The High Cost of Beauty Standards
For many, beauty is a dream. For Isabella, it became a nightmare.
A stunning woman with the kind of presence that turned heads, Isabella was first discovered by a photographer in the small Dutch town of Geleen, where she grew up. When she moved to Aruba, a friend saw her potential and invited her to Chicago, believing she had what it took to become a top model.
Her modeling career took off quickly—captured by some of the city’s top photographers, featured in the Chicago Defender, and seemingly on the path to success. But that dream came to an abrupt and devastating end, all because of a trip to the hair salon.
The video contains photos Isabella sent us
A Routine Touch-Up Gone Wrong
Following the advice of a photographer, Isabella visited a salon to get a relaxer touch-up—a process she was familiar with, having straightened her hair before. But this time was different.
The moment the chemical cream touched her scalp, an unbearable burning sensation spread through her skin. This wasn’t the usual discomfort she had experienced in the past; it was excruciating. Panicked, she told the stylist, but instead of rinsing it out immediately, she was told to "hold on a little longer"—the all-too-familiar mantra that many women with relaxers have endured in pursuit of straighter hair.
Tears streamed down Isabella’s face before the stylist finally relented and washed the relaxer out. But by then, the damage had already been done. Her scalp felt as though a thousand needles were piercing it at once.
Still, the stylist assured her that it was normal and that the pain would subside. Trusting the professional, Isabella left the salon, never suspecting that her life was about to change forever.
A Silent, Spreading Burn
A month later, when the pain had not only persisted but worsened, Isabella flew back home to the Netherlands to see a doctor. There, she learned the horrifying truth.
The relaxer had triggered a phototoxic reaction, causing a severe chemical burn. The damage was so deep that she wasn’t just going to lose her hair—her scalp was permanently scarred, and her hair would never grow back.
The only way to stop the chemical burn from spreading further was through chemotherapy.
The words hit like a hammer. Chemo. For a relaxer.
The Aftermath: A Life Changed Forever
As the reality set in, Isabella found herself trapped in a new kind of struggle. Not only was she mourning the loss of her hair, but she was also facing an unimaginable financial burden. Her scalp, now permanently damaged, required special prosthetic wigs—not just for aesthetics, but for protection against external elements. These custom wigs cost a fortune.
She sought justice, attempting to hold L’Oréal accountable for the damage. But after twelve years of legal battles, endless biopsies, and consultations with lawyers, she gave up the fight. The mental and emotional toll had become too much.
With no compensation, no closure, and nothing left to lose, Isabella channeled her pain into a book titled “Because I Wasn’t Worth It.” She poured her experiences onto the pages, detailing the trauma, the fight, and the loss of identity that came with losing her hair.
“Good Hair Was All She Wanted”
The video created to illustrate Isabella’s story, "Good Hair Was All She Wanted," became one of the most shocking hair videos in Going-Natural.com’s history—and perhaps even in the history of YouTube. The almost 4-minute slideshow documents the gruesome reality of her chemical burn, with images so disturbing that they are hard to look at.
Yet, despite the visceral reactions, very few people truly understand the depth of Isabella’s suffering.
One of the most heartbreaking moments of her journey was captured in her book “Kaal uit een Potje” (Bald from a Jar). In one passage, she recounts a day when, in the midst of her pain, her boyfriend—unable to comprehend the weight of what she was going through—angrily broke the only wig she had. Left exposed, humiliated, and heartbroken, Isabella was left with only one thought:
"None of this would have happened if I had had good hair."
A Message to the World
Today, Isabella lives in Belgium, near the Dutch border. Her modeling career is long behind her, but her story lives on. It serves as a haunting reminder of the real cost of Eurocentric beauty standards, the dangerous chemicals marketed to Black women, and the invisible battles waged in the name of acceptance.
As more lawsuits against relaxer companies emerge, Isabella’s experience is no longer just an isolated case—it is part of a broader conversation about hair, health, and systemic injustice.
Her story isn’t just about beauty. It’s about survival. And the world needs to hear it.
If you found Isabella’s story impactful, please consider supporting BAD Hair Uprooted: The Untold History of Black Follicles, my documentary that explores the deep-rooted societal, cultural, and political ramifications of unequal hair rights. Together, we can shed light on the stories that need to be told and challenge the beauty standards that continue to affect lives like Isabella’s.
