Bristol Palin’s Year-Long Battle with Facial Paralysis
Bristol Palin, the 35-year-old former reality TV personality, has been quietly struggling with facial paralysis for nearly a year. In a candid video posted to her Instagram Stories on January 3, Palin revealed that she was on “Day 323” of her condition, showing followers how limited her facial movement remains. “This is what it looks like. There’s not a whole lot of movement,” she explained, noting that she plans to “eventually” get Botox in one of her eye as it “gets so small when I smile or when I’m expressive.” Despite the ongoing challenge, Palin maintained a touch of humor about her situation, quipping, “It could be worse, could be better. At least I’ve got cute sunglasses.”
The ordeal began unexpectedly in January 2025 when Palin woke up with what she described as a “weird little sensation” in her face. She noticed her mouth pulling to one side and felt something was off. Within hours, the situation had dramatically worsened, with the entire left side of her face becoming numb and paralyzed. “Couldn’t really blink my eye, definitely had no movement on the side of my face,” she recalled in her initial announcement. The Teen Mom alum promptly sought medical attention, undergoing CT scans and starting courses of steroids and other medications. Despite these interventions, doctors couldn’t pinpoint a definitive cause, suggesting it might be Bell’s palsy possibly triggered by stress or lack of sleep—though Palin noted she wasn’t aware of any particular stressors in her life at the time.
Bell’s palsy, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a temporary condition causing sudden weakness in the muscles on one side of the face. This explanation provided a framework for understanding Palin’s symptoms, but without a confirmed diagnosis, she was left to navigate recovery largely through trial and error. In her search for relief, Palin turned to alternative approaches, sharing that she found significant benefit from Eastern medicine practices. “I’ve been getting acupuncture multiple times and that’s helped speed up the process of recovery tremendously,” she told her followers, encouraging others experiencing similar symptoms to consider this route alongside conventional treatments. These early days of her condition were marked by uncertainty, but also by her determination to find effective remedies and share her journey openly.
By July 2025, approximately six months into her experience with facial paralysis, Palin provided followers with an update on her progress. She revealed that her face had recovered to “probably 70 percent back to normal,” though she admitted the emotional toll was significant, confessing “I can’t look at pictures of myself.” The former reality star also addressed speculation about potential causes, emphasizing the mysterious nature of her condition: “I woke up and it was paralyzed, completely out of the blue. No warning. [I] wasn’t sick, didn’t get the v@x, no recent Botox. Just paralyzed.” This candid acknowledgment highlighted both the physical and psychological impacts of her condition, as well as her frustration with its unexplained onset.
Despite making some progress in her recovery over the months, Palin’s facial paralysis has persisted longer than typical for Bell’s palsy, which often resolves within weeks to months. By November 2025, she was still dealing with asymmetry in her facial features, referring to her “crooked face” with self-deprecating humor in an Instagram fashion post. This approach of combining vulnerability with humor has characterized Palin’s public handling of her condition, allowing her to maintain her social media presence while acknowledging her ongoing health struggle. The persistence of her symptoms for nearly a year suggests a complexity to her case that goes beyond a typical Bell’s palsy presentation, though she has not shared any updated medical explanations.
As Palin approaches the one-year anniversary of her facial paralysis in January 2026, her experience stands as a testament to navigating prolonged health challenges in the public eye. Her openness about the physical limitations, treatment approaches, and emotional impact provides an authentic glimpse into living with a visible medical condition. Without definitive answers about the cause or a clear timeline for complete recovery, Palin continues to adapt to her circumstances, balancing honesty about her struggles with determined resilience. Her story resonates with many who face unexplained medical conditions, highlighting both the frustrations of uncertain diagnoses and the importance of finding ways to maintain normalcy and even humor while dealing with persistent health issues. Through it all, Bristol Palin’s candid documentation of her journey offers a relatable perspective on facing unexpected physical challenges with grace and perseverance.
