Lyla-Grace Barlow is one special kid. But her unruly blonde mane has been a source of strife for her parents Alex and Mark Barlow, who have tried everything to tame her locks.
“When Lyla was little, her hair used to stand up like Sonic The Hedgehog. It’s so hard to get a brush through it and she cries when I try. But we tell her to embrace her hair because it’s so rare and beautiful,” her mum, Alex told The Daily Mail.
But finally science has given the Barlow’s an answer to Lyla-Grace’s unique hair. Her condition is called ‘Uncombable Hair Syndrome’, and is so rare it is estimated only 100 people worldwide suffer from it.
The condition is caused by a gene mutation which causes the hair follicle to be heart-shaped rather than round or oval. This leads to frizzy, coarse, straw-like strands that become silvery, blonde or white over time. It also doesn’t sit flat as the hair strands grow in different directions.
The gene mutation is hereditary and is recessive, so the couple’s two other daughters aren’t affected by the condition. Scientists from Germany have recently confirmed Lyla-Grace’s condition, identifying the gene responsible for this condition as PAD13.
Surprisingly, Albert Einstein is said to have also suffered from this condition, which made for one adorable Halloween costume for Lyla-Grace.
“We dressed Lyla up as him for Halloween one year and we didn’t even have to buy a wig. There can’t be many kids who can pull Einstein off with their real hair.”
Although this is a real condition, claiming Uncombable Hair Syndrome is not an excuse for not brushing your hair.
