As A Result Of A Rare Condition, I Am Unable To Smile To The Public

Smiley influencers may easily attract large numbers of new followers by blinking their lovely eyes and flashing their pearly whites with joyous grins on social media.

However, one popular tastemaker cannot entice people with a dazzling beam since she is physically unable to grin.

“I can’t smile, close my mouth, open my eyes, or show any emotion,” says content creator Paula Paiva, 26, of Rolândia, Brazil. “I have anxiety because of [this].”

The brunette shared her unusual issue with over 446,300 TikTok viewers, stating, “I have a rare syndrome… It is characterized by facial paralysis.”

“I have all the muscles in my face,” she explained. “But they don’t work — they are paralyzed.”

Paiva has had no facial expressions since her birth.

“I ended up in the ICU because they had to give me a tube since I couldn’t feed on breast milk,” she told Jam Press at the time. “The doctor at the time couldn’t determine my diagnosis and said I would have a life expectancy of at most three years.”

After three months and several testing, Paiva was diagnosed with Moebius syndrome, a neurological condition that causes facial paralysis and the inability to move the eyes from side to side.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that the disease is caused by the absence or underdevelopment of the sixth and seventh cranial nerves, which govern eye movements and facial expressions.

Moebius syndrome affects around one in every four million people globally, including trendsetter Tayla Clement, 24, of New Zealand, who famously referred to her perpetual frown as “resting bitch face.” In August 2022, the outspoken blonde was hired by a modeling agency to raise awareness about the congenital illness.

To become a public advocate for the particular handicap, Paiva had to commit to physical and vocal treatments, as well as undergo a series of eye operations.

“I’ve developed as much as I could and improved every day,” Paiva explained, noting that her growth has been modest but constant. “For example, I only took my first steps at my second birthday party.”

The lifetime struggle of Generation Z was also accompanied by violent bullying in the schoolyard.

“I remember always receiving different looks, jokes and some hurtful comments,” she said. “But the worst period was between the ages of 10 and 12.”

“I heard these things and felt bad,” Paiva explained. “So I isolated myself to avoid comments.”

Paiva’s parents eventually relocated her to a different school, where she gained friends and excelled academically.

As a young adult, the belle began sharing information about her trip with internet audiences in 2020. People all across the world were immediately captivated by the daring move.

“I received several remarks wondering what was odd about my face. “I made a video about it, and it went viral,” Paiva explained. “I gained 10 thousand followers in two days.”

Despite the popularity of her postings, Paiva continues to face persecution from nasty cyberbullies. However, she claims that the unpleasant jibes pale in contrast to the enormous satisfaction she experiences while shining as a virtual VIP.

“There are comments on my looks and eyes. Paiva stated, “I posted a video tying my hair and received hate.”

“But I’m living my dream of working as an influencer, and that’s a small price we pay.”

“I try to just ignore it.”