BEARDED LADY
I’m a girly girl and spent $10k trying to remove my facial hair – it just kept growing back so now I’m embracing it
She is now also a role model for others with female facial hair
AFTER trying her best to fight off facial hair, one bearded - and brave - lady has finally been able to accept herself for who she is.
Thousands of dollars later, she has also learned some important lessons along the way and has even become a role model for others.
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Tori Sunshine has been living with facial hair since her mother first noticed two "very long" black hairs on her chin at the age of 13, over two decades ago.
Tori was put on birth control but nothing was stopping the growth of her facial hair, prompting her to start shaving every day from the time she was 16.
While she was still a teenager, she also developed an eating disorder.
“I started gaining weight faster than my peers," she said.
In addition to struggling to keep her secrets hidden, Sunshine was diagnosed with a condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes painful periods.
At the age of 20, she decided to try laser hair removal, but her first round wasn't much more successful than any other attempt to stop the growth.
Now 34, she has since spent $10,000 on laser hair removal treatments.
After realizing she could no longer afford the pricey laser procedure, Sunshine was finally able to see the light.
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The Boston-based digital creator began to embrace her beard without letting it completely define her.
She realized that her facial hair was just one part of her, not the full picture, even if that's what she feared was the only thing most people saw.
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“I was always upset about the facial hair. I always thought, 'Are they noticing it? Can they see it?'" she said.
“I’m a girly girl. I don’t love the look of it aesthetically," she added.
“There are so many other things about me that make me worthy and wonderful."
Still, once she got a bit older and was able to afford treatments again, she decided to give her goal of stopping her hair growth another shot.
She was even able to hide her particular condition from her husband, a travel nurse.
While she started noticing some progress, the hairs continued coming back, leaving her feeling "defeated."
“There was so much hair," she said.
Not one to easily give up, she wanted to inspire other females to become more comfortable with their own facial hair.
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She then began sharing her story on social media and is now a role model for those finding themselves in similar hairy situations.
“I want to normalize girls who grow facial hair," she said.
“There was nothing I could do about it. “I told myself I should accept. It’s a part of my life. Deal with it.”
”I just want everyone to know this is normal. You are not alone. There are so many amazing things about you. Your condition can feel so defining.
“Don’t let it rob you of your big beautiful life.”
She was touched by the outpouring of comments she received, especially from those who could relate to her situation.
“If I had seen myself back then it would have been life-changing," she said.
“I needed to show up for myself and all the other girls.”
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Though she still shaves sometimes, she is nowhere near as self-conscious about her appearance as she once was.
Now putting her best face forward, she will usually go almost a week at a time without touching her facial hair.
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“I know now there are so many different things about me that are amazing and great."
“This is just one tiny thing about me," she added.
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