Little girl born with ‘werewolf syndrome’ is dubbed ‘child from heaven’ by Malaysia’s king and queen as her family are invited to meet the royal family

A two-year-old girl who was born with a rare ‘werewolf syndrome’ has been dubbed a ‘child from heaven’ by Malaysia’s royal family. 

Little Adik Missclyen, from Bintulu, has congenital generalised hypertrichosis, an extremely rare condition that causes her to grow excessive facial and upper body hair.

She and her family had the chance to meet Malaysia’s monarchs this week when the Sultan and his queen visited her hometown while touring the island of Borneo.

Adik and her parents, Roland Jimbai, 47, and Theresa Guntin, 28, were among the residents that lined up to meet the royals on September 11.

Sultan Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah and his consort Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah greeted the little girl.

The Malaysian royals meet with the two-year-old 

In a heartfelt gesture, the royal couple referred to the child as ‘anak syurga’, which translates to ‘a child from heaven’.

Sultan Abdullah expressed words of encouragement to Mr Jimbai before he and the Queen stopped to pose for pictures with the family.

Mr Jimbai told local media: ‘It was worth the wait when Sultan Abdullah, Tunku Azizah and their children met up with our family and took pictures with Missclyen.

‘I am incredibly happy that we had the chance to meet the King and Queen. I am still at a loss for words.

‘The King told me to take care of Missclyen as she is God’s blessing.’

He added: ‘I hope to meet the royal couple again if possible.’

Mr Jimbai told local media: ‘It was worth the wait when Sultan Abdullah, Tunku Azizah and their children met up with our family and took pictures with Missclyen.

He said that people often give his youngest daughter strange looks, adding that some even call her the ‘animal child’.

He said: ‘Initially, we were really hurt and felt stressed. We felt upset and began avoiding bringing her to public places, except for hospital follow-ups.

‘We were so afraid of what people were going to say.’

Mr Jimbai added that the girl’s rare condition does not affect her health, but they take her for occasional medical check-ups just to be sure.

Two year-old Missclyen, pictured with her father Roland Jimbai, has a condition that causes excessive hair growth

Missclyen was born with the rare condition, which causes excessive hair growth on her face

Missclyen’s father said some people can be cruel about her looks, with some calling her the ‘animal child’

Missclyen is otherwise a healthy little girl, only needing to visit the doctor for check-ups, her father said

What is hypertrichosis?

Hypertrichosis is the term used for the growth of hair on any part of the body in excess of the amount usually present in persons of the same age, race, and sex.

It is a very rare condition which patients are either born with or develop later in life. 

It excludes excessive hair caused by abnormally high levels of male hormones.

Throughout history those afflicted have been a source of great interest and they have performed in travelling circuses and freak shows. 

A Nepalese mother and her children with hypertrichosis, also known as ‘werewolf syndrome’ (file photo)

Excessive hair may cause cosmetic embarrassment, resulting in a significant emotional burden.

Treatment options are limited, and the results of therapy not always satisfactory.

No single method of hair removal is appropriate for all body locations or patients, and the one adopted will depend on the character, area, and amount of hair growth, as well as on the age of the patient, and their personal preference.

Treatment methods include cosmetic procedures, bleaching, trimming, shaving, plucking, waxing, chemical depilatories, electrosurgical epilation, and hair removal using light sources and lasers.

Laser-assisted hair removal is the most efficient method of long-term hair removal currently available. 

Source: American Journal of Clinical Dermatology