Miss USA Hopeful Opens Up About Her Scar: 'I Got Branded'

The next Miss USA could have a more permanent accessory than a crown.

Miss West Virginia Chelsea Welch carries a mark on her back from her time studying abroad in Tanzania. But it's not a scar from an injury or accident — she chose to put it on her body!

[Photos: Miss USA Contestants Carbo-Load Ahead of Pageant... Or Do They?]

"The Massai, they put a lot of burns and scars on their body. They think it beautifies them," she explained to Yahoo! TV. "So at the end of my trip they asked if I wanted to receive one of their traditional circle brands, so I thought, 'Well why not, let's go for it.'"

The 22-year-old grad student recently posted a "Road to the Crown" video with an image of herself getting the distinctive mark. As for its meaning, Welch remained coy. "The circle, they think is just a beautiful shape, I don't think there really is a specific meaning to the shape," she said. 

Read More..