We all go through some awkward years, it's true, but these former ugly ducklings made a complete 180-degree turn as far as their looks go. They started off with braces, bad haircuts, questionable outfits, and some pretty unhealthy habits, but as they grew older, they underwent such a glow-up that showed anything can change if you set your mind to it. Check out this list of ugly duckling teens turned drop-dead goregous adults, and see if you can spot who went through the biggest transformation of them all.
A Life Lesson Of Self-Worth
In this girl’s “ugly duckling” transformation post she wrote: “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.”
She would have not have grown into the beautiful (inside and out) and resilient young woman she is if it hadn’t been for those rough experiences.
An Attractive Young Man
This is a glow up case that is probably not too hard to relate to. If it didn’t happen to us, it definitely happened to someone we know. Obviously, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a bit chubby.
But the amazing transformation this kid experienced really shows the motivation and the perseverance to work on himself as he grew into an incredibly attractive guy.
Everything Can Change In A Few Years
A few years are enough to completely transform a person, be it for better or for worse. Thankfully for this guy, it was definitely for the better.
Different from the other before and after “ugly duckling” pictures, this guy decided to detail his transformation with the changes he experienced over a few years. With that incredible change in appearance, he might as well become a movie star.
What The Right Haircut Can Do
At first glance, it’s really hard to believe that the same person is pictured in both of these photos. When one woman saw the “ugly duckling” trend on social media, she knew she had to share her sister’s unbelievable glow up.
She shared a picture of her while in middle school, which pretty much signified the epitome of the wrong haircut and the questionable choice of clothing.
A Glow up Eight Years Later
Eight years is a long time, but for this guy, it was the perfect amount of time he needed to prove to the world that he was indeed a stunner. In the first selfie, he wears glasses, has a pretty lame haircut, and has chosen an "interesting" way to wear his beard.
Today, he is proudly flexing those muscles, has finally chosen the right haircut, and has grown to become a stunning young man.
The Mullet Transformation
If this guy isn’t the perfect example of why we should never wear mullets, then we don’t know who is. No matter how stunning a person may be, the combination of braces and a mullet is an instant killer, and this guy was no exception.
Thankfully, time was on his side and he has now figured out the looks that make him the stunner he has always been.
From Puberty To Adulthood
Puberty is hard, and that’s a fact. Not only with our physical appearance and our uncontrollable hormones but also with the constant pressure to figure out who we really are and where we fit in.
And while some teenagers handle those years worse than others, this stunner clearly handled himself well, as he blossomed into a handsome and confident young man.
Eight Grade Versus Senior Year
With the caption: “So this is me in 8th grade and this is me now as a seniorת” this guy took all of his social media followers by surprise, even the ones who knew him since his younger years.
Nothing like a few years, some exercise, growing his hair, and letting that smile shine to show the world just how handsome he is.
What A Few Workouts Can Do In Three Years
Though three years may pass much faster than we anticipate, they are, in fact, just enough time to allow a person to flourish beautifully. For this guy in specific, we can easily see just what some healthy eating and persistent workouts can do to a young man.
He didn’t just glow up physically, but also looks like the years let that self-confidence shine.
From Freckled Brat To The Perfect Jawline
There is something incredibly innocent and dreamy about freckles, so it might not be right to call this kid an “ugly duckling”. Yet, when he shared his growth with his friends and family on social media everyone was in complete awe.
The young boy who once had his face covered with freckles ended up growing into what looks like a stunning movie actor.
Moving Fast Forward
Yet another inspiring story of personal transformation. The truth is that we all have a ton of inner beauty that is sometimes suppressed by the way we look on the outside.
For this guy in specific, all he needed were a couple of years to let that glow up happen. Since then, his physical appearance matches his inner beauty.
A Substantial Improvement
This is easily one of the best transformations on this list. The girl, who shared on her social media page “I feel like I’ve improved a bit” has most definitely improved a whole lot.
The combination of her haircut and the difficult years that come with puberty mustn’t have been easy to deal with, but she has certainly grown up to become a stunning young woman.
Do You Have A Younger Brother?
Now this guy’s caption was absolutely hilarious. When he shared his “ugly duckling” story, he confessed that many people asked him today if he has a younger brother.
This means that people find him wonderfully attractive, and wonder if there is a younger version of him in the family. Little do they know that his younger self didn’t quite have the same looks he has today.
From 15 To 21
Only people who have had acne really know the pain of battling it as a teenager. Not only does it affect a person physically, but it also takes a toll on how we feel inside.
So when this guy gracefully got out of his traumatic acne experience as a teen, he can now say that his struggle was definitely worth it. The 21-year-old has become an absolute stunner.
It’s What’s Inside That Matters
Sure, it is what’s inside that really matters, but we all care about the way we look to a certain extent. Unfortunately, physical appearance matters much more than it should in our world.
This young woman had the most beautiful smile when she was younger, and now, she has grown up to not only have a beautiful smile, but to be a very attractive young woman.
From A Grandma To A Stunning Young Woman
It's no secret that the “grandma-style” is just more comfortable. After all, it can take some time to figure out our personal style and to realize how exactly we’d like to express ourselves.
For this young woman, time was definitely beneficial - though she was the cutest thing ever, she decided to leave her geeky grandma-style to become the latest stunner in the house!
Putting The Mega-Awkward Stage Behind Her
Some people say that the past should definitely stay in the past, and for this young lady, that’s probably not so hard to agree with. Though she had the cutest quirky style when she was younger, at some point she decided it was time to grow out of it.
She can now confidently say that the awkward stage of her life is now in the past.
Not Sure What Happened Here
Sometimes, people grow up to look much younger than they did when they were younger. For this guy in specific, the mustache and overall style were definitely not working to his advantage.
In a couple of years though, he decided to get rid of the mustache and to go through an entire transformation that has basically rejuvenated the way he looks. Nothing like a few years to make everything better.
A Good Looking Young Man
It’s often said that it’s the attitude that matters, and not the looks. For this guy though, the looks sure did influence the way people looked at him, at least to a certain extent.
So when he sarcastically shared on his social media, “Man, I was good looking,” his friends and family had to admit that the years had definitely been kind to him.
From 13 To 22
Now here’s a picture that proves how nine years can go a long way. Though the same look is clearly there, we can confidently say that this guy is no longer “an ugly duckling”.
His personal transformation can easily serve as a successful example for others who are in the look for some motivation. Nothing like time and perseverance to create the change we need in our lives.
A Necessary Change
Now here’s a perfect example of why a bowl cut is never a good idea. For this young lady, the combination of a bowl cut with no eyelashes and lipstick while she was still in first grade must have been a confusing experience.
A few years later, and with a new haircut and a cute cat, she is now a stunning young woman.
Who Would Have Thought
Okay, to be completely honest, the first picture doesn't look bad at all. But to be fair, nothing like some exercise and a cute baby to put things in a completely different perspective.
When he shared his transformation, this guy jokingly said, “Who would have thought that the first guy would ever reproduce?” Well, we’re glad he did because he now seems like a happy dad.
A Satisfying Before And After
Sometimes it doesn’t only take time to figure out who we are, but it takes strength and confidence to go against the norm. For this guy, his transformation was much bigger than a physical glow up.
In his caption, he painfully shared, “Before, depressed, in the closet, overweight and after, doing my thing in Chicago.” Today, he seems to be a self-confident young man who has found his place.
Same Smile, Different Man
It’s stunning to see what some exercise, healthy eating, a haircut, and a change in style can do to a person. If we look at the first picture, we can hardly believe that the same guy is standing in the picture on the right.
Though the cute smile is exactly the same, everything else has undoubtedly evolved for the better and we love it!
Handsome But Still Socially Awkward
This guy loves to keep things realistic. Though he has changed quite a bit with the years, it seems like his reserved character and social awkwardness prevails and he is somewhat proud of it.
On his profile he shared: “Here’s me then shy, socially awkward, big-eared and unlucky with ladies, and here’s me now; socially awkward, big-eared and unlucky with ladies.”
Is This The Same Person?
Though for some people it’s a bit easier to grow up and glow up, for others it can take some more time. This young woman, for example, certainly needed some time to blossom into the stunning girl she is today.
From the picture on the left, we can clearly see that the haircut and the high shirt style wasn’t working out for her, thankfully, she grew into a stunning young woman.
Not So Creepy Anymore
When this girl shared her before and after “ugly duckling sequence her friends and family couldn't have found it funnier. In the caption, she wrote, “I think I got less creepy over time.”
Though some would jokingly contest that caption, her looks seem to have really improved steadily as time passed. The impressive stare that she had when she was younger definitely stayed.
From 1999 To Today
Okay, if there is one person that really took advantage of growing older it was this girl. She gracefully showed that growing older most definitely has its advantages, and can often bring to the surface some of the beauty that has been hidden for years.
Not only did her style improve, but we can clearly see that her self-confidence did too.
Things Turned Out Okay
Honestly, many of us may have once looked at our old photos and thought to ourselves, “Maybe things did turn out okay in the end.”
The struggles we go through during puberty often seem like they might never end, but they do, it just takes some growing up to do. For this guy, it was definitely beneficial to remind himself that things did improve for him.
A Significant Change
The transformation that this guy went through clearly shows that five years can go a long way when it comes to transforming ourselves.
In 2006, this young man seemed to be at the peak of his puberty years, battling acne and of course, a terrible haircut (what’s up with the haircuts?). In 2011, he had already grown to be a handsome young adult.
Full-Fledged Triplets
There is nothing more satisfactory than seeing three human beings becoming fully-fledged together!
These three brothers decided to join the challenge by sharing a before and after picture of the three of them together with the very appropriate caption, “Three ugly ducklings then and three full-fledged geese now.” The three young men have surely grown into some seriously handsome human beings.
The Rough Times Are Over
Middle school can take a huge toll on us. And while some of us struggle continuously, others do their best to find their place. For this girl, it was definitely a challenge surviving those tough puberty years.
As talented as she clearly is, unfortunately, fitting in often becomes more crucial during those times. Thankfully, she has found her place.
Could It Be The Same Guy?
Some transformations are so epic that one has to wonder if we are looking at the same person in the before and after photo. Though the expression on his face does prove that this is definitely the same guy, the overall physical transformation is uncanny.
Though he also did rock the chubby look when he was younger, he has grown pretty nicely!
Weight-Loss Transformation
When this guy confessed, “Perhaps it wasn’t ugly duckling, as much as it was kind of overweight duckling.” He thought it was time to share his transformation.
He wasn’t so much of an ugly duckling at all, perhaps he just needed to gain some confidence and live a healthier life. After that important transformation, he seems to be much more confident in his own skin.
From A Boy To A Man
For some boys, it definitely takes a little bit longer to grow and to become a man. So when this guy shared his “ugly duckling” story and admitted with his caption that, “It took me some time to finally become a man.” Many people would definitely agree.
Still, no matter how long it took, the wait was probably worth it since he has become a handsome young man.
An Interesting Glow Up
Though this guy humorously shared that, “I don’t think I’m anything special but the before picture cracks me up,” we can certainly say that he is something special.
Sure, the before picture couldn’t be funnier and quirkier, but again, there's just something about a handsome man holding a baby. It’s safe to say that it looks like he will be an awesome dad.
Twenty-Five Years Of Transformation
Twenty-five years is a lifetime, and a lot of time to go through a meaningful transformation. This guy, who wrote, “25 years of transformation… dear teens, you’re fine just as you are,” got a little bit philosophical with his insane transformation.
He importantly reminded us that those awkward stages of puberty do pass and that in the end, we will all be just fine.
“Ugly Duckling” Versus Now
For some young people growing up is literally the thing they look forward to the most. Though many of us wouldn’t necessarily categorize this young woman as an “ugly duckling” when she was a kid, she was definitely going through those confusing years.
With time, she clearly lost the extra weight and most importantly, gained some crucial self-confidence. You go, girl!
Bye Bye Childhood Innocence
Though it might be hard to realize it when we are younger, there is something very beautiful about the innocence we experience in our childhood.
However, there is certainly something magical about growing up, especially if that means that we get to finally be our real and better selves. Though this girl has always been stunning, she has surely grown up to be even more beautiful.
From Middle School To Adulthood
Yet another incredible transformation from middle school to adulthood that proves time may be all we need. The future certainly looks very bright for some young women, especially if it means letting go of those harsh years of middle and high school.
This young woman certainly looks like she has a bright future ahead of her after such a significant improvement.
The Change Of A Lifetime
This guy probably didn’t have the easiest time in school. In order to make things right, he hopped into the “ugly duckling” trend with a strong statement, “Remember that fat kid in 9th grade? That was me.”
Now in university, he seems to be doing very well for himself. He not only lost some weight but also worked on his self-esteem quite a bit.
A Very Late Bloomer
This late bloomer painfully shared, “I was always the 'ugly' friend and never had guys like me until years after high school. I had cystic acne since age 13 and was bullied immensely in high school”.
Though she had a very hard time in school, this young woman showed that her resilience was much more powerful than any bully out there.
Growing Into A Clark Kent Lookalike
This Zorro fan grew up to look like Clark Kent and we’re all for it! The young man was asked why he wanted to be Zorro when he was younger and he confessed it was because he was a big fan of Antonio Banderas.
Either way, though he has not become Zorro he is now a fine man.
Five Years Apart
Now here’s another phenomenal transformation in such a short amount of time. If we look closely at the before picture, she had a completely different style and posture.
Over the years, it seems like she made some important decisions about her lifestyle and flourished into a stunning person, inside and out. If she keeps working on herself that way the sky may be the limit.
A Less Insecure Young Woman
Growing up in a world where social media basically dictates the way we should look and the way we should behave can really take a toll on any person’s confidence.
As this woman shows, the journey she took in becoming a more confident woman was crucial in her life. Today she is no longer sad and insecure and has the brightest future ahead of her.
It Takes Time To Improve
First things first, it’s hard to say if this guy was an actual “ugly duckling” or if things just weren’t working out for him in this picture.
Still, the second picture does pinpoint a huge improvement in the way he looks. He now looks like a fully-fledged young man who is ready to grow even brighter.
Growing Into A Stunning Butterfly
That awkward puberty phase all of us have gone through is a great reminder that things do get better with time. This girl was another teen who most definitely benefited from the gift of time, as she left her “nerdy” style behind and has now risen into a butterfly.
She can now look proudly look at her younger years and confidently say that she is stunning.
A Small But Significant Transformation
Okay, so to be completely honest, this guy didn’t change that much between the two pictures. Yet, something about him looks particularly refreshing in the second photo.
It could be that he looks a bit slimmer, but also the fact that he reflects some very necessary maturity in his “now” picture. And we can’t say that the beard doesn’t look great either!
What A Few Years Can Do
While for some of us it might not be that triggering to look at our before pictures, for some of us it might be extremely hard.
For this guy, for example, things definitely started looking up when he grew up. Next to the picture, he wrote the caption, “I cringe at my before picture. What a handful of years can do.”
From Third Grade To Senior Year
There’s quite a bit of time between third grade and senior year, and this young lady sure made that time count. Though she wasn’t particularly what would be categorized as an “ugly duckling”, she sure changed quite a bit since the age of 10.
After she got rid of the glasses and tried different haircut things started looking up for her.