'ANTM' Contestant Diagnosed with Alopecia Declares 'Bald Is Beautiful' as She Tearfully Removes Wig

Many of people have told me I'm not beautiful," America's Next Top Model contestant Jeana says in a PEOPLE exclusive sneak peek

At the age of 10, America’s Next Top Model contestant Jeana lost her hair after she was diagnosed with alopecia.

“I’m a very strong person and I’ve internalized a lot of really rough things, which resulted in me losing my hair,” she explains about her alopecia areata diagnosis, which “is a common autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss on the scalp, face and sometimes on other areas of the body,” according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, and “affects as many as 6.8 million people in the U.S.”

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“Many people have told me I’m not beautiful,” Jeana admits in a PEOPLE exclusive sneak peek at Tuesday evening’s episode of the VH1 reality competition series.

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But for the show’s makeover week, Jeana bravely confronts one of her fears: she has her long, dark wig removed.

“Doing this is really scary, but I want to show people that it’s okay to be bald and that bald is beautiful,” she shares. “Losing your hair is beautiful.”

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Although the wig removal is an emotional moment for Jeana, she finds long-lasting freedom in it.

“Removing the wig is really liberating. It’s freeing,” a tearful Jeana says. “I feel like the whole world can see me now. I feel like I can see myself now.”

Adds Jeana, who boldly models her bald scalp during a photo shoot: “Losing my hair was a symbol of strength. I didn’t know that until now.”

America’s Next Top Model airs Tuesdays (8 p.m. ET) on VH1.

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