Harnaam Kaur has embraced her beard
Harnaam Kaur suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome YouTube

A brave young woman has come to terms with having a fully grown beard after years of taunting by the public.

Harnaam Kaur, of Slough, Berkshire, suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome which causes excessive hair growth.

She used to wax twice a week and wear baggy clothes to cover her hair.

Why would you cut your own 'kes' off when it was supposed to be there regardless of whether it's a fully grown beard

But since she became a Sikh at the age of 16 it has helped her to embrace her facial hair as it is a major part of her religion.

In Sikhism, Kesh or sometimes Kes, is a custom that allows one's hair to grow naturally as a symbol of respect and perfection as God's creation.

"I would never ever go back now and remove my facial hair because it's the way God made me and I'm happy with the way I am," Kaur told the Daily Mirror.

"I feel more feminine, more sexy and I think I look it too.

"I've learned to love myself for who I am nothing can shake me now."

Although she admits it has been a 'bad rollercoaster' after experiencing bullying at school, being called 'beardo', 'shemale' and 'sheman', and even receiving online death threats.

"I can laugh about it now but back then it affected me so badly that I began to self-harm because it felt better than all the abuse I was getting.

"I'd talk to people with a hand over my face and I wore baggy, tomboy clothes to cover up the hair on my chest and arms."

Since embracing her beard she has been receiving positive messages from women in the same situation as her and even received a marriage proposal from one man.

The primary school assistant has since taken to YouTube to encourage other young Sikh women to follow her lead and gain the strength she has.

She said: "It's a major part of Sikhism. The reason why we do not cut our 'kes' (hair) is because it is our limb. You wouldn't go ahead and cut your finger off because it is a bit bent. Why would you cut your own 'kes' off when it was supposed to be there regardless of whether it's a fully grown beard?

"It was a really bad rollercoaster for me but at the end of the day you come out of it so much stronger. You come out of it feeling on top of the world."