25 People With Strange Deformities

This rural Turkish family has some sort of unidentified disease that causes them to walk on all fours and use “primitive” speech. Essentially, their bodies have developed in a way to resemble those of apes. Scientists still aren’t sure as to what causes the family to do this, but there has been speculation of genetic causes.

This Mexican family has something known as Hypertrichosis, or more commonly as “werewolf syndrome.” Essentially, their faces are completely covered in hair.

A Portuguese man, Jose had a large tumor that had consumed his face and made it hard to breathe. Eventually a surgeon in Chicago was found that would perform the risky operation to remove it. The Portuguese government paid for Jose’s medical expenses, and he now lives a normal life.

We might joke about someone having horns, but did you know that some people really do? Caused by compact keratin projecting from the skin, they look like animal horns. Luckily, they can be removed.

In 2007, an ABC article came out about how Bree, a TV anchorwoman in LA, lives with Ectrodactyly. This disease is also known as “lobster claw hand” because it causes afflicted individuals to have a cleft where their middle finger or toe should be.

The actor has something called Marfan Syndrome, which causes bones to grow longer and joints to be looser. People with the disorder tend to be tall and thing with long arms, legs, fingers, and toes.

Petero comes from a small town in Uganda and suffers from crouzon syndrome. This disease affects the skull, pushing the eyeballs out of their sockets. He eventually received life changing surgery in Texas and now lives a much more normal life.

While he was still in his mother’s womb, Rudy had a twin. Unfortunately, his twin was absorbed into his body. Now he suffers from a condition known as Craniopagus parasiticus or “parasitic twin.” Basically, he has an extra pair of arms and legs sticking out of his body.

The famous Stone Man, Harry had something called Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. In simple terms, his skeleton fused together leaving him only able to move his lips. When he died in the 70’s, he donated his body to science in hope of finding a cure.

Paul has something called Argyria, where the skin takes on a permanent gray/blue tone. It is caused by improper exposure to the element Silver.

Known as Tree Man, Dede is an Indonesian man who suffers from the rare fungal infection known as Epidermodysplasia verruciformis. This condition causes hard fungal growths resembling tree bark to protrude from his skin. In 2008, he received treatment in the United States but the growths came back. There is not permanent treatment for his condition.

Called Turtle Boy by his peers in Colombia, Didier has a disease that causes moles to grow all over his body at a rapid pace. One of the moles grew so large on his back that it looks like he has a shell. He was ostracized by his community until a British surgeon by the name of Neil Bulstrode flew to Colombia and removed the mole, allowing Didier to live a normal life!

Tessa was born with something called Arrhinia, which means she doesn’t have a nose. Fortunately, people with Tessa’s condition can have a plastic nose attached. When it comes to smelling though, Tessa will likely have to live a scentless life.

Dean suffers from something called progeria. People with this disease age very rapidly and rarely live past their teens. Although Dean is only 20 years old, his body is that of a centenarian (100 years old)

Treacher Collins Syndrome is a very rare condition that causes facial deformities. It can affect the development of a person’s cheekbones, jaw, chin, and ears. Plastic surgery can in some cases help.

A young boy from near Lancaster, UK, Declan has something called Moebius Syndrome. Essentially he can’t move his facial muscles including his eyes. Many times this syndrome is accompanies by various body deformities.

The famous actor has something known as cartilage–hair hypoplasia dwarfism, which makes him one of the shortest men in the world…and also a great Mini Me!

Like Rudy, Manar suffers from parasitic twin syndrome. Unfortunately, due to complications during a surgical attempt to separate the twins, Manar eventually passed away.

A Turkish farmer, Sultan holds the world record for tallest living man at 251 centimetres (8 ft 3 in). His gigantism is the result of a tumor affecting his pituitary gland.

Known as the Elephant Man, Joseph is possibly the most famous person on our list. Born in London during the 1830’s, he had proteus syndrome, a disease that caused huge lumps to form on his body.

Polydactyly, or hyperdactyly, is a condition that causes a person to be born with an extra finger or toe. In this extreme case, this boy was born with 5 extra fingers and 6 extra toes! Luckily, doctors were able to remove the extra digits so that the boy could live a normal life and stop being bullied at school.

Due to a strike in the face, a man in Austria has an actual star in his eye. According to a report published in April in the New England Journal of Medicine, people can easily get cataracts following a blow to the face. This man simply had a very special shape to his cataract.

Afflicted with Proteus syndrome, Mandy has the same disease as Joseph Merrick. However, in Mandy’s case, it primarily affects her legs. They grew so large that one of them even had to be amputated.

If you thought having a star shaped pupil was weird, imagine having hair grow on your eye! According to the New England Journal of Medicine, an Iranian man had a tumor just under his pupil that was growing hair! Fortunately, doctors were able to remove it.

Known as Fish Boy, Minh has a strange condition which causes his skin to flake and create scales. Doctors believe it may be due to Agent Orange, a chemical used by the US military during the Vietnam War.