NEW YORK — Tiffany Chen said her life changed after she and actor Robert De Niro welcomed a baby daughter in April, but it wasn't all good.
A week after giving birth, Chen said something strange began happening to her face.
"It was like everything was starting to just fall down on itself. Like, my face was melting on itself," Chen told "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King in an exclusive interview.
An MRI diagnosed the issue as Bell's palsy, a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face.
Chen said De Niro has been sweet and supportive since the diagnosis.
"He tried to say that he didn't see any difference, he didn't see any change," Chen told King. "He was like 'No. ... You look fine.' He's like, 'Maybe you look a little stern.' And I'm like 'Really?' My whole face has melted on itself. But he was very strong, very supportive."
Others haven't been so kind.
"People were saying all sorts of nasty things about, you know, my appearance and me being angry. And I'm just kind of like, 'This is, like, the happiest time in my life."
Chen said that's why she decided to share her story.
She said her symptoms haven't gone away but they're not as bad now. The worst thing is not being able to smile at their baby, Gia Virginia, she told King.
"I couldn't give her kisses. That's what made me self-conscious," Chen said. "The thing I did worry about was 'What if it didn't get better?' Was my kid going to get made fun of for having the weird-looking mom? That's the only time, like, vanity comes into play. It's how it affects the child."
What is Bell's palsy?
Bell's palsy is a relatively rare condition that affects about 40,000 people in the United States each year, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Symptoms include:
- Sudden weakness or paralysis on one side of your face
- A drooping eyebrow and mouth
- Drooling from one side of your mouth
- Difficulty closing an eyelid, which causes eye dryness
These symptoms often lead to significant facial distortions and can be mistaken for a stroke.
People living with Bell's palsy may also develop:
- Facial pain or abnormal sensations
- Excessive tearing in one eye
- Problems with taste
- Low tolerance for loud noises
- Pain around the jaw and behind the ear
- Problems eating or drinking
Symptoms appear suddenly over a 48- to 72-hour period and generally start to improve with or without treatment after a few weeks, the NIH said.
Symptoms vary and can be mild to severe. Most people recover some or all facial functions within a few weeks to six months. In some cases, the symptoms last longer or may even be permanent.
What causes Bell's palsy?
It can affect men, women or children but the highest percentage of cases are seen in people 15 to 45 years old, according to the NIH.
It says pregnant women appear to be at a three times higher risk for Bell's palsy, especially in the third trimester and early in the postpartum phase. Pregnant women who get preeclampsia are also at higher risk.
Other risk factors include:
- Obesity
- Hypertension
- Diabetes
- Upper respiratory ailments.
Possible triggers of Bell's palsy may include:
- An existing (dormant) viral infection
- Impaired immunity from stress, sleep deprivation, physical trauma, minor illness, or autoimmune syndromes
- Infection of a facial nerve and resulting inflammation
- Damage to the myelin sheath (fatty covering that insulates nerve fibers)
