35 Women Share Photos Of The Before And After Of A Life-Altering Change

For most people making the decision to enforce a change is not an easy feat. Weighing the pros and cons, accepting the probably outcome and deliberating on the risks involved can be an unexpectedly heavy mental strain for most people.

Though we stress out about the potential repercussions resulting from change, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Today we take a moment to applaud the brave women who decided to follow through with a small change and took the necessary steps to make that happen. They put their misgivings aside and took the plunge, only to find that the final outcome was so worth it and we are here for the feel-good moments as evidenced below.

#1 This Week Was Officially 1 Year Post Double Jaw Surgery For Me

#2 When You Said “New Year, New Me” And You Actually Meant It

The story goes like this: Poor mental health and depression. Manifests as addiction. Food addiction. Gained 80 lbs. Hated my body. Had two kids. Body didn’t change except for more stretch marks and loose skin. Continued to feel bad about myself. Relationship with children’s father ended. Became a full-custody single mom. Health issues started arising after a decade of being obese. I was in my mid-30s at this point. In 2020, a year after the split, the thought, “I can’t die yet! My kids need me!” crossed my brain. After a good chunk of trauma processing, something inside me said “Let’s goooo“. And I lost 74 lbs in 9 months via intermittent fasting and keto. Health issues cleared up, which included Type 2 diabetes. And I also be feeling cute now or whatever. The demons haven’t left, but I’m more equipped to handle the mfs. Now I’m 40 and it doesn’t feel like it at all. And Redditors DM me now. Which has been a life goal of mine. JK.

#3 5 Months Ago I Was Completely Bald Due To Chemo. Here I Am Today

For anyone going through hair loss due to cancer, keep on going!

#4 Finally Embracing My Curls After Straightening For 16 Years

#5 Finally Got Bangs. Should Have Done It Long Ago

#6 From Damaged And Over Processed Because I Wanted Blonde Curls So Bad, To Tight, Healthy Curls And Embracing My Natural Dark Hair. You Live And Learn

#7 I’m Free!!

1 Week Post Op And I Was Originally A 38i. They Took Off Over 1000g On Each Side And I Couldn’t Be Happier

#8 Lost 152 Lbs In Two Years. Natural Progress

#9 (22) Extremely Depressed And Relied On Drinking To Get Through The Day – To Now (27) Sober, Extremely Happy To Be Alive And Feel Blessed Every Day

#10 On The Fence About Surgery? I Had The Duodenal Switch And I Have Lost A Total Of 385lbs

#11 8 Year Glow Up. Finally Embracing My Natural Color And Curls

#12 After 2 Years And 9 Months, They’re Finally Off

I’m still not sure how I feel about my smile. It’s growing on me. I’ve had the same crooked smile for so long, I feel strange with a straight one. I have a minor lisp from wearing the braces but I’m sure that will clear with time.

#13 (22) To (27) – Yoga Completely Changed My Mental And Physical Health

Started putting myself and my health first in 2023 and started practicing yoga and Pilates in June 2024 and absolutely fell in love with it! Completely changed my mental and physical health. Went from overweight and depressed for years to no longer needing medication and down 5 pants sizes. Feeling much more confident and like a brand new person.

#14 Two Years Ago, I Decided To Make A Change. 50 Lbs Later, I’m Training For A Half Marathon And Wore This To Work Today

#15 26 To 30. Recovered Alcoholic, Quit Smoking A Pack A Day, Developed The Skincare Routine That Makes Me Glow, And Blasted My Forehead With Botox

#16 I Gave My Mumma A Makeover

#17 After Years Of Contemplating, I Did It. From Zero Brows To Nano Brows. I’m So In Love And My Life Is Literally Changed I Could Cry

#18 Exactly One Year Of Hair Growth! Had To Make The After Pic A Bit Larger Than The Before Cause My Hair Is Too Big

#19 Depression Hair Before And After

#20 Before And After! Tired Washed Out Ginger To Brunette Bob

#21 Before vs. 6 Weeks After Double Jaw Surgery. I’m Actually So Embarrassed That I’m Posting This Picture, But Go Get That Surgery

#22 Transitioned For 11 Months & Just Got My Big Chop! Before And After

#23 Lasers Changed My Life

#24 20 Days Post-Op Bilateral Tmj Replacement And Upper Jaw Surgery Lefort Type 1

#25 November 2010 vs. March 2020 – 4 Years Of Braces, Double Jaw Surgery And A Whole Lot Of Smiles Later

#26 Today Marks 1 Year Since My Jaw Surgery

#27 Before And After Of Me Doing My Moms Makeup

#28 20 And College Dropout On The Left … 23 And Nurse On The Right :-) The Biggest Change I Made Was Self-Love

#29 Went For A Big Change

#31 I Gave My Mom (Who Suffers From Debilitating Depression And Trigeminal Neuralgia (Often Referred To As The ‘Su***de Disease’)) A Makeover

It was the first time I’d seen her genuinely smile in a long time. She kept saying she couldn’t believe she “could still look this beautiful anymore”.

#32 From Two Weeks Sober, To Two Years

Two years ago today, I decided I wasn’t going to let m**h rule my life anymore. I worked to completely change my life and get sober, and I am the happiest mother and wife I can be.

#33 1 Year Difference In My Face. 135 Pounds Down Gastric Bypass

#34 Lost 120 Lbs In 18 Months. Can We Appreciative The Face Glow Up

I know most of the posts in here are body pics of progress, which I’ve posted in here, too…. but can we appreciate the face glow ups, too?! I am so used to the way I look at 145 lbs now, I was shocked when I went back and saw some old photos from my heavier weight. Moments like this really help you appreciate how far you’ve come!

#35 2016 (23) To 2024 (31)

Shanilou Perera

Shanilou has always loved reading and learning about the world we live in. While she enjoys fictional books and stories just as much, since childhood she was especially fascinated by encyclopaedias and strangely enough, self-help books. As a kid, she spent most of her time consuming as much knowledge as she could get her hands on and could always be found at the library. Now, she still enjoys finding out about all the amazing things that surround us in our day-to-day lives and is blessed to be able to write about them to share with the whole world as a profession.