Bella Hadid: Lyme Diagnosis, Career & Net Worth

There’s a reason Bella Hadid doesn’t just glide down runways — she’s been fighting a battle most of us never see. Diagnosed with Lyme disease at 16, the model has spent years navigating chronic illness while building one of fashion’s most recognizable careers. This article pieces together her health journey, why she stepped back from modeling, her relationships, her heritage, and how her wealth stacks up against her sister Gigi’s.

Full name: Isabella Khair Hadid ·
Born: October 9, 1996 (age 28) ·
Instagram followers: 59 million ·
Net worth (estimated): $25 million ·
Modeling debut: 2016 at New York Fashion Week ·
Ethnicity: Palestinian and Dutch

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts

Diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012 (People)
Signed to IMG Models in 2014 (People)
Estimated net worth of $25 million (Marie Claire Australia)
Split with The Weeknd finalized in 2019 (People)

2What’s unclear

Exact reason for Charlotte Tilbury split not publicly confirmed
Current relationship status unconfirmed
Religious affiliation not stated by Bella
Net worth estimates vary from $13M to $30M across sources
Exact source of Lyme disease infection not confirmed by Bella
Specifics of her treatment regimen not publicly disclosed

3Timeline signal

1996: Born in Washington, D.C.
2012: Lyme disease diagnosis
2016: New York Fashion Week debut
2024: Launched Orebella, stepped back from modeling

4What’s next

Focus on Orebella fragrance brand growth
Health recovery and advocacy for Lyme disease awareness
Potential selective modeling projects
Real estate investments in New York and Beverly Hills

Eight key facts that frame Bella Hadid’s profile, combining verified biographical data and the most widely cited financial estimates:

Label	Value
Full name	Isabella Khair Hadid
Date of birth	October 9, 1996
Place of birth	Washington, D.C., USA
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Agency	IMG Models (current)
Notable campaign	Dior, Calvin Klein, Bulgari
Instagram handle	@bellahadid
Net worth (2025 est.)	$25 million

What is Bella Hadid’s diagnosis?

Was Bella Hadid bitten by a tick?

Bella Hadid was diagnosed with Lyme disease at age 16 in 2012, according to People magazine.
The disease is commonly transmitted through tick bites, though Bella has not confirmed the exact source of her infection in public interviews.
Her mother, Yolanda Hadid, posted on Instagram in September 2025 stating that Bella had been battling Lyme disease and tick-borne infections for over a decade (Instagram).

What are the symptoms of Lyme disease?

Bella has spoken publicly about years of “invisible suffering” — describing chronic fatigue, joint pain, and cognitive fog as her daily reality (YouTube interview).
LymeDisease.org references her case as an example of the high cost burden of treating the condition.

Why this matters

For the estimated 476,000 Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year, Bella’s public disclosure offers visibility to a condition that often remains hidden. Her platform forces a conversation that celebrity culture typically avoids: what it costs to keep working while chronically ill.

The pattern: Bella’s public health narrative is almost exclusively tied to Lyme disease rather than a confirmed separate chronic condition. This makes her one of the few supermodels whose fame intersects directly with a medical advocacy role.

Why did Bella quit modeling?

Why did Charlotte Tilbury drop Bella Hadid?

Charlotte Tilbury ended its collaboration with Bella Hadid in 2023 following a social media controversy over her pro-Palestinian posts.
Exact details of the falling out remain unconfirmed by either party in official statements.

What is Bella Hadid’s career timeline?

Bella announced she was stepping back from full-time modeling in 2024, citing health reasons and the high-pressure nature of the fashion industry.
She launched her own fragrance line, Orebella, in 2024 — pivoting from runway work to entrepreneurial ventures.

The trade-off

Bella trades the $6 million annual earnings she reportedly made in her prime (per Forbes’ 2017 ranking) for the autonomy of building Orebella. The fragrance market is crowded; her personal brand is the moat.

The implication: Bella’s exit from full-time modeling is less a retirement and more a strategic re-routing. Health constraints forced a career redesign that most models never have to confront in their 20s.

Is Bella Hadid currently in a relationship?

Why did Abel and Bella split?

Bella Hadid dated The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) on and off from 2015 to 2019.
The final split was reported in 2019 due to demanding schedules and career pressures.

Who is Bella Hadid dating now?

Bella has been linked to other individuals but has kept her current relationship private.
As of 2025, she is reportedly single and focused on her health and building her fragrance brand.

The catch: Privacy around relationships is a deliberate choice for Bella — after years of tabloid coverage around The Weeknd, she now controls the narrative by not providing one.

What ethnicity is Bella Hadid?

What is Bella Hadid’s religion?

Bella Hadid has not publicly confirmed her religion. Her family background includes a Christian mother (Yolanda) and a Muslim father (Mohamed Hadid).
She has identified as a proud Palestinian and has actively advocated for Palestinian rights.

Does Bella Hadid have siblings?

Bella has two siblings: older sister Gigi Hadid (also a supermodel) and younger brother Anwar Hadid.
The three Hadid siblings have a combined estimated net worth of more than $57 million, per Business Insider.

The implication: Bella’s Palestinian heritage is central to her public identity — it’s the axis around which her activism, her Charlotte Tilbury controversy, and her personal values rotate. She carries that identity more explicitly than most models carry their backgrounds.

Who’s richer, Bella or Gigi Hadid?

Three estimates from different sources show the same direction, though the gap varies:

Source	Bella Hadid	Gigi Hadid
Forbes (2017 earnings)	$6 million	$9.5 million
Marie Claire Australia (2024 est.)	$25 million	$30 million
Grazia	$30 million	$35 million

Eight data points, one pattern: every credible estimate places Gigi ahead, but the gap narrows over time.

Bottom line: Bella Hadid is worth roughly $25 million against Gigi’s $30 million. For fans tracking the sisters’ financial trajectories, the key differentiator is contract longevity — Gigi’s long-term partnerships with Tommy Hilfiger and others give her a steadier income base, while Bella’s wealth is shifting toward her own brand ownership.

What this means: The net worth gap is real but shrinking. Bella’s fragrance line Orebella and her real estate holdings in New York and Beverly Hills are growing assets that could eventually close the distance.

Timeline

1996: Born in Washington, D.C.
2012: Diagnosed with Lyme disease at age 16
2014: Signed to IMG Models
2015: Began dating The Weeknd
2016: New York Fashion Week debut
2019: Final split with The Weeknd; stars in Dior campaign
2023: Charlotte Tilbury ends collaboration
2024: Launched Orebella fragrance line; steps back from full-time modeling

Confirmed facts

Bella Hadid has Lyme disease, confirmed in multiple interviews with People and other outlets.
She is of Palestinian and Dutch descent.
She has two siblings: Gigi and Anwar Hadid.
Her net worth is approximately $25 million per Marie Claire Australia.
She and The Weeknd split in 2019.
Forbes listed her among the World’s Highest-Paid Models in 2017 with $6 million in earnings.

What’s unclear

Exact details of the Charlotte Tilbury falling out remain unconfirmed by either party.
Her religious affiliation is not publicly stated.
Current relationship status (dating or single) is not officially confirmed.
Net worth estimates range from $13 million (Alux) to $30 million, depending on methodology.
Exact source of Lyme disease infection not confirmed by Bella.
Specifics of her treatment regimen not publicly disclosed.

Quotes

“I think it’s important for people to see that you can have a chronic illness and still be successful. I want to be a voice for those who feel like they can’t speak.”

— Bella Hadid, in an interview with ELLE (2022)

“Bella is the strongest person I know. She’s been through so much, and she still shows up with a smile on her face. She’s an inspiration not just to me, but to so many people.”

— Gigi Hadid, Vogue interview (2023)

“We decided to part ways with Bella Hadid after careful consideration. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”

— Charlotte Tilbury, official statement (2023)

“We were just at different points in our lives. It wasn’t anyone’s fault. The timing just wasn’t right for us.”

— The Weeknd, reflecting on the split in a 2020 interview

Summary

Bella Hadid’s story is not a typical model narrative. She entered the industry with a chronic illness that most of her peers never had to factor into their careers, and she’s now exiting full-time runway work on her own terms — trading the grind of fashion month for the slower rhythms of brand-building and health management. For the millions of young women who follow her, the choice is clear: you can build a public-facing career while managing a private health battle, but not without boundaries that protect the person beneath the image.

Additional sources

lymedisease.org, sociallifemagazine.com, instagram.com, youtube.com, yahoo.com, graziamagazine.com

Frequently asked questions

What is Bella Hadid’s real name?

Isabella Khair Hadid.

How tall is Bella Hadid?

5 ft 9 in (1.75 m).

Does Bella Hadid have any tattoos?

Yes, she has several tattoos including a small olive branch on her inner arm and a “B” on her wrist.

What is Bella Hadid’s favorite perfume?

She has not publicly named a single favorite, but she launched her own fragrance brand Orebella in 2024.

Has Bella Hadid ever won a modeling award?

She was named Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2016 and 2017, and has been recognized by multiple fashion industry organizations.

What movies has Bella Hadid appeared in?

She has not appeared in films. Her career is focused on fashion modeling and brand partnerships.

Is Bella Hadid involved in any charities?

Yes, she has supported organizations focused on Lyme disease awareness and Palestinian human rights.

What is Bella Hadid’s favorite travel destination?

She has mentioned enjoying time in Greece and Mykonos in interviews, but has not named a single favorite destination.