Ratlam (MP):A teenager from Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam has been suffering from rare 'werewolf syndrome' since his birth. The boy is covered in hair from head to toe leaving many shocked as they look at him for the first time.
Lalit Patidar, 17, a student from Nandleta village, has been ridiculed by people so much so that some of his classmates dread him while the rest make fun of his appearance. 'Werewolf syndrome' or hypertrichosis is characterised by an abnormal amount of hair growth all over the body.
The condition is so rare that it is believed that only 50 people have had it since the Middle Ages. Lalit's whole body is completely covered in hair. His classmates call him "monkey boy" and say that they are afraid he will "bite" them.
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"When I was young, people use to consider me an incarnation of (Hindu deity) Hanuman. People used to be afraid of me but now in the family, I live as usual. Doctors have said there is no cure for now but once I turn 21, I can go for plastic surgery," Lalit told ETV Bharat.
"My parents say that when I was born, the doctor had shaved me, because I had long hair all over my body. By the time I was about 7, I noticed hair started growing all over my body. After a while when I used to come out of the house, people would throw stones at me. The children would get scared that I might come to bite them like a monkey or a bear.
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After that, my parents took me to the doctor, where the doctors treated me. Doctors said I had hypertrichosis and said that there are only 50 people in the world who suffer from this disease as it was very rare," the teenager said. None of his members have hypertrichosis. Lalit comes from a normal family. His father is a farmer and his mother is a housewife. At present, Lalit is studying in class 12th and in his spare time helps his father by working in the fields.
"I want to be one of the best YouTubers. I like technology and computers a lot," he said and sought help from the government in getting him treated.
