Former Ugly Ducklings Who Turned Into Beautiful Swans
These former ugly ducklings have been through a lot to become beautiful swans.
From an awkward teenage phase, bullying, and other factors, they persevered and learned how to embrace their inner and outer beauty. Keep reading to find out how!
The difference six years makes
Reddit user Odd_Whereas4121 had a dramatic transformation between the ages of 15 and" 22.
On the change, he says, "the skin tone is due to actually going outside more and losing all the weight changed the chin shape a lot, and I must've grown into the nose."
New hair and new cat
Although this Reddit user admits she has RBF, her transformation has resulted in longer hair, weight loss, and a new feline companion.
She also maintained her sense of humor, pointing out the blue tongue in her before picture, calling it "ocean mouth."
New glasses and new hair!
Sometimes it takes a few changes to your appearance to make a big difference.
This teen lost some weight, but mostly we see the change in his appearance due to wearing glasses that flatter his face and a more stylized haircut that suits him much better.
A humble transformation
In this girl's post, she says, "I must say, being an ugly duckling (both self-described and by the perception of others) made me a much better person than I might have been had I always been 'pretty.'"
With such a high self-awareness and humility, she's grown to be a beautiful person inside and out.
She somehow looks younger
For this girl, her transformation caused commenters to wonder how she managed to look younger now than she did 14 years ago.
To add to her youthful appearance, she now sports long flowing hair and an aura of confidence.
He shaved!
This guy took it upon himself to lose "some" weight and shave his beard to change his look.
In two years, he looks like a new person, with commenters calling him an inspiration to go back to the gym.
The wonders of clearer skin
After suffering from cystic acne throughout his teens, this guy began taking Accutane, working out, and eating healthier.
Within three years, his after photo results from this dedication to changing his life.
Are those Groucho glasses?
On this man's post, he joked, "I could be wearing Groucho glasses in that picture, and it would look exactly the same."
Luckily, after shaving the stache, he somehow looks younger than his middle school counterpart.
A slow transformation that was worth it
Over the last 12 years, this man worked hard to see this drastic change in his body.
His transformation is an inspiration that change can take time and that it's okay because it can be worth it in the end.
Same person, new attitude
In this girl's own words, she "lost 80 pounds and found my confidence", and it's clear she feels more confident in her skin.
From the way she carries herself, you can tell she's happy where she is.
Taking himself more seriously
For this man, his transformation gives him confidence and the sense that he finally takes himself seriously, especially as a professional.
He looks like a happier, more self-assured man in his after photo.
The power of the right haircut
For this Reddit user's sister, we can see how the power of a new haircut can make someone almost entirely unrecognizable.
Her glow-up is complete thanks to trading her bushy blonde locks for long hair with a side part.
Fake it till you make it
He admits that he was insecure in his earlier twenties, but now at 23, he's decided to "fake it til you make it."
And even if he doesn't feel confident, it's clear what a change in attitude can do to your appearance, and he certainly looks more confident than in his earlier photos.
Let's leave mullets in the past
This man became different after getting rid of his mullet and opting for contact lenses instead of glasses.
He embraced his natural waves, and he looks a lot better as a result.
Take care of yourself!
For some people, it just takes minor changes in your self-care to see significant results.
As this girl explains, "[I] grew into my nose, started doing makeup that actually flattered my features, contacts, gymming, and properly taking care of my curls." From these small changes, she practically looks like a different person!
From bullied to gorgeous
With the title "12 vs. 23! Used to get bullied relentlessly for my iconic hairstyle lol", it's hard to see why kids used to bully her. She looks like a regular kid!
Still, she traded her old look for voluptuous waves and contact lenses and certainly looks more confident in herself.
Depression took a toll on him
After struggling with depression, this man was happy to report that he found peace within himself, which is evident from his more content, healthier appearance.
Deciding to forego hair and just go bald, and after losing some weight, he looks ready to face life with a little more joy.
He turned his whole life around
This man's change is more than physical.
From sleeping in cars to earning his Ph.D., he turned his life around, reaching the peak of academic achievement and working out and getting a more muscular body.
Embracing her smile
Bullying made her too shy to smile.
But after nearly ten years, this woman learned how to love herself and learned how to embrace her smile! She also made a style change and now looks better than ever.
Bullied by her own family
This young woman relates that within her own family, she was referred to as the "'ugly' sister/daughter."
That is until she decided to take control of her own life, losing weight, developing a skincare routine, and throwing out the hair bleach. Now she looks glowing and radiant!
A lesson in self-acceptance
This young man faced many challenges in growing into his good looks.
In his own words, "Before, depressed, in the closet, overweight and after, doing my thing in Chicago." Fortunately, he accepted himself and is living his best life.
Shy but determined to change
In some cases, getting out of the "ugly duckling" stage can be subtle, but in this man's case, he has gone through quite the change.
While he still feels "shy," it's clear that due to his dedication to changing his physique, there's no reason he can't overcome his shyness too.
Nearly a decade of change
Over the last ten years, this woman underwent a transformation making her nearly unrecognizable from her before photo.
As one commenter pointed out, her "whole vibe [changed] and [her] skin is kinda sparkling?!"
The chubby kid with an afro
This man grew into his new body, but he lost his afro in the process.
It's hard not to be captivated by his smile. And he's probably a great dog dad too.
An inspirational change
This woman achieved a major glow-up in only one year, looking healthier and, most importantly, happier.
She says, "so much has changed, and people do not recognize me anymore. I began my Master's, wear sunblock, started a hair/skincare routine, lost weight (260 lbs to 172 lbs), and I started to plan for the future." She's an inspiration!
From hair loss to bald king
It's not easy to deal with physical changes to your appearance, and losing one's hair can be a particularly tough challenge.
This man decided it was easier just to shave his head and grow his beard. And honestly, the look suits him a lot better.
Gaining a little bit of weight is healthy
In this man's post, his caption reads, "gaining weight isn't always a bad thing LOL."
It's clear that he looks a lot healthier and that his features are more filled out thanks to gaining weight.
A skincare routine and smile make all the difference
It only took this woman four years to finally feel happy in her skin.
She was determined to lose weight and get into a skincare routine to achieve the results she wanted, and she did it! She's proof that discipline pays off.
Take time to appreciate life
Taking the time to appreciate life and take it slow can do wonders for your mental health.
In this man's case, his positive outlook has changed how he carries himself, becoming more self-assured and confident.
A late bloomer
Referring to himself as a "late bloomer," it took a decade for this man to feel comfortable and secure in himself finally.
Now he looks like a superhero in a Hollywood movie. It's just too bad he got rid of the curls.