Megan is embracing her condition (Picture: SWNS)
A 26-year-old woman has revealed how her decision to grow out her natural beard has done wonders for her confidence and self-esteem.
Morgan Coleman says she knew she was different from most girls before she was even a teenager. This was because at age 11, hairs grew on her chin.
She started to shave the hairs off around that time, to avoid being bullied.
However, Morgan has now come to terms with the condition, which is known as hirsutism.
According to the NHS, it can cause women to experience the growth of thick hair on their ‘face, neck, chest, tummy, lower back, buttocks or thighs.’
‘I struggled everyday for 15 years with hirsutism, and after spending a lot of time in hospital recently, I decided it’s time,’ she explains.
‘It’s time to embrace my natural face and, surprisingly, people aren’t as judgmental as you’d think.
‘Of course some people are – and they do say some awful things – but for the most part, more often than not, people are becoming more understanding.
‘I do struggle with self-confidence – after many years of bullying. It does have an impact on your self-confidence, but I am definitely feeling much more confident since I’ve decided to embrace my natural face.’
Morgan Coleman, now. (Picture: Morgan Coleman/SWNS)
From Australia, Morgan is currently not working due to health issues.
As she now looks back on her childhood, Morgan says she experienced a lot of bullying and went to great lengths to hide her condition.
‘It was horrible and isolating,’ she recalls.
‘Both kids and young adults were very cruel. I was bullied severely for many years. I don’t have many fond memories from my school years.
‘I used to get a lot of horrible comments from nasty people saying I was ugly, I’m a freak, I’m a man, I’m transgender.
‘I used to get a lot of comments about my sideburns in particular. There was a stage that every second person that walked past me would comment on them, tell me to shave my face, laugh at me and make fun of me.’
Morgan Coleman, before ditching the razors (Picture: Morgan Coleman/SWNS)
To try and rid herself of the hair, Morgan underwent electrolysis in 2011, which involves using a laser to kill the follicles.
But the treatment didn’t work.
While she had also sought help from doctors, the cause of her condition wasn’t investigated until she experienced menstrual problems in 2019.
Morgan Coleman after one week of growth (Picture: Morgan Coleman/SWNS)
She was subsequently diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in January 2021, which can be a cause of hirsutism for many women.
After receiving the diagnosis, Coleman admits she was given time to reflect on her life after she was hospitalised with Covid-19 in April of this year.
‘I decided it was time to prioritise my physical and mental health and part of doing that for me was to accept the things I can not change,’ she explains.
‘We are all unique. There is nothing wrong with looking different.’
She’s now had her beard for two months. Sadly, not everyone has been kind about it – but she muses that she feels free.
‘I enjoy spreading awareness where possible,’ she notes.
‘I am a believer of creating acceptance and normalising facial hair on women is best done by spreading awareness, answering questions and sharing information.
‘PCOS is such a common syndrome.
‘I am really at peace with it now. It’s difficult to explain, but I feel free – I wake up and that’s now the last thing I think about, it’s wonderful!’
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