A woman who has a condition meaning she has excess body hair says cruel trolls have called her "Chewbacca."
Samantha Allen, from the US state of Oklahoma, has a condition called hirsutism, which is caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
After suffering cruel bullying and taunting for much of her life, the 28-year-old is now proudly talking about her condition on Instagram, news.com.au reports.
She said: "People called me Chewbacca, fat b**ch, a man."
Samantha added that while she was growing up, she "didn't even know" many of the people who were being cruel to her.
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The NHS website estimates about one in 10 women in the UK suffer from PCOS, which can cause irregular periods (or no period at all), hirsutism, weight gain, thinning hair on the head, and acne.
And Samantha says she's experienced many of these issues on her journey with PCOS.
Growing up in New York State, she says she first experienced symptoms when she was young - shaving her legs as early as eight years old.
She added she was growing thick facial hair from the age of 11.
While at school, Samantha's excess body hair made her the victim of cruel bullying which she says only got worse - even including taunts from family members.
She has also struggled with her weight for several years due to her condition. She claims to have always been active and sporty, but has been more than 19st at her heaviest.
When she was just 25 years old, Samantha was rushed to hospital with near organ failure - and realised she needed to do something about her weight.
"I felt like I was going to pass out and [was] extremely weak," she said, adding the experience was a "complete wake-up call."
Knowing she'd struggle to lose weight on her own, Samantha had gastric bypass surgery in 2019 - and has lost an incredible seven stone since then.
As the weight has fallen off her, Samantha's confidence has improved, leading her to share her journey with her Instagram followers.
Do you have a real life story to share? Email jessica.taylor@reachplc.com
She says she still receives "hateful comments" from trolls, but tries not to let it bother her and focuses on the positives instead.
Many women have opened up to her about their own experiences with PCOS since she began to share her story.
She said: "Seeing my pictures and story out there helps them in their journey as well."
