In pictures: Meet 'Dakota the bearded lady' who embraces facial hair confidently
Dakota Cooke, 30, has Hiruitism, which is abnormal hair growth since age of 13 which is why she used to shave her face twice a day
August 10, 2022
A woman from Las Vegas with excessive body hair growth decided to quit removing her hair and embraced her natural beard.
Dakota Cooke, 30, had Hiruitism, which is abnormal hair growth since the age of 13. As a girl, she used to shave her face twice a day and had weekly wax appointments.
Cooke suffered from anxiety and discomfort as she felt judged for her facial hair, reported Daily Mail.
Cooke got herself tested for multiple conditions but it is still unclear why she has excessive facial hair. Some doctors believe her adrenal glands might be producing high levels of testosterone.
However, now Cooke has fought her anxiety and spreads positivity on social media to inspire more women with facial hair.
Cooke said waxing was extremely uncomfortable and that shaving her body left multiple scars and rashes on her legs which she had to hide.
In 2015, following a friend's advice, Cooke decided to embrace her facial hair.
She said that in the beginning, it was hard for her to not "shave it off again".
"I remember the first time someone tried to take a picture of me after I'd had my first inch of growth, and I got plenty of stares," Cooke recalled.
Now, the same woman markets herself as "Dakota the bearded lady". Her family and friends support her decision and fans on TikTok send her lots of love too.
