My hair becomes my worst enemy during the height of summer when humidity takes over and leaves it unruly and untamed. But, seriously, I'm no longer allowed to complain because Shanyna Isom has an even bigger beauty dilemma: Isom has a rare skin disease which only permits her to grow human nails instead of hair. Yikes! Nails in place of hair?!
The 28-year old Criminal Justice student first started experiencing these strange changes in her body after being placed on steroid medication to combat an asthma attack. Her skin tone began to darken inexplicably and soon she developed bumps on her legs that left doctors baffled.
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Isom underwent many exams and treatments for conditions ranging from eczema to staph infections, but medics were unsuccessful finding the cause. Finally, the young woman was admitted to Johns Hopkins hospital where it was discovered that her hair follicles were producing 12 times as many skin cells as hair cells. In other words, she was making nails instead of hair!
The condition took a toll on Isom's ability to sit and walk, but after seeking appropriate treatment, she now has the ability to take strolls with the assistance of a cane. Her health wasn't the only thing that suffered during this time. Her medical expenses are rerported to be tallying at about $250,000!
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Much to Isom's dismay, she is the only woman in the world with this rare condition. As a result she created the S.A.I. Foundation meant to raise money to help pay her medical bills and others who may suffer from similar conditions.
As females we take pride in our looks and put a strong emphasis on beauty–especially our hair. The fact that Isom is lacking the one thing that makes us feel beautiful must be difficult to deal with. Here's to hoping that doctors can find a cure for her unique disease and other women who may be suffering from similar conditions.
Embedded content: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Rw5wak9aRg&feature=player_embedded
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Image via YouTube
