Gigi Hadid gave a rare insight into Bella Hadid’s treatment for Lyme disease as her younger sister continues her medical leave.
Gigi Hadid took to Instagram to clarify one of her previous posts as her sister Bella continues her months-long medical leave due to a flare-up of Lyme disease.
A few days ago, the 28-year-old shared a sweet snap as she posed with her sister saying it was “giving Fashion Week Sister Barbies, tagging Bella as she added: “Can’t wait for the comebaccckkkkkk.”
In an update on Tuesday, Gigi explained she just wanted to “touch on this post from last week”.
She shared: “Bella just finished a long and intense treatment for Lyme disease.
“Didn’t want some to take my post as a promise she’ll be back for shows this next season…”
The supermodel siblings have become icons in the fashion industry (Image: GETTY)
The proud sister also praised her younger sibling, saying she was “so proud of her” and “excited” about Bella’s return to modelling, emphasising that it would only happen “whenever she feels ready”.
Bella was diagnosed with Lyme disease as a teenager in 2012, long before she and Gigi catapulted to fame on catwalks across the globe.
However, she wasn’t the only member of the Hadid family to fall ill as both her brother, Anwar, and their mum, Yolanda, were diagnosed around the same time.
The 26-year-old was initially misdiagnosed with ADHD instead of the tick-𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 illness, but since getting the correct diagnosis she has tried multiple different treatments to combat her flare-ups.
Bella is reportedly on medical leave at the moment (Image: GETTY)
If Lyme disease is diagnosed early enough it can be mostly cured with antibiotics, but the longer it is left without treatment the more likely a person will suffer from lifelong autoimmune issues, damage to the nervous system, joint pain, fatigue and mental fog.
The model has largely kept her medical struggles out of the spotlight, giving fans only a brief glimpse in 2021 as she shared a series of snaps of herself hooked up to an IV.
She captioned the collection of photos: “Living with a few chronic autoimmune diseases = always finding time for my IVs.”
In 2017, Belle told InStyle she had to take 30 different pills and self-administer “two shots a day in the keester” to function during the day.
Gigi shared a clarification with her Instagram followers (Image: Gigi Hadid Instagram)
Earlier this year, rumours began spiralling as Bella was notably absent from her usual catwalks leading some fans to speculate she was in rehab.
However, the 26-year-old explained that she had suffered a tooth infection which had started a flare-up of her Lyme disease which was then exacerbated by being “overly stressed or overworking”.
The model is now believed to be in the midst of a four-month-long medical leave to treat the flare-up.
