Doctors in India were surprised to see a baby boy born with thick dark hair that covered more than half of his body. Doctors from the CHC Bawan in Hardoi, Uttar Pradesh, were initially stumped when the child’s mother gave birth to the infant.
The baby had dark locks that blanketed over 60% of his body. The doctors decided to transfer the care of the newborn to a specialist, Dr. Ikram Hussain. He diagnosed the child with giant congenital melanocytic nevus, a condition in which patients will grow an abnormally dark, noncancerous skin patch. The patch will eventually grow to at least 40 centimeters (15.75 inches) across, and excessive hair growth can occur. Additionally, this can occur in one out of 20,000 infants worldwide.
While the ailment seems cosmetic at first glance, the child has a high chance of complications. Giant congenital melanocytic nevus can cause skin-producing cells to form in the brain and spinal tissue, which can lead to seizures and even worse, brain tumors.
Image credit: Jam Press Vid/Rare Shot News via The New York Post