With hair all over his body, an Indian boy has been living with 'werewolf syndrome' since he was diagnosed with hypertrichosis when six.
Lalit Patidar, 17, from Nandleta village of India's Madhya Pradesh state, was first diagnosed with this rare disorder after he noticed a huge amount of hair growing all over his body, unlike his friends. There was no history of such hair growth conditions in his family.
His parents took him to the doctor who revealed his unusual medical condition, also known as hypertrichosis. Only 50 people in the world have been affected by this.
17-year-old Lalit Patidar from India's Madhya Pradesh state diagnosed with a rare disorder - Werewolf Syndrome
© Photo : Twitter/@Tushar_KN
According to Patidar, some children at school used to be scared of him, thinking that he would bite them like an animal, while others mocked him by calling him "monkey man".
Patidar, however, who belongs to a middle-class family of farmers, doesn't feel upset about his rare condition. Instead, he views himself as unique and one-in-a-million.
"I learned many things during my journey, most importantly I got to learn that I am one-in-a-million, I should never give up, and live life to the fullest I always want to move forward and be happy. I am different, but most of the time our differences are our greatest strengths, and I am proud to be me," Patidar told Indian media.
Since there is no cure for his condition, Patidar's parents worry a lot about him and his future.