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People Who Used To Be “Ugly Ducklings” Share Their Transformations, And We Can Barely Recognize Them
Growing up can be incredibly awkward. Our bodies are still developing. We’re covered in spots. And our fashion sense might just match our bad posture. Sometimes, looking awkward doesn’t automatically stop with our teenage years (my collection of baggy sweaters says ‘hi’) and can continue into our twenties and thirties, too.
However, some people have changed incredibly over the years, starting out as ‘ugly ducklings’ and turning into beautiful swans that barely anyone can recognize anymore. One of the places where they share their inspirational before-and-afters is the ‘Ugly Duckling’ subreddit. As you’re checking out these awesome transformations, remember to upvote your favorite ones, dear Pandas. When you’re done, have a look through Bored Panda’s earlier lists about the subreddit right here and here.
We all know that being a good person is more important than having the perfect looks. However, if given the chance, a lot of people would choose both. And there’s nothing wrong with wanting to look how you feel inside.
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#1
From About 11ish(?) To 25. My Skin Cleared Up, I Got Braces, Learned How To Make Up And Fill In My Eyebrows. I Was Made Fun Of/Very Lonely Growing Up, And I Feel The Way That I Looked Had A Big Impact On Why I Am The Way That I Am Now. “Be Kind”
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#2
16-19 Or: How I Learned To Start Shaving And Escape The Neckbeard
#3
Age 14 To 19. Lost Some Weight And Gained Some Confidence Along The Way
The ‘Ugly Duckling’ subreddit is a community of over 116k ‘enthusiasts’ who “turned into butterflies” over the years. The subreddit celebrates late bloomers, positive personal changes, and motivational transformations.
Being a late bloomer is nothing to be ashamed of. It can happen at any time. And the process can be drawn out or happen nearly overnight, just like with Neville Longbottom’s actor Matthew Lewis who ‘Longbottomed’ and caught a lot of us unaware of what just happened.
Scott Barry Kaufman writes on Psychology Today that a lot of human traits (including physical attractiveness) are under genetic control and can take “decades” to emerge.
#4
16-20. Does This Count?
#5
12 - 24 Even My Family Doesn't Recognize Me These Days, It's Nice
#6
Life Begins At 40! 25 --> 40
“There is one way of becoming an early bloomer, but there are an infinite number of ways of being a late bloomer. Also, the more complex a trait, the more ways that a child can become a late bloomer for that trait. This means that the most appreciated abilities in society, such as creativity and leadership will rarely fully present itself at a young age, all at once,” Kaufman explains.
He adds that even though society tends to celebrate child prodigies, being an early bloomer is no guarantee that you will continue to be successful. Dedication, hard work, and moving towards your goals step by step are just as (if not even more) important as talent.
#8
Left-13, Right-34
#9
Age 17-24, Was Bullied A Lot Growing Up
#10
12 And 29. Still With The Short Hair And Glasses, Some Things Never Change
#11
11 vs. 28, Lost That Baby Fat And Learned How To Smile
#12
Left 12, Right 24
#13
2015 - 2019. Basically, I Cleaned Myself Up And Started Over!
Boopie Dew 6 years ago
You look younger, did you age backwards. Glad you're doing so well now.
#14
Then: 320 Lbs, Face Always Red, Angry At Dad, Ready To Die For Punk Rock. Now: 250 Lbs, Skin Healthier, Love My Dad, Punk Rock Is Pretty Ok But Being An Adult Is Pretty Ok Too
#15
13, 15, 20 And 27 Years Old
#16
(Spoiler Alert) I Didn't Peak In Highschool Lol
#17
Age 12 To Age 26... Still Feel A Lot Like The Kid On The Left
#18
11—>30 Braces Were Good To Me
#19
19 To 20. I Would Like To Thank My Dermatologist
#20
A Slight Change
#21
17-24, Went Through Horrible Cystic Acne, Lost 50 Lbs, Got Braces, And Dropped An Emotionally Abusive Boyfriend
Boopie Dew 6 years ago
No, she says she was with someone who made her feel badly about her self worth. And she believed him. Sometimes it happens slowly and you don't know you're being abused until its too late. She got self confidence once she was out of the relationship and then worked on herself. Total respect.
#22
4 Years Later (16-20)
#23
Age 15 To 21. Lost Some Weight, It Sucks My Eyes Didn't Get Bigger
#24
12-27. Lost A Chin, But Gained A Smile
#25
Age ~11 To 20 - I Owe A Lot To Contacts, Braces, Filling In My Eyebrows, And My Hairline Somehow Growing Forward
Perfumista Perfumista 6 years ago
Don't you wish when you were younger that you had a clue how you'd turn out? Beautiful.
#26
Mother’s Day With My Momma 2014-2018
#27
10 Year Different. Ages 13 & 23
Sean Montgomery 6 years ago
Not really an ugly duckling transformation as you were never ugly.
#28
From 17 To 18, I Don't Even Know
#29
Always Felt So Geeky In High School. I Even Went Through A Period Where I Wanted To End My Life In Middle School Because Of My Weight And Look. Now I’m In My 30’s And Feeling The Most Confident I’ve Been In My Life. Big Thanks For Braces And Lasik
#30
16 vs. 46. Took Awhile To Get Here, Lol.
#31
13-21 Puberty Really Hit Me Hard And Shot Me Up To 6ft8
#32
From 18 To 23. A Completely Different Person Now
#33
7 Years Can Make A Crazy Difference
#34
Found An Old School Photo (14/29)
#35
12 vs. 20. Had To Stop Riding The Bus+change My Classes In Middle School Because I Was Bullied So Bad For "Being Ugly"
#36
3 Years With A Lot Of Time In The Gym And Taking Care Of My Skin
#37
Me, Early 20’s Looking Troll Man To More Normal Looking Dude In His 30’s
#38
15 To 23. No Makeup For A Better Comparison
#39
Nearly Two Years Of Hard Work And Dedication. I Won’t Ever Stop!
#40
My One Regret Is Losing The Hat
#41
7 Years Apart
#42
15 → 26, From Strange Genderbender To Recognizable As A Woman
#43
18 vs. 23 Just A Late Bloomer I Guess
#44
18 To 24
#45
21 vs. 29.. Losing 100lbs Has Definitely Helped!
#46
One Year Transformation. 23 To 23 (Almost 24 Hahaha). What A Gym Membership, Self Love And A Skincare Routine Can Do For You
#47
Grew Into My Face A Little(19 vs. 26)
#48
18 To 23. Puberty Hit Me Like A God Damn Freight Train.
#49
11 To 21. Wear Your Sunblock, Folks
#50
14 To 20, Lost Weight, Took Care Of Myself And Stopped Cutting My Hair
#52
From Being The Weird Kid To Owning My Weirdness
Dorothy Parker 6 years ago
Beautiful then and now. The weird parts are what keep us from being vanilla.
#53
13 -> 22, Got Myself Bigger Glasses
#54
Puberty Was My Best Friend
DDmaybeandor 6 years ago (edited)
Yes, but you were so young in the before pictures. You were adorable! So what if you were plump? It makes me sad that you felt ugly at that age.
#55
13 vs. 24, I Looked Like A Brown Peter Griffin
La Petite Morte 6 years ago
That's a sad level of self awareness. You look great and happy in both pictures.
#56
16—>22
#57
12->25. Took Some Time, But Im No Longer A Cabbage Patch Kid. Cheers To Glowing Up, Everyone!
#58
16 vs. 25. It's Always Crazy To Look Back Every Once And A While
#59
Brace Yourself For A Couples Edition (11-23)
#60
Sometimes Wish I Still Had That Hat. (11-24)
#61
You Don't Have To Be Young To Glow Up. I'm 36 On The Left And 25 On The Right
#62
23-33. Went From Eating Pizza Everyday To Just Every Other Day.
#63
Think I Was About 14 Or 15 Referred Too As The Ginger Owl. Highschool Was Bitter Sweet
#64
I Was Told That This Might Be Appreciated Here. The First Picture Is Me In My Duct Tape Dress At 16. The Second Picture Is Me Now, At 21 After Losing 100 Pounds, Cutting Off My Frizzy Hair, And Actually Putting Effort Into My Appearance
DDmaybeandor 6 years ago
Awesome before, and awesome after! I love the duct tape dress and what it says about you too.
#65
2010-2020. Never Really Took Care Of My Health Nor My Looks Until Well After High School. Thankful For The Gym, Healthy Eating, And Some Good Ol' Makeup!
#66
13 To 19 Y/O...5heads Where Y’all At?
#67
I Guess You Could Say I've Changed A Bit Since I Was A Good Charlottle Loving 12 Year Old. I'm Now 25 And Can Still Laugh At My Tiny Brass Knuckles Necklace.
#68
Thank God For The Orthodontist, Me At 10 & 18
#69
October 2012 (Age 20) vs. October 2018 (Age 25). Freshman Year Of College Was...not My Best :-/
#70
12-23 Puberty And Private Dentistry.. And Let’s Not Forget Fake Tan And Makeup Get A Lot Of Credit Here!
#71
15 To 22, Traded In The Braces And Acne In Exchange For A Healthy Dose Of Self Confidence And The Ability To Smile
#72
13 vs. 21. Lost The Glasses And Stupid Fringe
#73
I’m Thankful Braces Exist (12 Yrs To 20 Yrs)
#74
12-20. Losing Weight And Learning How To Do My Hair Helped A Bit
#75
Age 10 - 18! Thank God For Braces (My Teeth R Straight Now, I Swear)
#76
11 vs. 26: I Suspect That I Might Be Benjamin Button
#77
14 - 21 R.I.P Bushy Eyebrows, Big Nose, Greasy Hair And... Coontails?
#78
13 To 20 (My Mom Gave Me That Haircut)
#79
12-18. Most People Can Tell I’m A Girl Now.
#80
Age 17 On The Left, Age 34 On The Right
#81
12>22 First One Is Cringe Pure, I Know. I Was Bullied A Lot Back Then Haha, Felt Like I Needed To Change
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What do you think ?
Biljana Malesevic 6 years ago (edited)
I don't like the word "ugly" in this context at all. These people were never ugly. Some of them were somewhat overweight, some had acne (didn't we all, at some point?), some had glasses and now have contacts, some just learned to use make up and fixed hairstyle... Are overweight people, people with freckles and people with glasses ugly? Are we automatically beautiful if we put ton of make up or lose like 10 lbs? While I think people absolutely should make changes on their appearance if it makes them feel good, I simply don't how this was put.
MiniMaus 6 years ago
I never got over the bullying as I was an ugly kid. Bad clothes, bad haircut, acne. Even now that I've changed I still have confidence issues. Don't bully, people. It can affect someone their entire life. I'm 62 now.
Felix Feline 6 years ago
Same. Even a teacher commented that I was awfully ugly. I'm told that I am now quite good-looking, even model good-looking, but I look in the mirror and I don't see that at all. All is see is the child everyone called ugly looking back at me.
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Mimi777 6 years ago
I was an ugly duckling growing up. I was bullied for having a big nose. I was called so many different names from Pinnochio to Big Bird. I had numerous people make comments like “if you didn’t have a big nose u would be so pretty” or “I would date her if she didn’t have a big nose.” It was all throughout my childhood and partially into adulthood. I had very low self esteem. I had depression. I had no confidence. I saved up money from age 16 to 24 to get my nose and chin done. And it changed everything for me. It raised my confidence and self esteem tremendously. I’m finally happy with how I look. I’m 28 now btw.
Biljana Malesevic 6 years ago (edited)
I don't like the word "ugly" in this context at all. These people were never ugly. Some of them were somewhat overweight, some had acne (didn't we all, at some point?), some had glasses and now have contacts, some just learned to use make up and fixed hairstyle... Are overweight people, people with freckles and people with glasses ugly? Are we automatically beautiful if we put ton of make up or lose like 10 lbs? While I think people absolutely should make changes on their appearance if it makes them feel good, I simply don't how this was put.
MiniMaus 6 years ago
I never got over the bullying as I was an ugly kid. Bad clothes, bad haircut, acne. Even now that I've changed I still have confidence issues. Don't bully, people. It can affect someone their entire life. I'm 62 now.
Felix Feline 6 years ago
Same. Even a teacher commented that I was awfully ugly. I'm told that I am now quite good-looking, even model good-looking, but I look in the mirror and I don't see that at all. All is see is the child everyone called ugly looking back at me.
Load More Replies... Mimi777 6 years ago
I was an ugly duckling growing up. I was bullied for having a big nose. I was called so many different names from Pinnochio to Big Bird. I had numerous people make comments like “if you didn’t have a big nose u would be so pretty” or “I would date her if she didn’t have a big nose.” It was all throughout my childhood and partially into adulthood. I had very low self esteem. I had depression. I had no confidence. I saved up money from age 16 to 24 to get my nose and chin done. And it changed everything for me. It raised my confidence and self esteem tremendously. I’m finally happy with how I look. I’m 28 now btw.
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