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An 11-year-old "werewolf" boy who desperately seeks a cure for his condition is baffling medical experts.
Pruthviraj Patil is one of 50 in the world who suffers from hypertrichosis, a rare genetic condition known as Werewolf Syndrome.
As a result his face and body is covered in thick, matted hair.
But he is hoping doctors will one day find a cure for his ailment.
Born in the Indian district of Sangli, near Bombey, he hardly ever leaves his village because of his fear of being traunted by strangers.
The only parts of his body that are not covered with hair are the palms of his hands and soles of his feet.
The son of a well off farmer, his parents have tried homeopathy, traditional Ayurvedic remedies and laser surgery. But none of them have worked.
It is believe his genetic condition was caused by a flaw during pregnancy.
"Why did God do this to us," his 32-year-old mother Anita pleads. "He looks so odd and whever we go people throng to see him."
Plastic surgeon Vinay6 Saoji has examined the boy and confirms that the condition is very rare.
"Hairy nevus, where a person has patches of excess growth, or hirsurism, is not uncommon, but hair persisting all over the body is very rare," he added.
Pruthviraj says he is anxious to get the hair removed but even after laser treatment it simply grows back.
The doctors don't have any answers to his predicament.
When he first went to school he said he got bullied and the other children laughed at him. But now they have got used to him and they treat him like normal.
He appealed to the doctors to help find him a permanent cure.
- June 30, 2008
Pruthviraj Patil is one of 50 in the world who suffers from hypertrichosis, a rare genetic condition known as Werewolf Syndrome.
As a result his face and body is covered in thick, matted hair.
But he is hoping doctors will one day find a cure for his ailment.
Born in the Indian district of Sangli, near Bombey, he hardly ever leaves his village because of his fear of being traunted by strangers.
The only parts of his body that are not covered with hair are the palms of his hands and soles of his feet.
The son of a well off farmer, his parents have tried homeopathy, traditional Ayurvedic remedies and laser surgery. But none of them have worked.
It is believe his genetic condition was caused by a flaw during pregnancy.
"Why did God do this to us," his 32-year-old mother Anita pleads. "He looks so odd and whever we go people throng to see him."
Plastic surgeon Vinay6 Saoji has examined the boy and confirms that the condition is very rare.
"Hairy nevus, where a person has patches of excess growth, or hirsurism, is not uncommon, but hair persisting all over the body is very rare," he added.
Pruthviraj says he is anxious to get the hair removed but even after laser treatment it simply grows back.
The doctors don't have any answers to his predicament.
When he first went to school he said he got bullied and the other children laughed at him. But now they have got used to him and they treat him like normal.
He appealed to the doctors to help find him a permanent cure.
- June 30, 2008
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