The sister to actress Emma Maembong says she's had the facial paralysis for 12 years now and has tried many treatments. Photo: Shikin Maembong/Instagram via mStar
Shikin Maembong revealed on TikTok that she has Bell's palsy, which is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis on one side of the face.
Shikin, who is the older sister of actress Emma Maembong, explained in an Instagram post on Sunday (Feb 19) that she's had this condition for the past 12 years and it has affected many parts of her life.
The 40-year-old influencer added that she is only talking about it now as she didn't feel confident in divulging this bit of information to the public previously.
The single mum, who is the ex-wife of Chef Riz (the son of Chef Wan), shared that she was often made fun of on social media because of her facial paralysis.
"I just kept quiet even though many people would screenshot my photos and turn me into an object of ridicule. But it's OK, I forgive them because I haven't given up hope to make a full recovery. God is great, and miracle can happen."
She further told mStar - The Star's Malay-language portal, that it also caused a problem in her romantic relationship.
“A guy was interested in getting to know me, until he saw that my face was not normal,” she said.
Recalling how it started to mStar, she said that she suddenly felt numb on one side of her face while having breakfast one morning.
“I was sipping my drink, and the drink just spilled. It was the same when I tried to eat.
“When I looked in the mirror, I saw that my eye was wide open and my face was lopsided.
“When I started crying, one of my eye couldn't produce tears,” she said.
She was given the diagnosis, and informed that her facial appearance might not fully return to how it was before.
And true enough, despite trying many treatments for 12 years, her condition remains.
According to her, she tried acupuncture, traditional massage, physiotherapy as well as tendon transfer surgery, but the recovery was up to a point only.
“If you look properly, when I smile, my lips is titled one side and, my eyes don't blink at the same time."
Apparently, her face looks somewhat symmetrical only when she doesn't smile.
She ended her caption by saying that she is sharing her condition now as she wants to feel more confident about herself when facing the public, and when she has to conduct her business.
Shikin also stated that the post is a way to raise awareness on Bell's palsy.
According to medical websites, there is no known cure for Bell's palsy. While symptoms usually start to improve within a few weeks up until six months, it is stated that “a small number of people continue to have some Bell's palsy symptoms for life”.
