Missionary Encounters Extremely Bizarre Skin Condition In Eastern Europe

[Strengthandhonour]

pics at the site. it's gross. you have been warned.

Missionary Encounters Extremely Bizarre Skin Condition In Eastern Europe

A friend of mine has a relative who is a missionary in Eastern Europe. He recently shared photographs and the story of a man he is caring for, who has an extremely bizarre skin condition. The man has keratin-like matter growing out of the skin on hands and feet, which started when he was young, and very slowly continues to spread and grow. The areas begin as skin lesions, and the matter sprouts from those spots. The growths are very difficult to remove, and the man has so far just had to learn to live with it. There are a few medical precedents to this man's case, but nothing is certain until more tests are done. In the meantime, the missionary is helping to make life easier for the man. Click "continue" below for more photos. The missionary writes...

"I found this man, and other than his hands and feet, he looked and seemed in good health. As best as I could gather these growths began when he was 14 years old, and began in the area of his wrists. The skin on his wrists and the back of his hands resembles that of a hedgehog - hundreds of spike like growths. The problem is much more severe on his palms and fingers where the growths resemble very much that of nails infected with a fungus. The growths have that same texture, smell and feel. I cut a number of the largest growths off, most of witch did not bleed. Some of the smaller growths did bleed a small amount and he seemed much more sensitive to the cutting of the smaller growths. I soaked his hands first in 3 WEA (phenyl mercuric nitrate) and then began. The 3 WEA did help to soften the growths but they still took time to cut through, or sand down, but it worked just as it does with these types of nails on normal hands or feet. I was able to pull many of the smaller growths off applying steady pressure and slowly pulling. But after 1.5 hrs there was not a noticeable change as there are hundreds and hundreds of growths. There was also quite a bit of dissolved material in the bucket of 3 WEA after we finished.

On his feet I did not cut anything, but tried two different solutions of salicylic acid, one a bit weaker than the other, and also a freeze spray wart remover.

I met his mother and brother (they all live together) and their skin looked very normal. They all eat the same foods and he and his brother sleep in the same bed.

It has grown slowly but steadily but has not spread to other parts of his body, just a bit below his knees on his legs. He has other skin growth (many would be skin tags) on his face, and some moles on his chest. The growths are not as bad on his feet but I was told that more than 10 years ago many we cauterized off his feet, and they did not return. I think with repeated soaking and cutting most could be removed but other parts will I think need to be burned away in some form."

I emailed the missionary a few more questions:

Is there a medical term for this man's condition?
Doctors here have called it Lewandowsky-Lutz, though I have not been able to find any pictures of this condition to compare.

Has any analysis of the matter growing off of his skin been done?
There was 18 years ago, when they came up with the name of what they thought it was. He has not been treated since then.

When do you understand that this started with him?
He is now 38 and it started when he was 14, on one wrist. He never returned for treatments as he felt the first cauterizing was effective in that the growths did not return to that area, but felt they grew more quickly in other areas.

Does the man have any other unusual symptoms?
He appears healthy other than the growths. He has 15 skin tags on his face, and a wart in one ear.

Have there been any theories about this man's past, something he might have done, ingested, or places he's been to... that may have caused it?
As he says he did not do or eat anything his brother did not do or eat, and his brother appears to be perfectly normal, not yet. I am currently showing the pictures to veterinarians, as I am also considering that maybe this is something he got from an animal (pig, sheep, cow).

Does it look like the man's condition is treatable or curable?
Curable, I don't know. But with ongoing thorough cleaning, creams, soaking and cutting - it will be much better for him.

source: WFMU\'s Beware of the Blog: Missionary encounters extremely bizarre skin condition in Eastern Europe

[Thief of always]

OMFG!!!!!! I guess this kind of thing inspired Stephen King Dream Catcher's bairum-virus disease. I think this migh has something to do with Chernobyl though...

hmm, thanks, now I won't sleep that well tonight...

[FlashVoyager]

Woo That's beyond belief... They must have quite a tough life.

[Vincent]

I've seen a thing similar to this in a fairy tale, but this is

[Strengthandhonour]

It looks like that guy has fried chicken growing on his hands and feet..
I warned you Ed Gein

[Menydh]

Originally Posted by Ed Gein

I think this migh has something to do with Chernobyl though...

hmm, thanks, now I won't sleep that well tonight...

It's actually in Romania.

There is a follow-up with a later report here.
WFMU\'s Beware of the Blog: Missionary encounters extremely bizarre skin condition in Eastern Europe (part 2)

[Vincent]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

It's actually in Romania.

There is a follow-up with a later report here.
WFMU\'s Beware of the Blog: Missionary encounters extremely bizarre skin condition in Eastern Europe (part 2)

oh, what good news for me, lol

[Crvena zvezda]

Originally Posted by Mynydd

It's actually in Romania.

There is a follow-up with a later report here.
WFMU\'s Beware of the Blog: Missionary encounters extremely bizarre skin condition in Eastern Europe (part 2)

I wouldn't doubt it's in Romania. Europe's only leper colony is in Romania.

[Thief of always]

Originally Posted by Crvena zvezda

I wouldn't doubt it's in Romania. Europe's only leper colony is in Romania.

Are you talking about Transylvania?

[Susi]

I am sooo disgusted right now. I'm going to have nightmares.

Thanks s+h. *shivercringe*

I know there was a warning but I thought the picture wouldn't be right there when I looked at the source! AHHH!

[Crvena zvezda]

Originally Posted by Ed Gein

Are you talking about Transylvania?

No. I believe it's in Dobruja near the coast. Leper conolny woudl make no sense in Transylvania.

[Tabitha]

How bizarre, I love strange conditions like this, he must have an abnormal tumour supression gene. I saw something similar last year in a woman in the US, she had the most extreme case of fibromatosis that I've ever seen, it looked like she had dipped herself in glue and then rolled in a box of rice krispies. The poor soul had no insurance and hence had received no treatment, thanks to our ailing NHS, we rarely see such sights.