Brandi Glanville feels depressed as she seeks answers about facial ‘parasite’ that’s 'killing her slowly'

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Brandi Glanville's recent revelation about her struggle with facial "parasite" highlighted a vulnerability far deeper than reality TV drama.

In a heartfelt appearance on Page Six’s 'Virtual Reali-Tea' podcast, the 52-year-old opened up on a two-year-long health struggle involving facial disfigurement, “desperately” trying to find answers.

Brandi Glanville says 'gross' facial parasite is 'killing me slowly'

Known for her fiery presence on 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills', Brandi Glanville revealed she has been working closely with a doctor to find answers and has restarted antibiotics after noticing alarming changes in her face.

“I prefer [my face] when it’s a little swollen, to be honest,” she admitted to podcast hosts Evan Real and Danny Murphy.

“When it’s only swollen on one side, it’s not great. But the sinking in thing is killing me slowly, because I just feel like I look like a crackhead,” she said.

For now, Glanville continues her fight, seeking answers and a solution. “You could do anything you want to me, and I’d be OK with it,” she said.

For Glanville, the journey has been a rollercoaster of fleeting normalcy and intense insecurity.

“I’ve had days of looking normal, not weeks. I wish. But it comes and goes,” she explained.

Over a recent weekend, she shared, “It was only swollen on the right side of my face, so I looked like I had a really big meatball in the right side of my cheek.”

Describing the condition, Glanville didn’t mince words as she said the swelling feels “disgusting” and “so gross,” as though her face is filled with an “oily fluid.”

“Whenever I get the chills, it’s generally an infection,” she told Page Six, adding “Then I start having the ticking in my ear, and then whatever’s in my face, moving around, started moving around again. And it starts sinking in again.”

Brandi Glanville's facial parasite takes a toll on her mental health

Beyond the physical challenges, the impact on Brandi Glanville's mental health has been profound.

Glanville confessed, “It’s hard to hide out during Christmas when everyone’s having their parties."

"It’s depressing. It just hurts my brain and my heart,” she said. She admitted the emotional pain has been more overwhelming than the physical symptoms.

“The pain is more mental than anything, because I have been hiding and going through a deep, deep depression. Even if I could work now, at this point, I couldn’t. So it’s just been a really rough two years for me,” she continued.

Her facial disfigurement has also affected her ability to work and enjoy everyday life.

“Even if I could work now, at this point, I couldn’t. So it’s just been a really rough two years for me,” she shared.

In an especially raw moment, Glanville revealed the toll her condition has taken on her family life.

Her appearance has frightened her children on occasion, leading her to wear a mask around the house to shield them from seeing her “scary” face.

“They would try and calm me down and say I look normal and fine, but I knew better,” she recalled, adding “I honestly scared them a couple times. They were like, ‘What is happening?’ [My face] went from being like really fat and swollen to now, like, sinking in."

Brandi Glanville shares her struggles with fans

Earlier this month, Brandi Glanville posted a photo on X (formerly Twitter) to show fans the reality of her facial disfigurement.

The move was an effort to remain transparent with her followers, many of whom have offered their support and encouragement.

As the new year approaches, Glanville is holding onto hope.

In a separate interview with Entertainment Tonight, she expressed her wish for 2025 to bring health and healing. “Honestly, health is wealth and that’s all I want,” she said.