A young woman has left millions stunned after revealing the unexpected health discovery she made following what was meant to be a carefree tropical holiday.
Tiahnee Raquel, 23, travelled to the Whitsundays in May 2024 with her partner for a cruise getaway, but returned home to Adelaide with more than just memories when a mysterious red patch on her forehead began to change colour.
In a video that has racked up a staggering 5.6 million views, Tiahnee opened up about the moment she realised something wasn’t right.
‘What happened to my eye?’ she began, before recounting how the spot appeared after a day in the sun, despite her being meticulous about sunscreen.
‘I’m very sun safe, and if there’s any bit of sun, I will put sunscreen on, especially on my face,’ she told Daily Mail.
‘I work in beauty and skincare, so I know how important sunscreen is, especially in Australia.’
But one day while swimming and snorkelling in the crystal Queensland waters for three to four hours, she said ‘the sun kicked my butt’.
The result was a small red patch on her forehead but nowhere else, prompting her to think she may have missed a spot of SPF, leading to what she thought was sunburn.
Tiahnee Raquel (pictured), 23 from Adelaide, has left millions stunned after revealing the unexpected change in her appearance following what was meant to be a carefree tropical holiday
In a video that has racked up a staggering 5.6 million views, Tiahnee has opened up about developing vitiligo – an auto immune condition that affects skin and hair pigment in some
However, weeks passed, and the redness didn’t fade. Instead, she recalled it scabbed daily for almost a month.
Eventually, the redness subsided, but what replaced it was even more puzzling in the form of a white patch of skin much lighter than her usual colour.
‘I honestly didn’t think anything of it. I thought it was just peeling, like when you tan and then the skin underneath is lighter.’
Months later, in September 2024, things took a dramatic turn for Tiahnee while having her eyebrows threaded, when her beautician noticed a scattering of pure white hairs in her brows.
At first, Tiahnee assumed stress was to blame, but within just two months, the change was impossible to ignore.
‘By November, my entire eyebrow was pretty much white and it spread so fast… it was insane.’
Rather than seek medical advice, Tiahnee began dyeing her brows and lashes black to conceal it, but it wasn’t until November 2025 that she finally saw a dermatologist.
They confirmed what she already suspected: vitiligo – an autoimmune condition that causes loss of pigment in the skin and hair.
After travelling to the Whitsundays in May 2024 with her partner for a cruise getaway, she returned home with a mysterious red patch on her forehead (left photo) which began to change colour. Pictured right: Tiahnee’s right eyebrow shortly after, sprouting mysterious white hairs
She initially thought the red patch was from sunburn on holiday, and when it progressed and got lighter, Tiahnee assumed stress was to blame. But within just two months half her eyebrow was white. ‘It spread so fast… it was insane,’ she told Daily Mail
‘I wanted to know if there was a way to stop it spreading or reverse it. There isn’t, at least not at the moment.’
Since then, the vitiligo has continued to progress, affecting her eyebrow, eyelashes, hairline and forehead, leaving striking white patches through one side of her face.
‘I do have white mascara on here – it’s actually Dior’s white primer, which I love,’ she added in the clip, embracing the contrast rather than hiding it.
After sharing her story online, Tiahnee has been overwhelmed by the response, not just the sheer scale of attention, but the kindness of strangers.
‘The most gorgeous woman – and even more stunning with your vitiligo,’ one follower wrote.
‘I think the way your vitiligo appeared is absolutely gorgeous,’ another said.
Tiahnee initially concealed the change by dyeing her brows and lashes, delaying medical advice until November 2025, when a dermatologist confirmed she had vitiligo
While the sunburn didn’t cause her vitiligo, Tiahnee said it likely triggered the condition, which runs in her family. Her video has since surged past 5.6 million views
‘Girl, get into modelling! You have such a beautiful, unique look! Plus, maybe a cautionary tale,’ another urged.
‘I truly think vitiligo is the most beautiful thing. What a unique beauty feature.’
Many also shared their own experiences, creating an unexpected support network.
‘I have vitiligo and so did my dad,’ one person wrote.
‘Ninety per cent of my dad’s filled back in. Seventy per cent of my old spots filled back in too, but I randomly get new ones after injuries.’
Another suggested a rather counterintuitive treatment option, stating that UV therapy from the sun itself helped them personally bring pigment back to their skin.
Tiahnee has also addressed speculation about whether her look is intentional.
‘I’ve never had anyone ask if it’s fake, but people do ask if I dyed it white myself, and the answer is no.’
She explained that while sunburn didn’t directly cause her condition, it likely acted as the trigger.
‘Vitiligo runs in my family. I only recently found out two people on my mum’s side have it, but just not as noticeable as mine.’
Now, instead of hiding, Tiahnee is choosing visibility and helping millions better understand a condition that’s often misunderstood.
