Angelina Jolie Reveals That She Had a Paralyzing Facial Condition
The actress talks about recent health struggles in a new interview.
Angelina Jolie is coming clean about grieving over her divorce, how her children are doing and even her health. In a new Vanity Fair interview, she reveals that she has developed both hypertension a condition called Bell's Palsy.
According to the NIH, Bell's Palsy is a temporary facial paralysis that occurs when there is trauma or damage to the facial nerves and occurs about 40,000 Americans per year — sometimes seemingly out of nowhere, which can be frightening for those affected. It's also affected a number of celebrities at one time in their lives, including Carnie Wilson (who developed the condition in 2013), George Clooney and Pierce Brosnan (who both experienced it as a child).
Luckily, Angelina tells Vanity Fair that she has had some relief from Bell's Palsy thanks to the traditional Chinese medicine technique of acupuncture. “Sometimes women in families put themselves last,” she said, “until it manifests itself in their own health.”
The actress, who had a preventive double mastectomy in 2013, has also noticed that her skin is drier than it used to be, and she's developing more grey hair, but she's got a good sense of humor about it. “I can’t tell if it’s menopause or if it’s just been the year I’ve had," she jokes.
