A mom from Georgia is raising awareness and positivity after learning that her one-year-old son, Locklan, was diagnosed with uncombable hair syndrome (UHS), a rare genetic condition that around 100 people worldwide.
In an interview with Good Morning America, Katelyn Samples, the boy's mother, said she learned about her son's condition when a stranger messaged her on Instagram after seeing a photo of her youngest son, Lockland Samples. The stranger asked if her son has been diagnosed with uncombable hair syndrome.
Uncombable Hair Syndrome
Uncombable hair syndrome (UHS) is a condition that normally causes dry, frizzy hair that could not comb flat. The rare hair starts growing at the age of three and may show up until the age of 12. Scientists say that they know of only 100 cases in the world. However, doctors warn that they might be more cases that doctors do not diagnose because the condition goes away in childhood.
Symptoms of UHS show as early as the age of three in kids with strawberry-colored or blond-silvery hair. A child with UHS may grow a normal amount of hair. However, it grows more slowly. The hair stands out from the scalp and grows in a different direction. Combing it flat against the scalp is simply impossible.
Although the hair is more fragile than in people with no condition, constant brushing and grooming the hair may likely cause more damage.
Other symptoms that kids with UHS have included having coarse hair texture, dry hair, white-colored hair, kinky hair, and patchy baldness on the scalp. Its hair shaft, when viewed under a microscope may have a triangular or kidney-shaped form.
Doctors say that there is no cure for UHS, but it will go away at the start of puberty. To take care of the hair, doctors suggest the use of soft brushes and avoiding harsh hair treatments.
Soft and fuzzy hair
Katelyn first noticed that something was different with Lockland's hair when at five months, his hair was growing straight up and it is so soft and fuzzy. The mom thought nothing of it until a stranger messaged her about the syndrome.
Fearing the worst, she researched online whatever she could learn about UHS. Katelyn was relieved that Lockland's condition was solely cosmetic.
After learning about her son's condition, she also reached out to other parents around the world who share the same condition with her son.
So far, Katelyn said that Locklan's hair has low maintenance as they only wash it once a week
The mom said that Locklan has earned a little celebrity status because of his hair. A lot of people would ask their permission to touch it.
On the other hand, there are also people who would make rude, mean, or sarcastic comments about his son. Some haters would say his hair is crazy, and that he looked like he stuck his finger in the socket.
Katelyn said that her biggest message is to celebrate what makes you stand out and make a difference.
