Excessive body hair growth is the hallmark of the rare disorder known as werewolf syndrome, or hypertrichosis in scientific parlance.

The phrase "werewolf syndrome" comes from the myth that people with hypertrichosis can turn into wolves because of their excessive hair, and this idea is rooted in the idea that humans can change into wolves.

Learning what is Hypertrichosis?

Hypertrichosis, sometimes referred to as werewolf syndrome, is an uncommon disorder marked by excessive hair growth that can spread across the body or just appear in certain places.

Hyper-, which means "excess," trikhos, which means "hair," and -osis, which means "formation," are the Greek roots of the term "hypertrichosis," which describes a medical disorder marked by excessive hair growth on the entire body.

Ulisse Aldrovandi wrote in his posthumous Monstrorum Historia cum Paralipomenis historiae omnium animalium in 1642 that Petrus Gonsalvus from the Canary Islands was the first person to have hypertrichosis documented.

There are two main types of hypertrichosis: acquired and congenital.

Congenital hypertrichosis:

This kind of hypertrichosis is frequently inherited genetically and manifests at birth. Its ability to impact people throughout generations suggests a genetic component.

Congenital hypertrichosis can manifest as a stand-alone illness or as a component of a syndrome with additional developmental defects.

Acquired Hypertrichosis: 

As opposed to congenital hypertrichosis, acquired hypertrichosis appears later in life and is frequently linked to underlying illnesses such hormonal abnormalities, drug interactions, or cancers. Depending on the underlying etiology, acquired hypertrichosis can have a transitory or permanent course.

Clinical presentation & Symptoms

Excessive growth of hair on any region of the body is the primary symptom of werewolf syndrome. Often impacted regions include the back, chest, arms, and face.

The hair growth might be coarse and terminal, resembling scalp hair, or fine and vellus, resembling peach fuzz.

In extreme circumstances, people might resemble werewolf representations found in legend, with a lot of dark, dense hair covering their bodies.

Apart from the obvious physical sign of abundant hair, most people with hypertrichosis do not have any additional symptoms associated with the disease.

Living with such a noticeable difference can, however, have a substantial psychological impact and result in low self-esteem, melancholy, and social anxiety.

What is the pathophysiology?

Numerous factors can lead to hypertrichosis. One of the reasons has to do with,

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