Meet the Tree Man

While reading my fave enterntainment gossip site, one odd featured photo captured my eyes. A photo of a man covered with root-like growths all over his body. He is popularly called as the Tree Man of Indonesia. Look below his photo.



Dede, a 35 year old man living in a remote village in Indonesia has a very rare skin condition: he is suffering from abnormal skin growths that protrudes out of his body, like from his hands, face and feet. This looks like branches that can grow up to 5cm a year, slowly covering his entire body. With a condition like this, living a normal life is impossible.

According to Dede, as a teenager, he suffered from simple cuts which thereafter began growing like tree warts all over his body. The warts then worsened into mossy, braching growths, virtually leaving him debilitated. With this condition, he had lost his job and was marked as the village freak. To make things worse, his wife left him with two kids that needs to be supported.

In an attempt to help Dede, a world expert in skin conditions, Dr. Anthony Gaspari, from the University of Maryland travels his way to Indonesia. He was more than anxious to know the mysterious condition that weltered Dede. He took skin samples for biopsies back in the USA. What he found out is that, Dede is suffering from HPV or Human Papilloma Virus. Usually, this disease is curable. Unfortunately, in the case of Dede, he happens to have a rare genetic flaw, wherein his immune system is as weak as someone with AIDS. This is the reason why his entire body is almost covered with unsightly warts.

The chances of this genetic fault? Less than one in a million. Fortunately for Dede, proper treatment and several surgeries offer the promise of a normal life. The doctor is also trying to get more American support for this special patient.

Below is the photo of Dede after 4lbs of warts were removed:

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