40 Side-By-Side Photos That Show Just How Much Things Can Change

Before and after photos have a strange kind of power. With just two images placed side by side, they can tell a full story of time, effort, healing, loss, growth, or pure coincidence. They make change visible in a way words rarely can, which is probably why the internet never gets tired of them.

So when someone on Reddit asked , “What are some of the most interesting before and after photos?”, people showed up with receipts. The replies ranged from wholesome and inspiring to shocking and oddly emotional. Some showed years of hard work paying off, others captured unexpected transformations, and a few were simply proof that time can completely rewrite reality.

Here are some of the most interesting answers Reddit had to offer, each one reminding us that a single photo can freeze a moment, but two photos can tell an entire journey.

#1 [98 Lbs > 114 Lbs = 16 Lbs Gained] (12 Months) My Marfan Syndrome Keeps Me On The Thin Side, But I Think I Look A Lot Less Sickly Now!

#2 M/22/5’11” [99lbs > 150lbs = 51lbs] Anorexia My Recovery

#3 F/22/5’5 [190 > 129 = -61lbs] I Used To Be Afraid Of Having Short Hair Cause Of The Weight In My Face. Today, I Said Goodbye To The Old Me And Embraced My New Life!

#4 Facial Reconstructive Surgery From 1916

#5 The Ones Seen In /R/Progresspics And /R/Loseit Are Super Inspiring, Especially People Who Have Lost Over 200-300 Lbs

F/26/5’6” [425lbs > 149lbs = 276lbs lost] After two and a half years, I’ve done it. I’ve reached my goal weight! I am over the moon and overcome with pride and joy. So grateful for this new life!

#6 Before And After The Kiev Riots

#7 M/44/5’10” [418 > 171 = 246] 04/17 To 12/18

#8 I’m Pretty Proud Of It!!

#9 Here’s A Before-And-After Of My Cleaned Bedroom

#10 Joined Slimming World UK In July 2017 – May 2020. 520.5lb – 380.5lb – 215lb

#11 R/Progresspics

There’s a lot of interesting body changes there: fat to thin, skinny to muscley, underweight to normal weight. It’s a very positive community there too, very friendly

#12 Hiroshima

#13 Paschendaele Before And After Ww1

#14 M/10/13” [32lbs -> 26 Lbs] 8 Months Later, Puggy Feels So Much Better

#15 Before And After The Joplin, Missouri Tornado Of 2011

#16 MT. St. Helens Before & After 1980 Eruption

#17 This Series / Blog, Which Takes Google And Bing Street View Photos Before And After The Collapse Of Detroit

#18 F/24/5”8 [304>145=159lbs] Hey Look MA, I Made It

#19 NYC 1876-2013

#20 Before And After Of The Buddhas In Afghanistan, Look How Large They Were

#21 Christchurch New Zealand, Before And After The 2011 Earthquake

#22 Before: Fort Collins, Co On October 25th 2011 After: Fort Collins, Co On October 26th 2011

#23 Middle School (Age 12) —> Now (Age 21)

#24 Tacloban City Before And After Supertyphoon Haiyan/Yolanda

#25 Our Back Patio.. When We Moved In / 3 Months Later

#26 15 To 22! Still Working On Confidence

#27 M/28/6′ [285 > 180 = 105lbs Lost] (6 Years). Face Progress: I Ran Into An Old College Friend Today Who Literally Refused To Believe It Was Me Because I Am “Unrecognizable”

#28 This Photo-Project Always Made Me Smile By Irina Werning. Back To The Future

#29 2005 vs. 2014

There’s a park where I walk the dog every single day. We’ve been going there for over a decade. It used to be a nice quiet park, hardly ever saw anyone else there.

Then they ripped parts of it up, built a little gated community on one side, and built a huge office building right in the #$%^&* park. Now it’s insanely crowded and littered, and people get mad at us for having dogs there.

I took some pictures there in 2005 (years before they started all that)

#30 21-31

#31 Shanghai 1990-2010

#32 This Actor From Disney Who Was..quite Fat When He Was A Teen

#33 A Small Look At The Evolution Of War Planes

#34 Before And After UV Damage

#35 The Wonders Of Plastic Surgery

#36 Sattelite Photos Of Japan Before And After The Tsunami

#37 Dubai

#38 Tomorrowland, When It Started In 2005 Compared To 2014

#39 Both Pictures Taken From My Balcony At 9.30pm. First Picture Taken On June 6th, Second On January 10th

#40 Me At 11 vs. Me At 22

Saumya Ratan

Saumya is an explorer of all things beautiful, quirky, and heartwarming. With her knack for art, design, photography, fun trivia, and internet humor, she takes you on a journey through the lighter side of pop culture.