Have you heard of Lizzie Velasquez, labeled the “world’s ugliest woman”? Or maybe you’ve cracked one too many “Yo’ Mama” jokes in your youth? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that our society is very much looks-oriented, which means that anyone who’s outside the scope of “normalcy” will be shunned one way or another. The truth is that our standards of beauty can be harsh. Social media magnifies this, often showcasing individuals with physical differences as objects of ridicule. However, behind these differences often lie medical conditions or diseases.
Dwarfism
People who are shorter than 4 feet 10 inches often have a medical condition that is caused by slow or delayed growth. It is surprising to know that there are hundreds of different causes of dwarfism, each with different symptoms and characteristics. Early surgical, medicinal, hormonal, and other treatments are available for both types of dwarfism. Although height doesn’t affect intelligence or lifespan, the mental battles these people must go through every day are exhausting.
Argyria
The skin condition, known as Argyria, is caused by being exposed to silver dust or a certain silver compound. It makes ones skin turn greyish or bluish in color. The local form of Argyria can also affect the mucous membrane or the conjunctiva. Although the silver deposits are not clinically harmful, they are cosmetically undesirable. But no matter how harmless it may be, if you look different, people will ridicule you.
Cleft Lip
It’s not okay when people point fingers at someone’s face and compare it to that of a hare. Cleft palate and cleft lip are physical deformities that happen when a baby’s face doesn’t grow properly in the womb. Sometimes, the gap on the lip can go all the way up to the nose. It can also open up into the mouth, making it hard for babies to eat and, later on, to speak. As bad as it sounds, the worst part is how society treats them.
Obesity
In today’s world, everyone seems to be obsessed with being skinny, and if you’re overweight, you get so much flack that you decide to just roll with it. This problem becomes even worse for people who are obese and not just chunky. Being obese can be caused by a lot of things, like eating too much and not getting enough exercise, but sometimes it’s more complicated than that. Things like genetics, medication, mental health problems, or hormone imbalances can also contribute to obesity. So, “eat some salad” is not always a warranted response.
Skin Discoloration
Some people have random white spots on their skin that are especially noticeable if they have darker skin. This discoloration can spread all over one’s body, hair, and even eyes, sometimes messing with their vision. This may be caused by different skin conditions like hypomelanosis, Vitiligo, Albinism, Tinea versicolor, and more. Even though some of these conditions can be treated with steroids, UV light, or even skin grafting, they’re often complicated and can have nasty side effects. So next time you see someone with discolored skin, don’t be a dick about it.
Progeria
Progeria is an uncommon genetic disorder that causes early aging and physical deformities. The initial signs typically appear within the first few months after birth, characterized by localized hardening of the skin and difficulty gaining weight. It doesn’t get any better after that. As the child grows older, more symptoms, like hair loss and facial dysmorphia, appear. Those with Progeria have fragile, small bodies with wrinkled skin and resemble elderly individuals. While they typically have normal mental and motor development, they almost never live past twenty.
Arrhinia
Everyone’s making fun of Voldemort for his weird face, but what if such a condition was a reality? Known as Arrhinia, this rare congenital abnormality affects the person’s face and skull. The exact causes of this condition are not yet known due to its astronomical rarity. People affected by Arrhinia have no sense of smell and also lack sinuses, which can cause breathing difficulties.
