The 52-year-old former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star has been battling a strange and debilitating facial condition for two years — something she has long believed was caused by a parasite. The illness left her hospitalized, largely stuck at home, and struggling with swelling and facial changes that she says were both physically and emotionally exhausting.
In a July 29 post on X, Glanville shared that she was “so thankful to my NYC angel,” Dr. Michael R. Scoma, an infectious disease and immunology specialist who has been treating her. She praised him “for actually wanting to help me get better,” adding, “I’m finally getting answers.”
Her health nightmare, she says, began after filming Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip in Morocco. “We had food sitting out for hours on end and some of it was meat,” she previously told Entertainment Tonight. “Six months after I got back from Morocco, I started having this speaking thing and the swelling up thing. It started in July and we’re still here trying to figure it out.”
Over time, she claimed she could actually see and feel something moving in her face if she touched the area, describing it as “tiny bubbles bursting” under her skin. “I feel like it’s s—ing or having babies in my face,” she said.
For months, she said she was getting more help from strangers online than from medical professionals — until now. In response to her public thanks, Dr. Scoma posted, “Infectious Disease care often happens behind the scenes but is always deeply personal. I’m honored to support my patients and grateful for the trust placed in me. Stronger ahead @BrandiGlanville.”
While she hasn’t revealed a formal diagnosis, Glanville has sought multiple expert opinions. Among them was Botched star Dr. Terry Dubrow, who told TMZ that if it isn’t a parasite, it could be a foreign body or certain microorganisms. “There are these two kinds of microorganisms, one’s called a Microbacterium and the other is called a fungus, and they can be very difficult to treat and could take six to 12 months of antibiotics to treat,” he explained, calling her condition a “ticking time bomb.”
He also warned that the longer it goes untreated, the more serious the damage could be. “Every minute the microorganism is allowed to stay in her skin and do potential damage she could suffer worse for it,” Dubrow said. “It could be more difficult to treat and she could form more scars and more nodules.”
Now, with a specialist by her side who is digging deeper into her case, Glanville is hopeful for the first time in years. While the journey isn’t over, her message to fans makes it clear she’s ready to get her life back. As she put it, she “can’t wait to live again.”