This odd condition is also called Werewolf Syndrome, because of the abnormal amount of hair that grows on the patients, lending to an appearance that is similar to a werewolf. Hair may grow over the entire body or may be restricted to a particular area. Hypertrichosis can be apparent at birth or it can present itself at a later time in life. It is diagnosed via the appearance of excess hair in non-androgen sensitive regions in relation to age, gender and ethnicity of the patient. In non-medical terms, the doctor is going to look for lots of hair in really weird places. Prior to understanding the syndrome, individuals with hypertrichosis were subject to working in freak shows and circuses. Surely, their condition was only lending credence to the werewolf mythos. One of the more famous persons with hypertrichosis was Julia Pastrana, a woman from Mexico, who worked as a bearded lady for exhibition tours throughout North America and Europe in the mid-19th century. She was often marketed as an animal-human hybrid or a Bear Woman. Additionally, Pastrana also suffered from gingival hyperplasia, an enlargement of the gums, giving her features a more animalistic look. Upon her death, she was mummified and horrifically placed on display. Eventually, the Mexican government succeeded in bringing her home and had her buried in a location near her hometown. There is currently no cure for hypertrichosis; however it can be managed through hair removal methods, including depilatories, shaving, epilation methods and electrolysis. Some individuals, like Danny Ramos Gomez, do not remove their hair and see it as a normal condition. In a report to ABC News, Gomez states I play football, I play video games. I go to the movies. I am the same as everybody, except what you see on my face, thats all. What a far cry from the werewolves of myth.
