Bella Hadid has spoken candidly about her struggles with Lyme disease over the years.
The model was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 at age 16. Bella, however, wasn’t the only one in her family who has been publicly battling the illness. Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, confirmed at the Global Lyme Alliance Gala in 2015 that Bella and brother Anwar Hadid were dealing with the debilitating disease.
Bella’s sister Gigi Hadid later praised her for prioritizing her health. “Bella just finished a long and intense treatment for Lyme disease,” Gigi wrote via Instagram in August 2023 about Bella’s break from the runway. “(Didn’t want some to take my post as a promise she’ll be back for shows this next season…) I’m so proud of her and excited for her comeback whenever she feels ready.”
That same month, Bella offered a glimpse at her treatment in an effort to encourage others going through the same experience.
“The universe works in the most painful and beautiful ways but I need to say that if you are struggling — it will get better, I promise,” she wrote via Instagram alongside a photo of her getting IV treatments. “Take a step away, stay strong, have faith in your path, walk in your truth and the clouds will start to clear up.”
Bella concluded: “Almost 15 years of invisible suffering, was all worth it if I’m able to, God willing, have a lifetime of spreading love from a full cup, and being able to truly be myself for the first time ever. … I’ll be back when I’m ready. I miss you all so much. I love you all so much.”
Scroll down for details about Bella’s battle with Lyme disease in her own words:
Getting Candid
One month after her mother revealed her diagnosis, Bella broke her silence about the health struggle.
“It affected my memory, so I suddenly wouldn’t remember how to drive to Santa Monica from Malibu, where I lived,” Bella recalled in a 2015 interview with ES Magazine. “I couldn’t ride [horses]. I was just too sick. And I had to sell my horse because I couldn’t take care of it.”
Affecting Her Career
“Usually I’ll wake up from some kind of bone pain, then have to fall back asleep. I’ll fall back asleep, then sleep until 12 p.m., but that’s just with a 14-hour sleep already [and] I’m still tired,” Bella exclusively told Us Weekly in 2016.
Bella went on to say that she still found herself shaking while on red carpets, adding, “I mean, I’ll call my mom a lot of times and be like, ‘I really don’t wanna go to work today. Please don’t make me go.’ And she’ll say, ‘You know what, You have to do it today. You already committed.’ I end up going, but I’ll nap during lunch.”
Facing Major Challenges
During an interview with Porter in 2017, Bella detailed the first few months following her diagnosis. “That was the hardest time of my life,” she shared.
Dealing With Her Health
In March 2023, Bella went through a flare-up after a root canal surgery resulted in a tooth infection.
“There was a low-grade infection underneath the tooth, NEXT to the tooth I thought was suffering, which is the one I got a root canal on a year ago,” she captioned a TikTok at the time. “This made my Lyme flare up, which means the Lyme is attacking the places that are suffering ie tooth, jaw, gut, brain, spine, bones, etc oh and the entire nervous system.”
Bella continued: “Any minor trauma to the body whether it’s physically or mentally can cause Lyme to flare up … Lyme flare ups happen all the time, so that doesn’t worry me, it’s more-so the jaw situation and how radiating the pain is especially with the Lyme … When my jaw/nerves started to hurt on an aggressive level; it just went 0-100.”
Listing Her Symptoms
Amid her Lyme disease flare-up, Bella discussed what symptoms she has faced over the years.
“My skin changes color, I break out randomly, I get (what feels like) lesions, lethargy, chronic anxiety, zero motivation or purpose, leaky gut, adrenals, depressed,” she explained via Instagram in March 2023.
Reflecting on How Far She Has Come
After completing a 100-day treatment, Bella praised herself in a lengthy social media post.
“The little me that suffered would be so proud of grown me for not giving up on myself. Thankful to my mommy for keeping all of my medical records, sticking by me, never leaving my side, protecting, supporting, but most of all, believing me through all of this,” she noted via Instagram in August 2023.
Bella also addressed the personal challenges she faced as a result of her diagnosis, writing, “Living in this state, worsening with time and work while trying to make myself, my family and the people who support me, proud, had taken a toll on me in ways I can’t really explain. To be that sad and sick with the most blessings/privilege/opportunity/love around me was quite possibly the most confusing thing ever. One thing I want to express to you all is that 1: I am OK and you do not have to worry, and 2: I wouldn’t change anything for the world. If I had to go through all of this again, to get here, to this exact moment I’m in right now, with all of you, finally healthy, I would do it all again. It made me who I am today.”
