A child has been dubbed the ‘Lizard Boy’ because a rare condition means his skin turns into scales.
Five-year-old Zhasulan Korganbek, from Kazakhstan, suffers from severe ichthyosis, which causes tan and grey
scales on his limbs and across his torso.
The condition also affects his ears and face, can vary in severity and improves in fine or sunny weather.
Zhasulan Korganbek suffers from severe ichthyosis, which causes tan and grey scales on his limbs and across his torso
Despite local media labelling him ‘Lizard Boy’, ichthyosis stems from the
Ancient Greek word ichthys, meaning ‘fish’, because of the similarity of the
dead and flaking skin to fish scales.Â
Zhasulan inherited the condition from his mother, Ulbibi,
who is a carrier of the abnormal gene.
Although a carrier mother shows no evidence
of the condition, there is a 50 per cent risk of it
being passed on to children .Â
This gene affects the rate at which their skin regenerates –
it either causes them to shed old skin too slowly or to produce new skin cells
too quickly. Either way, it causes a build-up of rough, scaly skin.
Now, thanks to a huge fundraising drive, Zhasulan is to fly to Israel for treatment which it’s hoped will help him lead a normal life.
An abnormal gene affects the rate at which their skin regenerates – it either causes them to shed old skin too slowly or to produce new skin cells too quickly. It causes a build-up of rough, scaly skin
Generous donors touched by his plight contributed £24,000 to help fund his treatment, through concerts, raffles and other events.Â
While there is no way to prevent ichthyosis occurring, the Israeli clinic he is heading to pioneers
treatment using lasers, creams and salt water baths.
Zhasulan has already had a month of treatment at a hospital in Almaty – the
capital of Kazakhstan. Some tough scales and encrusted skin were removed, but much more remains
to be done.
He said this week: ‘I don’t want to be a lizard anymore. I want to be normal.’
His 26-year-old mother also spoke out in praise of those who donated. ‘I want my son to be healthy, so he will live a fully normal life, like
all the other kids. I sincerely thank the people for their support.’
ICHTHYOSIS: THE SKIN CONDITION THAT CAUSES ‘SCALES’
Ichthyosis is a chronic skin condition that causes the skin
to become thick, dry and scaly.
There is no cure but most patients can manage the condition
successfully with a daily skincare routine.Â
There are many variations of the disease, most of which are
inherited.
 Most people with ichthyosis have inherited a faulty gene
from their parents.
This gene affects the rate at which their skin regenerates –
it either causes them to shed old skin too slowly or to produce new skin cells
too quickly. Either way, it causes a build-up of rough, scaly skin.
Symptoms usually appear within the first year of life.
In some cases they can be very severe and result in
overheating, because of reduced ability to sweat, limited movement, because the
skin is too dry and painful to bend, and skin infections.
 The main treatment option is following a strict skincare
regime.
 Source: NHS Choices
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macshar,
Ireland,
4 hours ago
Poor little might I hope the treatment is sucessful
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