Beauty
‘People Call Me Chewbacca Because Of My Excess Body Hair – I Started Shaving When I Was 8’
Never let people tell how you should feel or be.
Samantha Allen has a condition named Hirsutism, caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). As a result, she has excessive body hair, making her a victim of cruel bullying and taunting. “People called me Chewbacca, fat b**ch, a man,” Samantha reveals as she opens up about her condition via Instagram.
Samantha Allen has opened up about how abusive childhood bullies named her Chewbacca.
The 28-Year-Old had been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome and Hirsutism.
While growing up in New York, the 28-Year-Old revealed she didn’t even know many of the people who were being cruel to her and, at a point, had no choice but to begin shaving her legs as early as eight years old. She added she even grew thick facial hair from the age of 11.
She started shaving her legs at age 8, and by the time she was 11, she was already growing hair on her face.
“I didn’t even know half the people bullying me, and I was certain I didn’t know them,” she recalled.
Allen’s excess body hair prompted taunts from her family members, and she also struggled with her weight for years. Despite being active and sporty, the Oklahoma-based has been more than 19st at her heaviest. When she was 25, Allen had been rushed to the hospital with near organ failure and from there knew she had to do something about her weight.
PCOS causes the ovaries to become bigger than they should be and develop small cysts on the outer edges.
It causes symptoms such as irregular periods, weight gain, hair loss, oily skin, and acne.
“I felt like I was going to pass out and [was] extremely weak,” Allen said of the experience and added it was a complete wake-up call. In 2019, Allen had gastric bypass surgery and had lost an incredible seven since then. As the weight has shed off her, confidence has improved, leading her to share the journey with her audience on Instagram.
In addition to her excessive body hair, Allen also struggled with weight gain.
At 25, Allen underwent weight loss surgery after being in the hospital on the verge of organ failure.
The NHS Website estimated about 1 in 10 women in the UK suffer from PCOS. The condition causes irregular periods (or no menstrual period), weight gain, thinning hair on the head, and acne. And Samantha says she’s experienced many of these issues on her journey with PCOS.
After her bariatric surgery in 2019, she lost 100 pounds and felt confident enough to share her photos.
Two years post-op, Allen is nine months pregnant with her first child.
However, Allen still receives cruel remarks from trolls but tries not to let them bother her. Similarly, many women have opened up to her about their own experiences with PCOS, and she’s delighted that her pictures and stories have inspired others in their journeys.
She still receives cruel remarks from trolls but tries not to let them bother her at all.
