Guinness World Record for world’s hairiest face on a man: Lalit Patidar’s condition makes him literally one in a billion

A young man from India has set the Guinness World Record for the hairiest face on a man after it was determined more than 95 per cent of his face is covered in hair.

Lalit Patidar, 18, was born with an extremely rare condition called hypertrichosis, which causes excessive hair growth anywhere on the body.

The condition is sometimes known colloquially as ‘werewolf syndrome’ and, according to Guinness World Records, affects one in every one billion people.

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He travelled to Milan, Italy, where he met with a local trichologist who shaved and measured sections of his hair to confirm Patidar had set a new record.

The 18-year-old was thrilled when his hair measured in at 201.72 hairs per square centimeter of skin and his record was confirmed.

“I am speechless, I don’t know what to say because I’m very happy to get this recognition,” he said, via Guinness World Records.

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Patidar is confident with his hypertrichosis and shares his experience with the condition on social media, where he has 260,000 followers on Instagram and 100,000 on YouTube.

Though he has been ostracised by his peers in the past, the young man has found acceptance and friendship by speaking openly about the condition.

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There are two types of hypertrichosis: generalised hypertrichosis, which is when hair grows over the whole body, and localised hypertrichosis, which is where it only grows in one area.

Patidar’s condition appears to be localised to his face, head and chest.

Hypertrichosis can affect men and women, but is so rare only 50 cases have been documented since the Middle Ages.

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There is no cure for the condition but even if there was, Patidar has made it clear he’s comfortable exactly the way he is.

When asked about comments he often receives from strangers online suggesting he should cut or shave his excess hair, the 18-year-old simply said: “I like how I am and I don’t want to change my look.”

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