Chelsea Vaughn took a brave step to open up about her personal hair revelation during her time on The Bachelor. The model shaved her head right before the show, and that embrace of her natural self inspired millions of viewers to do the same.

She exclusively spoke to TheThings about the impact fan messages have had on her, as well as how her vocalness about life as a Black woman has followed her career.

Her Modeling Career

Since being on the show and making such an impact, what do you see happening for yourself this year? Even next year if you've thought that far ahead?

"I have always kind of been a planner. My idea in my head was like, I'm going to leave Georgia after I graduate, go to New York. I'm going to sign with a modeling agency. That was kind of always my plan and I never really thought about what I was going to do after."

"I didn't think about the part where I got to the point where I did everything I wanted to do. Now it's like, 'What's next for me?' I never planned on going on 'The Bachelor.' I didn't see that in the future. Now I'm in a little bit of a gray period where I want to figure out what direction I want to go in next."

She wants to use the platform she's gained to create positive change in the world and hopefully inspire others. While she doesn't know what that plan entails yet, she sounds excited for what's to come.

The fashion industry, specifically as of recent years. Do you think it's improved its intersectionality and inclusion? What parts do you think still need work?

"I definitely do think the fashion and modeling industry has improved. I don't think they're completely where they need to be. I know as far as body standards and measurements and race inclusivity, it's gotten better than it was maybe ten years ago."

"The agencies I'm at right now are not super strict about my measurements and not super strict about my age either. I know there was a time not that long ago where they would've been like, 'You're 28? You're not working,' or, 'We already have two Black models on our board so we can't sign you."

"It's definitely getting better and improving a bit. As far as where they need to go, I mean, I don't know. The fashion industry as a whole and just media has a lot of work to do."

Do you see modeling and your reality show career melding together, or do you want to keep those separate?

"I think modeling and social media that comes with being on reality TV do kind of go hand-in-hand. Even before I was on the show, a lot of people that are trying to book you for modeling jobs want to know how big of a following you have on Instagram."

"I've been to castings where they're like, 'Write down how many followers you have.' I don't know how much they look into that but they have chosen some people that had more followers over others. Just the digital era that we're in, you can't really be a model without also kind of being an influencer. I don't mind that because I do love creating content and interacting with the people on my page."

Related: Exclusive: Chelsea Vaughn Didn't See A Lot Of 'Bachelor' Drama Until The Show Aired

Her Limo Dress & Hair Inspiration Stories

That A'kai Littlejohn dress on night one! How did you choose the 'Emilia Gown?'

"Thank you! A'kai and I have worked together a couple of times. I've been in his runway show for a few seasons. I definitely wanted to use the opportunity to highlight a young Black up-and-coming designer if I could."

"I thought of him when I was shopping for the limo gown and he was very receptive to that. He was happy to give me some options. I almost wore a white gown that I have worn in one of his shows before then ended up going with the 'Emilia.' It's just a show-stopper. Everyone thinks that it's black but it's actually navy blue!"

Have women that watched the show, specifically BIPOC women, reached out to you and said that you gave them confidence? What has the outreach been like from that?

"It's been amazing. A lot of Women of Colour have reached out, Black women specifically, and said they felt so seen. They couldn't believe this conversation was happening on ABC. It made them so happy to see it, touched them, and inspired them."

"I think I was most surprised by all the other women that reached out. Any sort of hair issues or insecurities that they've had. I've had people reach out that are going through chemo and don't feel like themselves and felt so happy to see someone with a shaved head on camera. Other people that have alopecia and struggle with losing their hair, not feeling feminine. It shows so many women related"

Teachers even sent Vaughn photos of their students in their classrooms who also felt seen because of her own strength and vulnerability. She couldn't stop voicing how touching the experience has been and that she could give so many women that confidence. At the end of the day, she saw that it further proved how much representation matters, even if it's only reality television.

She urges young women who have dealt with similar insecurities to do what feels right to them. Shaving her head freed her of hair-related insecurities, and the overwhelmingly supportive response hints to how connected women are when it comes to society-driven pressures.

Next: ‘The Bachelor’: Reality Steve Applauds Chelsea Vaughn For How She Handled That Group Date Crash