This Model Revealed Her Skin Condition In Inspiring Instagram Posts

How far have you gone to cover up something you're insecure about?

Former model Breanne Rice struggles with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease, and spent years hiding it with layers of makeup.

Well, she did until now.

She was diagnosed at age 19 and spent her 20s hiding the white spots that spread across her face. Now, at 31, she's done hiding what makes her unique.

Breanne told PEOPLE about her struggles:

My face was everything and I was constantly striving for perfection [...] When I started to get really sick, I felt like I couldn't control [the vitiligo]. And I didn't want anyone to know about it.

Vitiligo causes white patches to develop on the skin in any location on the body. The causes are unknown, but it can happen to literally anyone at any time.

For Rice, it just showed up one night underneath her left eye and grew from there. She was able to get the vitiligo under control a little better by altering her diet, but her modeling career was still affected.

To cover it up, Rice would put on thick layers of foundation and concealer. But now, the former model turned nutritional therapy practitioner is over covering it up.

She made her first reveal in March with this Instagram post, where she said:

There's not much I can do about it. I can only love myself and not let my circumstances define my value or self-worth. What is the definition of beautiful anyway? Is it being perfect? What do you see when you look in the mirror? Perhaps you have a circumstance or something about yourself that you are insecure about. Don't let it define you. You deserve love, and you are beautiful.

Her message to everyone dealing with an insecurity is truly inspiring.

Citations: Former Model Breanne Rice Has Decided to Stop Hiding Her Vitiligo (PEOPLE)