*** EXCLUSIVE *** ***STRICT ONLINE EMBARGO UNTIL 00:01 MONDAY 17/02/2014*** SLOUGH – UNITED KINGDOM – UNDATED: Harnaam Kaur, 23, at her home in Slough, England. MEET the 23-year-old girl whoís growing a beard ñ and says she feels more feminine than ever. Harnaam Kaur, from Slough, suffers with polycystic ovary syndrome, which causes excessive hair growth. She was just 11 years old when it started appearing and she spent her teenage years desperately trying to remove it by waxing TWICE a week and covering her body in baggy clothes. The primary school teaching assistant endured vile abuse at school and strangers would stare at her on the street. Harnaam became so self conscious she refused to leave her house, except to go to lessons, and at her lowest point she began self harming and even considered taking her own life. But, at the age of 16, she finally found the courage to accept her facial hair after being baptised as a Sikh. The religion dictates that the body should be left in its natural state and body hair must be left to grow. The decision proved controversial with her family but Harnaam was determined to show that she was beautiful no matter what she looked like. Today, seven years on, she says she is more body confident than ever before and hopes her story will help other women in her situation. UK Office, London. T +44 845 370 2233 W www.barcroftmedia.com USA Office, New York City. T +1 212 796 2458 W www.barcroftusa.com Indian Office, Delhi. T +91 11 4053 2429 W www.barcroftindia.com