Harnaam Kaur - Youngest Female With A Full Beard

Harnaam Kaur, a 24 year old British-Sikh model with six-inch long facial hair, was inducted into the Guinness World Records a the youngest female with full beard on September 8, 2016.

Image Credit: Paul Michael Hughes/Guinness World Records

She suffers from condition called polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) which causes the body to produce more male hormone, which triggers excessive growth of facial or body hair. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, this syndrome affects upto 10% of women worldwide.

Image Credit: Louisa Coulthrust/Urban Bridesmaid

Kaur says she started growing facial hair at age 11. During her early teens, Harnaam was so ashamed of her beard that she resorted to waxing twice a week. She also tried bleaching and shaving to get rid of it to maintain smooth, hairless skin. She also went through an immense amount of bullying which left her feeling so depressed that led her to consider ending her life.

Harnaam, who says she had a lot of support from her younger brother and friends, stopped using her razor for good after her decision to be baptised as a Sikh, the practice of allowing hair to grow naturally, without cutting it, is seen as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God's creation.

'When I first started growing my beard it was for religious reasons but as the years have gone by I've kept it for more personal reasons,' she said in an interview conducted after her photo was included in an exhibition celebrating the world's best facial hair.