An 18-year-old Indian, Lalit Patidar, has entered the Guinness World Records as the person with the hairiest face, a feat attributed to a rare condition known as hypertrichosis, or “werewolf syndrome.”
GWR, in a statement on its website, confirmed that Patidar holds the record for the hairiest face on a male, with an average of 201.72 hairs per square centimetre.
The condition, which leads to excessive hair growth, covers over 95 percent of his face.
Expressing his excitement over the recognition, Patidar said, “I am speechless, I don’t know what to say because I’m very happy to receive this recognition.”
The statement from GWR highlighted the rarity of his condition, noting that only about 50 documented cases have been recorded worldwide since the Middle Ages.
“He is one in a billion and certainly a special person,” the organization stated.
Despite his achievement, Patidar’s journey has not been without challenges. He recalled being ridiculed and stared at by strangers, while classmates were initially afraid of him.
“They were scared of me, but when they got to know me and started talking to me, they realised I was not so different from them. It was just my appearance that was different, but inside, I am the same,” he shared.
Although he has learned to embrace his unique appearance, some people have suggested that he remove his facial hair.
Responding to such remarks, he said, “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.”
Determined to share his story, Patidar has invited people to follow his journey through his YouTube channel.
He recently traveled to Milan, Italy, to appear on the television show Lo Show dei Record, where his facial hair was officially measured by a trichologist to confirm his record.
