Shania Twain: Health, Marriages, and Changing Appearance

Few country stars have navigated as dramatic a personal and medical journey as Shania Twain. A tick bite in 2003 triggered Lyme disease that nearly silenced her voice, while her marriage to producer Mutt Lange collapsed in an affair with a close friend. Here’s a closer look at the health struggles, relationship breakdown, and physical changes that have shaped the Queen of Country Pop’s recent years.

Record sales: over 100 million ·
Grammy Awards won: 5 ·
Medical condition: Dysphonia (Lyme disease‑induced) ·
Marriage to Mutt Lange: 1993–2010

Seven key facts about Shania Twain, from her birth name to her medical condition, are summarized below.

What has happened to Shania Twain?

Health struggles

• In 2003, while horseback riding, Twain was bitten by a tick carrying Lyme disease (Prevention (health magazine)). The infection attacked her nervous system.
• She developed dysphonia, a neurological disorder that weakens vocal cord muscles and causes spasms, leaving her unable to sing or speak normally (Daniel Cameron MD (Lyme disease specialist)).
• After a seven‑year break from performing, doctors diagnosed nerve damage to her vocal cords, and she underwent open‑throat surgery that she described as “very intense, very different from a vocal cord operation” (Prevention).

Marital issues

• While Twain was struggling with undiagnosed voice issues, her husband of 17 years, Robert “Mutt” Lange, had an affair with Marie‑Anne Thiebaud, a close friend of Twain (The Boot (country music news)).
• The divorce was finalized in 2010, creating a period of intense personal and medical crisis.
• Two years later, Twain married Frédéric Thiebaud, the ex‑husband of Marie‑Anne, a move that drew widespread attention (Wikipedia).

Comeback and new music

• After recovering her voice through therapy and surgery, Twain returned to the stage in 2017 (Prevention).
• She released her memoir “From This Moment On” in 2017 and the album “Queen of Me” in 2023, embarking on a world tour.

What is Shania Twain diagnosed with?

Lyme disease diagnosis

In 2003, a tick bite during a horseback ride infected Twain with Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease (Prevention). She initially attributed her voice changes to stress, but later testing confirmed the infection.

Impact on her voice (dysphonia)

Twain developed dysphonia, a condition where the nerves controlling the vocal cords are damaged, leading to weakness, spasms, and loss of vocal control (Daniel Cameron MD). She revealed the diagnosis publicly in 2011 during an interview with Oprah Winfrey (The Boot).

Treatment and recovery

• Twain underwent extensive vocal therapy and an open‑throat surgery to repair nerve damage (Prevention).
• She later told the Los Angeles Times that Lyme disease was the underlying cause of her vocal problems (The Boot).
• By 2017, she had sufficiently recovered to resume touring and recording.

Why did Shania Twain’s husband leave her?

Affair with Marie‑Anne Thiebaud

Mutt Lange’s affair with Marie‑Anne Thiebaud, Twain’s close friend and assistant, became public in 2008. Twain has described the betrayal as shattering (The Boot).

Divorce details

The divorce was finalized in 2010. At the time, Twain was still coping with undiagnosed voice issues, compounding the emotional toll.

Subsequent marriage to Frédéric Thiebaud

In a twist, Twain married Frédéric Thiebaud, Marie‑Anne’s ex‑husband, in 2011. The couple has remained together, and Twain has credited Frédéric with helping her heal (Wikipedia).

Why does Shania Twain look so different now?

Plastic surgery procedures

• Twain has publicly acknowledged breast augmentation and eyelid surgery, stating in a 2013 interview with Dr. Oz that she wanted to feel “more feminine” after her health struggles.
• She has also mentioned a facelift, though she has not confirmed any use of fillers or Botox.

Weight loss and lifestyle changes

After her divorce and illness, Twain lost a significant amount of weight, which naturally altered her facial appearance. She has said she feels healthier and more confident than ever.

Use of wigs

Twain wears wigs due to hair thinning, which she attributes to stress and health issues. In a 2017 interview with People, she explained that wigs give her versatility and convenience, saying she enjoys “bad hair days that I can just take off” (People (celebrity news magazine)).

How many biological children does Shania Twain have?

Son Eja Lange

Twain has one biological son, Eja Lange, born in 2001 with Mutt Lange (Wikipedia). Eja is now an adult and has stayed largely out of the public eye.

Stepchildren from marriage

Through her marriage to Frédéric Thiebaud, Twain gained stepchildren, but she has no other biological children.

Timeline

• August 28, 1965 — Born in Windsor, Ontario.
• 1993 — Debut album “Shania Twain” released; married Mutt Lange.
• 1995 — “The Woman in Me” launches her to stardom.
• 1997 — “Come On Over” becomes the best‑selling country album of all time.
• 2003 — Diagnosed with Lyme disease (Prevention).
• 2004–2005 — Develops dysphonia; undergoes vocal therapy (Daniel Cameron MD).
• 2008 — Separation from Mutt Lange announced.
• 2010 — Divorce finalized (The Boot).
• 2011 — Married Frédéric Thiebaud; reveals dysphonia on Oprah (The Boot).
• 2017 — Publishes memoir “From This Moment On”; returns to stage (Prevention).
• 2023 — Album “Queen of Me” released; ongoing tour.

Quotes from Shania Twain

“I thought that was it for my career… I thought, I’m not going to sing ever again.”

— Shania Twain, in her Netflix documentary “Not Just a Girl” (Prevention)

“I had an open‑throat surgery… it was very intense, very different from a vocal cord operation.”

— Shania Twain, interview with Prevention (Prevention)

“I wear wigs when I feel like it. I have bad hair days that I can just take off.”

— Shania Twain, interview with People (2017) (People)

Twain’s willingness to speak openly about her health, marriage, and appearance has helped demystify the changes that fans have noticed over the decades. Each quote reinforces a story of survival rather than scandal.

Summary

Shania Twain’s career and personal life have been shaped by two parallel crises: a neurological Lyme disease infection that damaged her vocal cords, and a high‑profile divorce that unfolded while she was still seeking a diagnosis. Her openness about surgery, wigs, and emotional recovery has turned what could have been tabloid fodder into a narrative of resilience. For fans who grew up with her music, the implication is clear: the woman behind the hits has weathered storms that would have silenced most artists, and she came out singing.

For more on Shania Twains age and background, readers can explore her early life and career milestones.

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