisa Contostavlos, known for her music career with N-Dubz, recently addressed longstanding rumors surrounding her appearance, revealing a hidden health struggle rather than the plastic surgery many had speculated about. In a candid conversation with former Love Island star Olivia Attwood on the So Wrong, It’s Right podcast, Tulisa disclosed her experience with Bell’s palsy and its impact on her appearance.
While discussing her relationship with the press, Olivia asked Tulisa directly about rumors of cosmetic surgery. Tulisa responded openly, “I’ve never gone into it before. To be fair, I hadn’t had any surgery up until – confession – recently.” She clarified that, despite public perception, her previous changes in appearance were not due to surgery but rather fillers, stemming from a health condition she had previously kept private, told the Daily Star.
The former X Factor judge revealed that her appearance was heavily affected by her first attack of Bell’s palsy at age 24, describing the onset of the condition as a “massive burst of inflammation.” Tulisa shared photos of the inflammation with Olivia, who was shocked, only able to respond, “S**t.” Bell’s palsy, a neurological condition, can cause temporary facial paralysis, often leading to visible asymmetry. While treatment options like steroid injections exist, repeated attacks can still occur.
After her first attack, Tulisa faced lasting effects, with one side of her face drooping. The change in appearance left her deeply self-conscious, even causing her to stay home for seven months. To help restore facial symmetry, she relied on fillers rather than surgery, explaining, “It was the trauma of the inflammation that caused it, but no one knows what caused it to blow up.” The use of fillers allowed her to create the impression of facial balance, helping her manage her public image.
Over the years, Tulisa continued with the fillers to maintain this appearance, only stopping earlier in 2023. “Even when I was doing the N-Dubz run, it was at its worst, it felt like my face was on fire,” she confessed. After experiencing chronic discomfort, doctors identified several shadows on her face in scans and X-rays, initially thought to be benign cysts. However, after a more extensive examination, Tulisa learned she had three severely infected cysts that required surgical removal, though some remain.
By speaking out, Tulisa hopes to shed light on her experience and clarify the misconceptions about her appearance, emphasizing that while she has utilized fillers to cope, she never underwent plastic surgery as rumored. Her journey reflects her resilience in facing both health challenges and public scrutiny.