What Gigi Hadid Has Said About Having An Autoimmune Disorder

The Hadid sisters live an insanely glamorous life, but for Gigi Hadid, it has its own invisible challenges. The in-demand supermodel announced in 2016 that she had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition that severely affects her daily life. "My metabolism actually changed like crazy," Gigi shared at the time, per People. Over the years, she's offered more insight into how it has impacted her body and her work in the unforgiving world of fashion.  Hashimoto's thyroiditis develops when "the body's immune system attacks your thyroid by mistake" — according to John Hopkins Medicine. Symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, and swelling, which the Victoria's Secret star has notably spoken frankly about in the past. 

In fact, Gigi confronted her harshest critics directly in a slew of tweets that were later taken down, saying: "For those of you so determined to come up w why my body has changed over the years, you may not know that when I started @ 17 I was not yet diagnosed w/Hashimoto's disease; those of u who called me 'too big for the industry' were seeing inflammation & water retention due to that," (via Harper's Bazaar). Blake Lively later interviewed her for Harper's Bazaar, where the cover girl shared more about her difficult weight fluctuations, deadpanning, "If I could choose, I would have my a** back and I would have the t**s I had a few years ago. But, honestly, we can't look back with regret. I loved my body then, and I love my body now."

Fortunately, Gigi Hadid's positivity has helped her find ways to manage her Hashimoto's as she continues her successful career as both a model and a businesswoman. Speaking to Elle in 2019, Gigi revealed that at just 17 years old, she was "prescribed a medication that many people start taking when they're 50, and it can lead to bad things if you take it for too long." Concerned about any long-term side effects, her mother Yolanda Hadid of "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" fame began exploring holistic alternatives to Western medicine, which led to a doctor who introduced CBD treatments. Gigi's representative later confirmed to E! News that the supermodel also holds a medical marijuana license.

It's worth noting that Gigi isn't the only Hadid to face a personal health scare. Her siblings, Anwar and Bella Hadid, along with their mother, have all battled the tick-borne Lyme disease. Yolanda opened up about her struggles while filming "RHOBH" and later noted in a 2016 blog post for BravoTV that both Bella and Anwar had also been diagnosed back in 2013. As she pointed out at the time, "Bella had to give up her lifelong dream of having a professional riding career and a shot at the Olympics due to her severe symptoms and inability to ride" while "Anwar still does regular Ozone/UVI treatments." With the right advice and support, the whole family has been able to push through their challenges.