50 ‘ugly ducklings’ we can barely recognize now

I learned something writing this. Oh, I already knew it, but this just reinforced it. People are much too hard on themselves.

I don’t think there was one person in this list that I would call truly ugly. Sure, there were lots of bad skin and weight issues, but neither of those automatically make a person ugly. Unattractive maybe, but not truly ugly—at least in my book.

But what I think really doesn’t matter. These people thought of themselves as ugly. And if it forced them to change, maybe that’s not a bad thing, I don’t know.

So judge for yourself. Are these before pictures of people who are ugly or just pictures of people who needed a little bit of a makeover?

1. From 11 to 25

This poor girl. She admits that people made fun of her when she was little, but look at her now. Her skin cleared up and braces and makeup completed her transformation.

2. Wow. Contacts made a big difference.

Just kidding. Clearly it was more than the contacts. He looks like a completely different, younger person. Thinner, less hair, and much better looking.

3. Little boy grew up.

Actually, the span of years is only 14 to 19 but what a difference. He lost some weight and looks more confident. And very good looking!

4. Those teen years

Being a teen is tough to begin with. Being seriously overweight must make it unbearable. So many kids are cruel. But look at what hard work can do. This is his change from 16 to 20.

5. We can only hope

I’m hoping that she has her eyes bugged out like that because of the camera on her face. Because that is frightening. That doesn’t even look like the same pair of eyes, but definitely an improvement.

6. Impressive

The older you are the harder it is to lose weight. And I am not calling her old. But this is a transformation that took place from 25 to 40, and she looks amazing.

7. Baby fat

Some kids take a long time to lose baby fat. I remember my little brother still being chubby at 12. But like this guy, that all changed. Look at this happy, handsome man.

8. Hmm

I’m really not convinced this is the same person. Because there is more than weight loss effecting that face. The nose, brows, hairline, and freckles make me question that this is indeed the same person at 13 and 34.

9. Emo at 17

And a very young looking 17 at that. The chubby cheeks didn’t help. There is some debate on this one too as to whether this is the same person, but despite the eye color, I do think it is. Age from 17 to 24.

10. Time warp

This is a difference from 12 to 29. But is it just me? She looks like a kid from the 60s not from the early 2000s. And anyway, she wasn’t an ugly ducking by any stretch of the imagination.

11. What a difference

It always amazes me who much weight loss can affect the face. Those chubby cheeks completely blur her beautiful features. And no, I’m not saying she wasn’t a cutey to begin with. And the smile helps too!

12. It’s kind of sad

What makes people post these before and after shots thinking they used to be an ugly duckling? That’s just a cute adolescent who hasn’t lost their baby fat yet. And the hot guy he grew into.

13. Lifestyle choices

This is a difference of 4 years. Interesting how she looks younger and healthier in the second, older version of herself. Or maybe not. She admits to “cleaning herself up,” so I’m guessing her lifestyle was aging her prematurely. Good for her for turning her life around.

14. The angry teen

Sometimes, it’s all about attitude. It really can effect how you look. This guy admits to being angry all the time as a teen. Teenage hormones are killer. Now he’s thinner and much happier with life. With some really nice blue eyes.

15. He says he didn’t peak in high school

I bet he has no problems now! And that smile he is holding back as a teen is bursting forth now, so I’m sure he’s happy with his life.

16. 14 years

This is a progression of 14 years, from 13 to 27. 13, 15, 20, and 27 to be precise. She’s beautiful now and she was a beautiful little girl. The cycles of life.

17. He’s happy

At 12 or 26 he looks like a happy, well adjusted individual. And as far as I’m concerned, he was cute at 12 and just grown into his cuteness.

18. Those curls

As a curly girl, I know how much she probably hated those curls as a kid. She’s 11 in the first pic and 30 in the second. I went from my curls to ruthlessly straightening my hair. And then I embraced my curls again. I wonder if she will too?

19. Seeing past the skin

It’s so sad that so many teens have to live through horrible skin. Because that’s all that so many see. Not the beautiful face and bone structure underneath.

20. Picture day

How thinks this is likely his school picture? And who doesn’t think he looks adorable there? And frankly, he’s kind of adorable all grown up too.

21. Out with the old

Not feeling confident in yourself is bad enough. Having an abusive boyfriend wouldn’t help. She kicked him to the curb, fixed herself up, and look at her now.

22. When you grow into your face

The bad camera angle on the first doesn’t help. It just accentuates his nose. But that narrow boyish face filled out into a very handsome man.

23. Look at that jawline

This is the change from 15 to 21. Losing weight certainly added definition to his face. That’s what some people call a chiseled jaw.

24. Some new lines

Laugh lines that is! Look at that smile. And those eyes. She was a cute girl at 12—and I’m wondering if that’s her natural color—and she is a gorgeous woman at 27.

25. Happy Mother’s Day

These pictures were taken in 2014 and 2018 on Mother’s Day. He’s shed a few pounds, changed his hair—and looks something like Harry Styles. But he and his mom clearly love each other, and that’s all that really matters.

26. If you only knew

How many kids hate how they look? And I’m not saying this girl did at 11 or even that she should have. But do you think life would be different if you knew that once you got past the awkward stage you would grow up to be gorgeous?

27. I’m going to repeat myself

Despite the big smile and the braces, she was 13. Do you think she had moments of insecurity? Lots of them? Do you think other kids made fun of her? And look at her at 23. If she only knew.

28. Maybe Emo?

Maybe not. Despite the wannabe emo look, he’s smiling. And he has a nice smile. I think the emo rule is you must look tragic. Regardless, he lived through his phase, and just a year later has a whole new look.

29. Poor guy

He was not anywhere near ugly but admits to being very unhappy with his look as a child, to the point of wanting to commit suicide in middle school. Thankfully, he got past that and has created a look he’s quite happy with.

30. Just a few differences

He still looks exactly the same! Just some hair reversal. The stuff on top has migrated to his chin. But he has the same beautiful smile 30 years later. He makes me smile just looking at him.

31. Intense eyes

In either face, the 18-year-old one or the 23-year-old one, she has a very direct, confident look. But what a difference the weight loss made to her face!

32. Teen to man

This is the difference between the ages of 13 and 21. Either way, he has a beautiful smile. But he says he shot up to 6ft 8, so I guess the baby fat got lost in the shuffle.

33. Oh, one of those boys

Some boys are so thin, you think they never get fed. Then you end up with a few of these teens in your family, and you realize they are eating all the time. And then one day, it catches up and the fill out a bit. Until then, beanpole!

34. Half a life ago

These pictures are taken 15 years apart, at 14 and 29. And I think she looks exactly alike, except her face has narrowed a bit. Really, the only difference is better lighting and a bit of makeup.

35. What is with people?

There is nothing ugly about this girl. Yet she says that at 12 she had to stop taking the bus and change classes because she was bullied for being ugly. And look at her at 20. Lovely.

36. A difference of 3 years

He attributes the change to the gym and taking care of his skin. See what we can achieve when we literally get our asses of the couch? But I would love to know what is going on in the first shot.

37. 10 years

Okay, I have to admit it. When I looked at the first pic my first thought was that is a girl. But nope. This is the same guy in his early 20s and again in his early 30s. The only resemblance I see is the eyes.

38. Pretty much identical

This is the difference between 15 and 23. But I don’t see much of a difference. Her face appears a bit slimmer, but that could just be the bigger smile in the first. And those freckles! I bet she hates them. A cutey, certainly not an ugly duckling—ever.

39. Someone needs to smile

He says it’s taken him two years of working out to fill out. Look at those abs! But after all that hard work, he should be proud of himself. Where is the happy smile?

40. Fashion choices

You know, not everyone can get away with wearing loud clothes. It takes a lot of self-confidence. She went from an explosion of color to somewhat monochromatic, but she was never ugly.

41. Her eyes are amazing

This is a transformation from 15 years old to 22 years old. And she does look entirely different , especially about the nose, but knowing how to use contour makeup is an art.

42. Hmm. Contacts?

Is it just me or do her eyes match her hair in the first pic? It looks like she has green eyes there. Anyway, somewhere between 15 and 26 she settled on a style, and she looks gorgeous.

43. No hiding

Sometime between 18 and 23 he realized he really had no need to be hiding behind his hair. That face should be seen in its entirety.

44. Wow

First of all, he is 18 in the first pic but looks so much younger. He’s 24 in the second, and he is very good looking. And certainly not ugly in the first.

45. Such big eyes

She transformed herself between the ages of 21 and 29 by losing 100 pounds. At either weight she had a beautiful smile and eyes.

46. A whole different look

He really doesn’t look that much different between the ages of 19 and 26 . However, he has significantly changed his look with a different hairstyle and facial hair.

47. Someone looks happy

There’s only a year’s difference in these pictures, but he really worked at his transformation. And I would say the gym membership and skin care regimen went a long way in making him a happier person, based solely on his expression.

48. Someone grew up

He is 18 in the first image, but I think he looks significantly younger than that. But when he finally grew up he did a damn fine job of it. the next picture is him at 23.

49. 11 to 21

I think it was in the cards at 11 that she was going to grow up to be beautiful, since she already was. Such a pretty smile and gorgeous eyes.

50. She looks younger

At 14 in the first image she actually looks like an older woman. And maybe she realized that because she says she started taking care of herself and lost weight. And it paid off!

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