Bella Hadid got candid on social media, sharing pictures and details of her Lyme disease diagnosis.
The 26-year-old model had been suffering from Lyme disease for 15 years but has revealed she's now "finally healthy." Many of the other pictures shared by Hadid showed her being treated over the years. Hadid wrote that "little me that suffered would be so proud of grown me for not giving up on myself."
Both Anwar Hadid, Bella's brother, and Yolanda Hadid, Bella's mom, have spoken out about their own battle with Lyme disease too. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), insurance records state that approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed with and treated for Lyme disease every year.
Bella Hadid pictured at the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 26, 2022 in Cannes, France. The model has opened up on social media about her years-long struggle with Lyme...Bella Hadid pictured at the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 26, 2022 in Cannes, France. The model has opened up on social media about her years-long struggle with Lyme disease.Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
How Do You Get Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is caused by infection with bacteria. According to the CDC, it is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks.
Despite three members of Hadid's family suffering from it, there are no reports to suggest that Lyme disease is at all hereditary, and does not pass down through families.
It is possible but rare, the CDC states, for untreated Lyme disease during pregnancy to lead to infection passing from mother to fetus.
What Are the Effects of Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease can affect people differently, with Bella Hadid stating in her Instagram post that she's endured "15 years of invisible suffering."
According to the U.K.'s National Health Service, a "circular or oval shape rash around a tick bite can be an early symptom of Lyme disease in some people." The bite can lead to people then getting "flu-like symptoms" like a high temperature, headaches, muscle pain and lethargy.
After being examined in November 2013, when she was 17 years old, Bella was reported to be suffering from a long list of ailments including fatigue, attention deficit disorder, memory disturbances, headaches, disequilibrium, PMS, chest pain and sleep disorders.
In her latest Instagram post, Bella says she went through "100+ days of Lyme, chronic disease, co infection treatment" to cure her 15 years of suffering.
Hadid Family History of Lyme Disease
While three members of the Hadid family have spoken about their experiences with Lyme disease, it is not a condition that runs through the family.
Mother Yolanda Hadid, a former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star, has spoken out about her experiences with Lyme disease several times in the last decade.
She revealed in a 2016 blog post that both Bella and Anwar were diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2013, and had been in "extensive holistic treatment ever since."
Explaining how all three contracted the same disease, Yolanda explained, "It's very common for multiple family members to be affected by Lyme disease. The children and I lived on a horse ranch in Santa Barbara for 10 years and spent the majority of our time outside in nature."
Newsweek has reached out to Bella Hadid's representatives for further comment.
