At age 13, Rose Geil noticed she was not like every other girl when her facial hairs would not stop growing.
The horrified teenager from Oregon realized that she would have to shave everyday so as to keep the stubble at bay.
But after years of shaving, plucking and expensive laser removal procedures, Rose has now decided to accept her beards and is happier and more confident.
Rose, who was very excited with her new decision gushed, "I feel pretty with my beard, and I never felt pretty before. It feels amazing being me."
Rose said first noticed hairs sprout in her sideburns when she reached puberty.
Soon hairs began appearing on her chin, upper lip and cheeks and Rose would have to wake at the crack of dawn to remove the evidence.
Her condition took a toll on her confidence and her social life; Rose refused to attend sleepovers, as she would wake up with stubble on her face.
She said: "I was a little bit of an outcast at my school, I didn't fit in, I didn't wear the right clothes and makeup.
"My friends did not know, I hid it very well. It was exhausting trying to keep it hidden.
"I didn't realise the emotional impact until I was older. I just thought it was regular teen angst when I was young."
While she tried to hide it from her friends and family eventually Rose's mother caught sight of her stubble one Saturday morning when she had forgotten to shave.
But instead of getting the support she wanted, Rose's family decided not to discuss it.
Rose said: "I don't think my parents knew how to support me when they found out about my shaving.
"My mum and I had a brief conversation about needing to stop shaving but of course I knew by then I couldn't. I knew I would never be able to stop.
"My mum was supportive enough and took me to see a doctor and I was placed on birth control pills and other medication but it wasn't really effective."
But while her partners, friends and family were accepting of her fuzziness, Rose soon realised her biggest enemy was herself.
Every day she would dread having to shave her body hair and there were periods where she refused to leave the house.
But finally eight months ago Rose ditched the razors for good.
She said: "I was emotionally drained from trying to hide my beard every day and feeling like I was failing miserably.
"Growing my beard was an incredible experience. It was very difficult, daily emotionally and physically in the beginning because it was very uncomfortable, itchy and crawly.
"I had to fight the urge to shave."
But after six weeks Rose sported a full beard and had grown to love it.
And her friends and family were fans too.
She said: "All of my friends and family are incredibly supportive - they really had no idea how much I struggled and how much it was affecting me.
"People on the street do look at me and do a double take, but their reactions are either positive or neutral.
"I have had people approach me in public and wanted to meet me and shake my hand and tell me I'm brave and courageous and even an inspiration."
But the strongest reaction is online, where Rose's Instagram account has found hundreds of admirers.
Rose said: "Some of them get a little carried away, marriage proposals, offering plane tickets to come visit, inappropriate pictures you name it."
