One hundred and seventy-six years ago, back in 1843, the highly praised children’s fable author, Hans Christian Anderson, wrote a story so relatable to everyone in society that it still resonates with us as a commonly used phrase nearly two centuries later; The Ugly Duckling. The story is about a baby swan that ended up being mistaken for a little duckling. Of course, the little swan didn’t fit in with his duckling peers, neither in his looks or behaviors, because he was never meant to be a duckling in the first place.
Being marginalized for the way he was different his whole life, the ugly duckling was sad and lonely, until one day he underwent a magical transformation and became a graceful swan. Now, he was the prettiest bird on the lake and everyone wanted to know him. Sound familiar?
It doesn’t matter if you popped out of the womb looking like an angel from Heaven. The truth is that every person on the planet has to move through the sometimes hellish stages of growth in their life, and we all have those goofy, ugly, awkward phases. If you don’t think this applies to you, then you listened to much to what your mommy said because trust us, nobody looks amazing every single second of the day.
Sadly, though, a lot of people don’t see their early years for the transformative journey it’s meant to be, and they can easily get depressed when they feel like they don’t fit in. Fortunately, one subReddit is working to change the way people perceive themselves by showing off their before and after “ugly duckling” images to prove to the world just how much change one person can go through. Whether it’s over the course of a year or a decade, these 40 pictures prove that no ugly duck should ever lose hope of becoming the swan they were always meant to be.
1. “4 years between the photos. Used to really dislike how I looked but slowly and bit by bit I started to treat myself a lil nicer.”
Having low self-esteem is something that the majority of kids and teens have to deal with in life. Young adults these days are constantly bombarded with images that imply they are supposed to look, act, and dress a certain way in order to be accepted.
It’s no wonder it is so easy for people to get down on themselves these days. The struggle is real for sure, but the ones who suffer through that awkward phase of figuring themselves out will find out that with a little self-care their ugly duckling phase will fade away into their own unique beauty.
2. “17-22. My hair doesn’t look like a bad wig anymore.”
Sometimes the transformation a person goes through as they grow into their facial features is astounding. Of course, it also doesn’t hurt to pick up some tricks in makeup contouring along the way.
This little duck took her skills all the way to the max, even dressing up as cosplay character Poison Ivy… and totally nailed it! We can definitely see why.
3. “11-21… my dad used to call me ugly Betty, and I took it as a compliment”
Dads can be mean sometimes, without a doubt, but they generally only tease out of love. Every kid has that super awkward phase in life that they have to go through. It just sucks to have to do it publicly sometimes.
Clearly, though, a little confidence and good contact lenses can go a really long way in improving your self-image.
4. “Life begins at 40! 25 –> 40”
The beautiful thing about life is that it is what you make of it! Some of us choose to stay in our “ugly duckling” phases longer than others, but so what if you’re a late bloomer? All that really means is that your best days are still ahead of you and there is
plenty to get excited about.
Just ask this lady who is just starting to understand how awesome life really is at 40!
5. “Age ~11 to 20 – I owe a lot to contacts, braces, filling in my eyebrows, and my hairline somehow growing forward.”
Even the goofiest looking kids can turn out to be absolute bombshells. This girl may feel that she owes most of her beauty to ditching her glasses and filling in her brows, but it’s her confidence that shines brighter than anything. Though, having the hairline come forward
did help a little.
6. “17-24, went through horrible cystic acne, lost 50 lbs, got braces, and dropped an emotionally abusive boyfriend.”
Acne is par for the course when you’re a teen, but cystic acne can be the worst when it comes to trying to maintain a healthy self-image.
While losing the weight probably helped a lot with clearing up her skin, dropping the weight of the aforementioned boyfriend is what really did her wonders. No duck is so ugly they deserve to be abused!
7. “14 to my 19th birthday. I grew up a little bit”
We’ll agree to that! This hunk took his time in losing his baby face, but once he did he was left with a chiseled jawline and a hell of an upper bod! It just goes to show that suffering through those more unpleasant points of puberty can
really pay off in the end.
8. “12 to 20, I promise I was always a girl”
This boyish ginger turned out to be a knockout! Once she had grown into her facial features, all she had left to do was to ditch the hair cut. Now her gorgeous locks flow all around her fairy-queen like looks, and no one is mistaking her for a boy these days.
9. “14-23 it’s been an awkward decade for me”
If there is anything that us ladies (and gents, too) should learn, it’s how to forgive ourselves as we grow through those strange, goofy phases. We all have to go through trying to determine just who it is that we want to be in relation to this world, and our appearance is a big part of that.
So, expect yourself to take on a million different looks, styles, and ideals as you move through life because it simply means you are living it to its fullest, just like this lovely duckling has!
10. “Twenty years later…still need the big glasses!”
This beautiful girl may have once considered herself to be an ugly duckling, but there is no questioning she grew into a gorgeous swan! No matter how much people are dying for instant gratification, the best things in life really do come with time and patience.
11. “Grew into my chin… and my ears… and pretty much my whole face (12yo me vs. 22yo me)”
The original poster said it best in this caption; she had to grow into her facial features before becoming the captivating beauty that she is today. One thing that hasn’t changed about her at all, though, is that infectious smile! There truly is something to be said for people who can manage to stay positive about life and keep a grin on their face, even with a mouthful of metal!
12. “12-23 puberty and private dentistry.. and let’s not forget fake tan and makeup get a lot of credit here!”
Regardless of where the credit goes, this boss lady is totally rocking her look now! The fact of the matter is she takes care of herself and pampers herself in ways that make her feel beautiful, and it’s working for her BIG time! Now all she needs to do is take a little more credit for her hard work!
13. “Age 12 vs 29 (now). At least I had time to work on my personality!”
One thing is for certain, when you’re young and waiting to grow into the beautiful butterfly you just know you are, you really do have a lot of time to develop your own sense of self. Clearly, this girl grew a strong sense of humor and now she’s a triple threat; gorgeous, smart,
and funny!
14. “10 years difference. Ages 13 & 23”
A person can go through an awful lot in a decade, physically just as well as mentally. That means a LOT of hairstyles, awkward facial morphing, and a constant race between changes in height and weight.
This girl may think of herself as a former ugly duckling, but time has proven she struck it rich with the genetic jackpot! Just look at that smile!
15. “Headgear girl with 4 bangs –> Teacher Miss Morgan. To all former and current ducklings: keep smiling!”
If this woman could make it through the hot pink headgear as a little girl, then no one else has any excuse not to take her advice and keep on smiling.
Headgear is not only the fastest way to grab a bunch of taunting kids’ attention, but it also hurts like hell to wear, and sleep? You may as well forget about it.
Moral of the story; there’s never a reason not to smile and have some hope that things will only get better.
This girl went through an
INSANE transformation in just five years, and from the looks of it, she’s loving life to the max! While she may have lost the weight and changed up her hair and makeup style, one thing that hasn’t seemed to have left her is her free spirit!
17. “Age 14 to 19. Lost some weight and gained some confidence along the way.”
As anyone that has ever made the leap from antisocial to social butterfly can tell you; confidence is key. Unfortunately, confidence isn’t developed overnight, at least not for most people.
It takes a lot of effort, time, and self-reassurance that you have every right to be yourself. When you master that, you will blossom just like this guy.
18. “13 vs 21. Lost the glasses and stupid fringe”
Puberty can be so rough on teens, and it doesn’t help that parents seemed to think the fringe cut was so adorable (it wasn’t). This little girl was an ugly duckling who had no idea how beautiful she would become over the next 8 years!
Her perfect jawline and cheekbones coupled with her flowing locks have all her Reddit voters screaming “SWAN!”
Sometimes people don’t always have to wait for long amounts of time to pass before undergoing their ugly duckling transformation. This guy went from pudgy and unkempt looking to the next teen heartthrob! It took him a lot of hard work and commitment, but as you can see it was definitely worth it!
20. “17 to 21. Acutane and some weight loss made a huge difference!”
There is acne and then there is face-scarring, traumatizing, looks-a-lot-like-road rash acne. People that have never had acne to this extent will never truly be able to grasp just how psychologically scarring it can be, and it’s
always coupled with depression.
This young man fought through it, though, and worked hard on himself until he became the handsome face you see today. Dude gets all the kudos!
21. “What 10 years of makeup, self esteem, and effort can do to 2 ugly twins.”
Let’s face it, these twins were never really “ugly” in the first place. Yet, being an ugly duckling has more to do with how you feel than how you are perceived. It always does. They are certainly right about one thing, though; building up their bank of self-esteem has made all the difference.
22. “15 to 23. No makeup for a better comparison”
Sometimes a transformation doesn’t always have to be dramatic to be inspirational. The changes this girly has gone through in just under ten years may be subtle, but the results are extraordinary! You can still totally see who she was as a kid, but the slight weight loss in her face and the hint of a tan have turned this little duck into a graceful looking swan.
23. “12-20. Losing weight and learning how to do my hair helped a bit”
This girl grew up without a mom or anyone to teach her things like how to curl her hair or the importance of regular exercise and taking care of her skin. Fortunately, she’s got brains as well as beauty and she figured out how to do all that and more on her own by watching YouTube videos and taking better care of herself.
Now, she’s an inspiration to others and helps them figure out how to go from ugly duckling to gorgeous swan, too!
24. “19 to 20. I would like to thank my dermatologist.”
Sometimes a person is only a solid piece of medical advice and a prescription away from making their transition from duckling to stunning swan. This girl should be the next poster-child for advances in dermatology. In just one year she went from breakouts to her big breakthrough and now has crystal clear skin to show for it.
25. “From Sundaes to Runways; I grew up quite a bit from 17 to 21. Bonus pics in the comments!”
We know what you’re thinking and no, he is not a Hogwarts student and has no relation to the Weasleys. All joking aside, though, this guy did in 5 years what most people can’t manage to do in a lifetime.
According to the ginger hottie, he gives credit to calorie counting, cardio, and weight lifting. We give him all the credit for consistency, though, and actually managing to pull it off!
Having the ability to express yourself through things like fashion and makeup can play a huge role in a girl’s ability to build up her self-confidence and own unique sense of expression. When those urges get suppressed, on the other hand, such as with this girl and her overly conservative family, the learning curve can be a lot longer.
Fortunately, this beautiful babe believes in herself enough to try new things and grow on her own, sharing her self-discovery with others through social media. Her choice to be braver has really paid off though, and the last five years have been very good to her!
27. “I’d like to think the past 9 years have been kind to me. 15/24”
We would have to agree with the man
100%! The better part of the last decade has done wonders for this boy-turned-man! Not much help for the crazy eyebrow raise, but even then, this guy has turned from awkward and dorky to hot and quirky!
This young girl went through a remarkable transformation over the course of seven years, from 15 to 22. She really has blossomed into quite the beautiful swan.
Oddly enough, however, she says in the comments that she used to have more confidence when she was 15 because no one expected her to look like the bombshell she is now on a daily basis. We hope that one way or another, though, she gets her confidence back full throttle, because that’s what makes her really stand out.
29. “10 years cancer free! 12 to 22… In the midst of death, to my wedding day.
If you thought that you had a rough go at puberty, try going through all those hormonal shifts on top of dealing with life-threatening cancer. No doubt she underwent a dramatic transformation into the stunning woman she is today, but look at the smile on the face of that 12-year-old girl.
With no hair at one of the most self-image-obsessed times in a girl’s life, and not knowing whether she would even live to see the age of 13, the young girl in this picture smiled as big as her face would allow. That, in and of itself, is the purest form of beauty there is!
30. “My boyfriend doesn’t even look like the same person (16 to 21)”
We would have to disagree. He still looks like the same person, just a much, much healthier and happier version of himself.
It is amazing what confidence it can give you just to take a chance on yourself, especially when you start to see those first results coming in. Whether it’s losing weight, practicing your socializing skills, or even just refusing to let negative thoughts rent space in your head, working on yourself will always yield the greatest rewards!
31. “I don’t even look like the same person anymore. 17-22.”
A lot of women out there can tell you that if you’re a man wanting to “hotten up” his facial appeal, growing a beard is a great start. Of course, not everyone can grow a beard as thick and lush as this gent’s, but trying is a start.
This 22-year-old stud muffin worked hard to lose the baby fat left over in his face and the weight loss even helped tighten the hood of his brow for a more open and welcoming appearance. While he was never really an ugly duckling, he is certainly a swan now!
32. “18 to 23. Puberty hit me like a god damn freight train.”
Yeah it did! Yet another example of a masculine swanly transformation, this babyfaced babe turned out to be quite the hunk in just five years. In fact, most of his commenters couldn’t help but compare him to Christopher Meloni (Eric Stabler) on SVU growing out of a blond Harry Potter phase. Either way, the results are eye-catching.
33. “Thank God for the Orthodontist, me at 10 & 18.”
If you have ever had to deal with severe teeth problems, then you have probably thanked your orthodontist once or twice yourself over the years. Getting her teeth fixed and learning to apply light makeup was all it took to take this sweet girl from an ugly duckling to a glowing swan!
If you don’t believe in the power of transformation, just take a look at this ugly duckling-turned-handsome swan! He went from looking like a dead ringer for Dudley from Harry Potter and hunked himself out into a stud, though he does look like he can be
quite sarcastic. He may have gotten his before and after photos mixed up, but since he’s such a perfect example of a true ugly duckling transformation, we totally forgive him!
35. “13, 15, 20, and 27 years old.”
An ugly duck transformation doesn’t always run straight from the ugly end of the spectrum to the beautiful. Sometimes people take a long, winding path to get to what feels like their most beautiful self, with many not-so-great looking stops along the way.
The important thing to remember is to never give up on yourself and keep pursuing the best version of you that you can possibly imagine. Keeping that mental image fixed in your mind will give your transformation all the fuel it needs to become your reality.
36. “12 to 22. Middle school was rough.”
Isn’t it always, though? Middle school can be the worst time in an ugly duckling’s life. Their body is still trying to figure out how to make the transition from little kid to maturing adult, and everything in between just makes you look as awkward as you feel. As the OP points out, though, what makes this time in life a living hell for most people is trying to deal with their own insecurities.
The original poster’s pictures now, however, are hard proof that even the ugliest duckling holds the potential to transform into the most beautiful swan in the pond!
37. “From 18 to 23. A completely different person now.”
This girl is one of the best representations of an ugly duckling transformation! You can still clearly see all of the facial nuances that make her look unique, and yet she does look like an entirely different woman than the one she was just five short years ago.
These images show that it is never too late to take an interest in yourself and start working on your health and happiness!
38. “11—>30 braces were good to me.”
She forgot to mention her hair stylist, too! In all seriousness, we are happy she got hooked up with a good orthodontist. Having bad teeth can be one of the worst causes of insecurity, not just in children but in adults as well.
If you don’t feel comfortable with your teeth, you smile less which makes you appear less friendly. As a result, you end up missing out on all sorts of social interactions that can make you feel like you belong and give you greater confidence over time.
Thankfully, this ugly duckling’s transformation can now show the rest of the world that even if you get dealt a crappy hand from the gene pool, if you play your cards right you could still end up with the best hand in the house!
39. “16 to 24… I still dress like a boy on most days…”
It’s true that a lot of girls go through an awkward “Tom-boy” phase in their lives before the influx of pubescent hormones maps out a completely different lifestyle for them. What most of us girls
don’t realize, however, is just how bad we really look in those boyish getups.
This girl, for instance, probably had no idea how much she resembled Bran Stark from Game of Thrones before her unbelievable transformation took place. Looking back now, though, she sees it all too clearly.
40. “From 17-20. Near the point of suicide and something clicked in my head one day.”
We are so glad it did! Many people don’t realize just how bad a toll it takes on someone to be considered an ugly duckling, even if only by themselves. Suicide is never the answer, but all too often it feels like the only escape from a very serious-yet-temporary hell.
This man’s photos should be a huge inspiration to anyone considering taking their own life. If you just stick it out and start working on the things you don’t like about yourself, your happiness will grow by orders of magnitude!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
There you have it, friends! Did you think you were an ugly duckling before your transformation? If so, consider sharing your before and after pics with the rest of the world. Not only will it help to inspire them to become the best version of themselves, but you might also be truly surprised to see just how far you have come from your ugly duck phase.
Source: Reddit
