Everyone tells me I'm cute as fuck but every single photo I'm in I look like a sweaty hairy hog of a man mid bender.

I also think I look pretty good (when I'm in shape and dressing well) and the photos still look to me and others "unflattering". I think some people just be unphotogenic. Or more realistically we just aren't using a combination of camera technologies or settings or techniques that would make us look really good but would be ass for a lot of the population and therefore are very far from "the defaults".

The closer you are to the curve the more "a few tweaks" makes a huge difference. The further to the extremes you are the more it's "here's 3 10 page articles on lens theory and light refraction and moisture and posing well and fashion for your body type go and master all of that and you can take an average picture".

Edit: To add/verify what others have said, I look generally fucking terrific in photos taken by professionals in controlled settings with instruction and at appropriate distance. I actually even look good as fuck in my license photo surprisingly. Never once has a friend/myself taken a good photo of me though.