She also landed a few modeling jobs, but at 15, she took a break from acting to work in an export company café, where she remained for four years, to help her family pay for their house.

At 18, she met the state coordinator of Minas Gerais, who invited her to live in Divinópolis and prepared to participate in international beauty contests.

She visited various countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belarus, Czech Republic, United States (where she stayed for three months) and Bahamas.

She competed in the Miss Universe 2010 pageant held on August 23, 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., but failed to place.

On December 27, 2011, Débora Lyra was involved in a severe car crash, for which her spleen has been removed and some interventions in her spine where due.