There are moments in our puberty, aka blunder years, that we are not exactly proud of. Like that one school pic in your parents’ photo album that you dread equally much as falling ill ‘cause your health insurance policy may tell you "see u later, alligator."
But hey, we’ve all been there and it’s totally fine and honestly, quite cute. And there’s even some real-life evidence that shows that some people have literally blossomed so much that they're now beautiful swans both inside and out.
So this time, we are looking at some of the most incredible “ugly duckling” transformations that prove there’s some justice after all in the looks department. Shared on the "Ugly Duckling" subreddit, these crazy before and afters will make you think twice about that shy boy in baggy sweater and braces who you sat next to in the 8th grade. And after you’re done scrolling through this post, be sure to check out more jaw-dropping transformations in our previous posts here, here, and here.
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Age 18 To 23, Used To Look Up In Photos To Try To Hide My Substantial Double Chin
23 vs. 31 - Lost The Weight (160lbs) 7 Years Ago. My Hair Moved From The Top Of My Head To My Face And I’m Still Trying To Find My Look, But I Felt Good Today
Mid 20’s To Mid 30’s
Being an ugly duckling, which takes its name from Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, refers to glowing up and developing into an attractive and successful person as opposed to what one has been before in their early days. But many people grew up with the idea of being an “ugly duckling” when they were kids and for some, it still follows them into their adult life.
As a result, even if this is a positive and celebrated transformation, many people can suffer lasting emotional effects. For example, ugly duckling syndrome can be a reason why so many of us can’t take compliments and see stares from people of the opposite sex as insults.
19 To 27 - 220lbs Down Due To Gradual And Sustained Change Over A Long Time
15 - 19 I’d Like To Thank Accutane And Losing 90lbs
[16-17] Two Selfies, Before And After Double Jaw Surgery
Moreover, those who have ever seen themselves as ugly ducklings can struggle to realize the power of their natural beauty. It may also be a good thing, since it helps to develop an inner strength that later carries us in our lives.
Most importantly, people who glowed up later in their lives are now much more likely to judge a book by what’s inside rather than its cover. Appreciation of inner beauty is a beautiful thing that enriches humans in profound ways.
In the end, looks come and go, and if you build your personality solely on your outer traits, you may well struggle to cope with your identity in the event that you lose them.
18 To 28 - Lost The Glasses, Found Some Hair, Kept The Nerdiness And Over-Optimism
2019-2020. Went Through A Bad Year After A Horrible Failed Toxic Relationship (2014-2018) Gained A Bunch Of Weight Then Got It Together Finally
14 vs. 18 M / Used To Get Bullied So Hard I Still Get Insecure
Lost 100lbs And Now I Model Full Time!
22-31 Gained A Pair Of Glasses, Some Weight, And A Few Tats
12-27. Childhood Was A Rough But It Makes For A Good Personality
19 -> 25 Found An Interview I Did At My First Internship About 6 Years Ago
14-26 I’m Becoming More Comfortable With Myself Now, But I Still Have A Lot Of Work Left To Do. Learning To Love Myself Has Been Hard, But I Like The Person I’m Becoming
15 To 27. Was Bullied A Lot
She looked lovely at the age of 15. People who bully someone are just hiding the fact that themselves are missing something and such display of their behavior makes them in fact look ridiculous and weak (which they however do not realize until after few years, sometimes never).
19 To 23
(15-31) Got Mildly Better At Grooming Over The Years
Grades 2,4 & 6 To Age 27 And 28
17 To 22
Always Dreamed Of Owning A Motorbike, Made It Happen 14 Years Later And Had A Glow Up Along The Way [14-28]
18-26: I Finally Figured Out What To Do With My Hands!
My Body And Style Have Changed From 12 To 30, But I Still Listen To An Embarrassing Amount Of Brand New
13 To 26. For The First Time In My Life I Feel At Peace With Myself
Feeling the peace inside is always the best thing! No matter what you look like.
2010 (18) vs. 2020 (28)
May, 2019 To Me Just Yesterday. Lost 65lbs This Year Since February
Freshman Year - 6th Year Senior
From Senior Year Of High School, To Senior Year Of College
17 To 26 - I Kept That Bob For 7 Years Unfortunately. Got Lasik, Cleared Up The Acne And Gained Confidence
(17-22) To Be Fair, I Did Have A Great Time Fishing
15yr Old To 26yr Old. I Used To Cut My Hair Short So I Looked Like A Guy And Food Was My Comfort Blanket
12-22.got Contacts, Learned How To Do Makeup And Hair And Maintaining A Healthier Weight
Some of us are late bloomers, but once everything finally comes together! We are set. You will look so much better than the “beauties” at your 10 year reunion. And your 20th. And all the rest. They all peaked at 18. You, on the other hand, have already had one, and will continue to have a long series of other peaks throughout your life.
17 To 21
Found Some Photos From The 8th Grade. 2010 vs. 2020
Middle School Was Sooo Hard To Me. Nobody Had A Crush On Me. I Wasn't Even At The Bottom Of The "Hottest Girls" List. Now... Well, Things Have Changed A Bit. No Surgery, Just A Resounding Puberty
you were cuter in Middle school than I am..... I don't see anything wrong with it
(21-30) Eight Years Ago, I Met A Girl At A College Party Who Would Become My Girlfriend After Reconnecting With Her Over Ig Six Months Ago. The Picture On The Left Is The Only Evidence We Have Of That Night. Right Is At A Friends Wedding This Past September. Now Featuring: Better Hairstyle Choices!
Just Puberty. 12 To 18
4 Years Is A Mighty Long Time
23m Lmao
13 vs. 23 - Let’s Just Say The Last Decade Has Been... A Wild Ride Lol
Me At 14 vs. 19
12 To 20!
Age 13 To 22
This is just me being stupid, so don't down vote this because it's just what I thought when I first looked at it, but does anyone else get hippie vibes from the first picture
Age 16-18, 96 Lbs Down And Finally Coming Out Of My Shell A Little Bit
17 (L) To 30 (R). Ditched The Long Hair, Got More Stylish Glasses, Grew A Beard (Thank God). Don't Know Why The Huge Difference In My Skin Tone... Perhaps Due To Poor Lighting In The Pic On The Left?
Freshman (14) In High School To Freshman In College (18)
17, Followed By Acne + Accutane By 18 But I Made It To 27
Happy With My 5 Month Progress, Feeling A Lot Better About Myself
14-19
Glow Up 13-17
Top I Was 13 Bottom Is 21, 8 Years Can Really Make A Difference
13-28 Still Ugly But Learned To Hide It Better
8-18; I Was The Awkwardest, Nerdiest Kid. Well I Guess Nothing's Changed
Awkward and nerdy? You looked a delightful child, now a lovely young woman.
18-27. Slight Change And Lots Of Confidence Later
18 To 26. How Do I Look?
One Quarantine Haircut And A Visit To The Thrift Shop Later
17/18 Versus 20. I Got Told I Was Ugly A Lot When I Was Younger... Comments Seem To Have Changed, So... I Hope I Qualify
13 vs. 18 Years Old... I Feel Like There Is Some Improvement!
Individually, those are nice tales of affirmation. Together, they tell the story of our society where harrassment forces people to build a "good looks" shield just to feel the right to exist in peace. It is not heartwarming.
Again with this labelling of "this is ugly" and "this is beautiful". Can we please stop feeding this?
Individually, those are nice tales of affirmation. Together, they tell the story of our society where harrassment forces people to build a "good looks" shield just to feel the right to exist in peace. It is not heartwarming.
Again with this labelling of "this is ugly" and "this is beautiful". Can we please stop feeding this?