All she wanted was straight hair. Where others dream of becoming a model, Isabella was discovered by a photographer in Geleen, a small town in Holland where she grew up. A close friend invited the traffic stopping beauty to Chicago to pursue the American dream because he believed she had what it takes to become a top model.

Isabella sent me this image taken by her with a phone

All she wanted was straight hair. Where others dream of becoming a model, Isabella was discovered by a photographer in Geleen, a small town in Holland where she grew up. A close friend invited the traffic stopping beauty to Chicago to pursue the American dream because he believed she had what it takes to become a top model.

Well on her way, pictured by top fashion photographers and featured in the Chicago Defender, her life turned into a nightmare after a relaxer treatment initiated a phototoxic reaction that caused a chemical burn on her scalp. It mutilated her scalp so severely that her hair would never grow back. Yet, the magnitude of her situation only began to sink in when she realized she couldn’t do without a hair replacement that cost a fortune.

Now, after a twelve year battle to get compensation, Isabella’s last resort is to share her story. All she wanted was straight hair. What she got is a mutilated scalp that led to depression, losing a modeling career, no social life and a pile of debt.

Isabella’s courage to take off her wig and tell her true story will hopefully help lift the veil of shame that surrounds the hair issues taunting the African American community. In fact, “73% of African American women complain of breakage, split ends, and dryness caused by relaxers,” said Dr. Miller, dermatologist at the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

So let’s start the conversation. Share your thoughts, this page, post a video response or send us your story. Our email is hairstories @ going-natural.com. We look forward hearing from you.

For more Black Hair History buy