Teen diagnosed with 'one in 1,000,000,000' werewolf syndrome breaks world record for 'hairiest face'
A young man has set a new global record for having the most hair-covered face.
Lalit Patidar from India suffers from an exceptionally scarce condition called hypertrichosis, commonly referred to as werewolf syndrome. According to Guinness World Records, only about 50 cases of this unusual condition have been documented since medieval times, making Lalit truly exceptional—one in a billion. To evaluate his condition, the 18-year-old had to journey to Milan, Italy, to be examined by a trichologist and appeared on the television program, Lo Show dei Record. The assessment revealed he possessed 201.72 hairs per square centimeter of skin, establishing a new world record for facial hairiness.
Lalit expressed being "speechless" about receiving such recognition, stating: "I don't know what to say because I'm very happy to get this recognition." In his conversation with Guinness World Records, he remembered how his schoolmates feared him during his childhood.
"They were scared of me but when they started knowing me and talking to me they understood I was not so different from them, and it was just on the outside that I looked different, but I'm not different inside," Lalit explained.
Though many people with hypertrichosis might choose to remove their facial hair, Lalit has decided to keep his. When asked about his response to suggestions that he should shave, the young man replied: "There is not much to say to people about that. I tell them that I like how I am and I don't want to change my look."
Given his distinctive appearance, Lalit has gathered quite a following on social media with 265,000 followers on one of his Instagram accounts. He also maintains a YouTube channel with 108,000 subscribers where he shares videos of his everyday life.
In other record-breaking news, Tomiko Itooka, previously the world's oldest person, died in December. She had claimed the title in August 2024, having reached 116 years of age. Tomiko attributed her longevity to her specific morning habit of consuming a banana and Calpais, a yogurt-flavored Japanese dairy drink. Her family also credited her active lifestyle for her remarkable lifespan. Guinness World Records notes: "A devout Buddhist, she completed the Saigoku Kannon Pilgrimage (a journey to 33 temples in the Kansai region) in her eighties. And aged 100, she remained able to climb the stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without the aid of a walking stick."
