This is the beautiful piebald baby girl born with a rare genetic condition that leaves her with a striking streak of white skin down the centre of her face and a lock of white hair.
The four-month-old girl, whose unique appearance has captivated social media, was born in the town of Moncao, Maranhao in northern Brazil and is named Olivia.
Her distinctive features are caused by piebaldism, a rare genetic disorder that results in patches of skin and hair lacking pigmentation due to the absence of melanocytes in those areas.
The baby’s mother, 19-year-old Nayra Hellem da Silva Ferreira, deeply moved by the attention, shared her story to raise awareness about the condition and emphasise the beauty of diversity.
When she saw her newborn for the first time, Nayra was a little surprised, but she already knew that this could happen, since the girl’s father has the same condition.
Piebaldism is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, meaning a single copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.
The condition is benign and does not affect the individual’s health, but it can sometimes be associated with social challenges due to its visible characteristics.
Piebaldism, while rare, has been documented throughout history and has no known cure. Management typically focuses on education and support to help individuals cope with its visual effects.
To monitor her daughter’s condition, Nayra has already scheduled an appointment with a dermatologist in another city.
The mother said: “I want to know more about her condition and what treatments should be used on her skin because it is more sensitive.”
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