With an estimated 8 billion people in the world, there are only about 100 or so known cases of “Uncombable Hair Syndrome (UHS),” and a toddler from eastern England, who has an epic mop of hair, has been diagnosed with this rare condition.
Suffolk-born, Layla Davis, 2, has blonde locks that defy all attempts to comb them straight.
Layla’s mother Charlotte, 28, said her condition—which is characterized by dry, frizzy hair that cannot be combed flat—has earned the little girl the monikers of Boris Johnson and Albert Einstein.
UHS develops in childhood, often between infancy and age 3, but can appear as late as 12 and children who develop it tend to have light-colored hair.
“She was fluffy from when she was about one and then after that, it started growing more and more outwards,“ Charlotte said. ‘'I think I was in denial and kept saying it was going to go flat.”
The mom of two admits that she got Layla tested late because “there’s only one hundred people with it in the world,” and the chances of getting it are so “slim.”
However, Charlotte said she is proud of Layla’s diagnosis because her condition is so “rare.”
Layla’s older brother has noticed that his hair isn’t the same as his sister’s and thus he sometimes strokes his hair and then hers.
Charlotte said Layla gets a lot of attention when she’s out, with strangers approaching her to ruffle her wild locks.
“I don’t know if it’s because other people ruffle and touch her hair but she’s started doing it herself,“ Charlotte said. ”I don’t think she realizes how awesome it is.”
At the time of writing, Charlotte told The Epoch Times that Layla’s hair has grown quite long but still not enough to be put into a ponytail. Layla’s parents have been advised not to wash her hair much since it’s prone to breaking. Layla’s hair is washed once every week unless it’s dirty and needs to be washed again.
“We use simple shampoo and will soon try a special conditioner,” Charlotte said.
However, Layla doesn’t enjoy having her hair washed.
Charlotte wants her daughter to grow up knowing how awesome her hair is, even though she looks different from others.
There is no cure for UHS. However, when one hits puberty, the condition, which is also called spun glass hair, becomes manageable or one finds that it’s completely gone by the time the teenage years begin.
She admits that she'd be sad if Layla grows out of the condition since she believes the toddler “rocks the look.”
According to Charlotte, everyone who knows Layla describes her as a happy little girl who loves playing with dolls and paw patrol.
“She is always smiling and she’s very cheeky,” Charlotte told The Epoch Times.
