Tulisa Contostavlos steps out with a smile as she is seen for the first time since suffering short term paralysis during Bell’s palsy attack

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Tulisa Contostavlos was seen looking well on Wednesday, marking her first public appearance since temporarily losing movement due to Bell’s palsy.

In 2020, the actor was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a condition that causes temporary weakness or paralysis on one side of the face. It happens when there’s a problem with the facial nerve.

Tulisa, the 37-year-old singer from N-Dubz, was seen smiling while hanging out with her friend and fellow singer Michelle McKenna in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.

Tulisa looked relaxed and confident in a close-fitting grey jumpsuit that highlighted her physique.

The TV personality layered a white cord over the top and donned a pair of matching Nike trainers. 

Tulisa kept a low profile on her outing, wearing a navy baseball cap and sunglasses with her dark hair down.

She appeared cheerful as she walked to her car, carrying a reusable cup and talking with her friend Michelle, who recently received a cancer diagnosis.

Earlier this month, Tulisa revealed she experienced Bell’s palsy, which caused temporary, mild paralysis, in a recent update about her health.

The singer shared that she had to cancel her egg retrieval process because of recent personal struggles and a very difficult time in her life.

She recently shared an update with her Instagram followers, talking about the good and bad moments she’s been through, hoping to be more genuine with them.

I’m really feeling for Tulisa right now. She’s shared that she’s going through tough nicotine withdrawals after finally quitting smoking, and on top of that, she’s just had surgery to remove a cyst. It sounds like a lot to deal with all at once, but I’m sending her all my support!

She revealed that a friend is battling an aggressive form of cancer, and this deeply upsetting news triggered a Bell’s palsy attack in Tulisa, as she struggled with the emotional stress.

Tulisa posted a collection of photos and explained she’s trying to make her Instagram more genuine. She wants to share her life experiences – both the good and the bad – to inspire and help others.

The musician shared that they’ve been facing some tough challenges this week or month, specifically dealing with very difficult nicotine withdrawal. However, they’ve successfully been cigarette-free for two months now.

I had to cancel my recent egg retrieval because of a low egg count, which honestly wasn’t a surprise given how I’d been feeling.

It’s been challenging, but manageable considering past achievements. I’ve been dealing with intense stress, hormonal changes, and nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

I recently had a successful surgery where Dr. Darrylc Coombes removed three cysts. He originally diagnosed these cysts years ago, as they were causing swelling and Bell’s palsy. I’m now cyst and swelling-free, and I’m very grateful to Dr. Al!

It was frustrating when doctors dismissed my concerns and assumed I’d had too much filler. It’s been a difficult experience.

I received some incredibly difficult news on the same day as my surgery: my close friend Shelly has been diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and will begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment soon. I’m still trying to come to terms with it all.

She’s incredibly strong and still battling health issues. After her surgery, the medication and its side effects made me feel sick, and the strain of vomiting triggered a Bell’s palsy attack.

‘Left my steroids in Manny but got some within 24hrs, so minor paralysis will last a week or so.’

Tulisa shared that her friend Shelly is recovering well in bed after going through a difficult time, and that nothing compares to what Shelly is experiencing.

Instead of focusing on negativity, let’s remember that everyone faces difficulties, even those who seem to have perfect lives. It’s a reminder of our shared humanity.

Good news! Shelly is doing well and battling through, and I’ve managed to quit smoking. I’m also pleased to report I’ve doubled my egg production and things are going well with my business. Feeling good about my health overall.

I’ve done a lot of personal work recently, and it’s made a real difference. Now, even when I’m feeling down, I recover much faster.

I’m better at managing my emotions now, so I can experience feelings without getting overwhelmed. Life isn’t about being happy all the time – it’s the mix of good and bad times that makes it meaningful.

You have the power to control your own thoughts and how you see things. Remember, it’s your mind – not your past, or how others treat you. Don’t let experiences overwhelm you; instead, step back and observe them.

Following her Bell’s palsy diagnosis, Tulisa found herself caught in a frustrating cycle: she’d get fillers to try and balance her face, but they would then cause inflammation and swelling.

Tulisa recently discussed on Olivia Attwood’s podcast, So Wrong It’s Right, that she struggled with issues especially when N-Dubz reunited in 2022. The group returned after an 11-year break with a new tour and a new song.

After an ultrasound of her face, a doctor quickly determined the problem: three long-term infected cysts in her cheek. One of these cysts was so large it burst during a minor surgical procedure to examine it.

Tulisa explained she didn’t know what caused the swelling in her face, but it wasn’t due to fillers. She said the swelling went down immediately after a procedure she had.

After experiencing Bell’s palsy at 24, she tried using facial fillers to even out her appearance, but this led to a repeating pattern of needing more procedures.

For two years, her condition was stable, but then she began to notice a slight swelling in the same cheek. This swelling quickly got worse.

She described feeling a tingling sensation, like tiny ants crawling on her face. It was terrifying, and she spent years seeing doctors across the UK, desperately trying to find out what was wrong. This continued to be a severe problem until very recently.

Oh my gosh, it was always like this burning sensation on my face, just constantly! Some days were okay, I could almost ignore it, but then other days… it was awful. I even started taking steroids, anything to just get some relief, and thankfully, they usually helped calm it down a bit.

During the height of my time with N-Dubz, I was really struggling, so if you watch interviews from that period, sometimes I look okay, and other times it’s obvious something was wrong with my face.

Tulisa explained that she thinks the painful cysts may have played a role in the various health issues she’s been dealing with for years, including sarcoidosis and problems with her immune system.

For years, I’ve been dealing with various health issues, including sarcoidosis and immune disorders. This recent diagnosis finally explains all my symptoms, and it seems likely these issues were responsible for the Bell’s palsy I experienced. I think I had six of these problems developing over time, and they may have been the underlying cause of the Bell’s palsy.

After trying various cosmetic procedures for years, Tulisa decided to have facial fillers removed. Now, she only uses them in her lips.

She added: ‘Right now, I only have filler in my lips. There’s no filler anywhere else in my face.’

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2026-04-29 17:52