Cotard's Delusion, "Walking Corpse Syndrome"
This is a rare mental disorder in which sufferer's believe they are missing body parts (like their brain) or that they are in fact dead. Those with the disorder often will refuse to eat or care for themselves and prefer hanging out in cemetaries to be close to their "own kind."
Xeroderma Pigmentosum, "Vampire Syndrome"
About 1 in 1 million people have "Vampine Syndrome." They are extremely sensitiv to UV rays and must be completely shielded from sunlight. If they are exposed they will suffer from extreme sunburns and breakouts and can easily develop skin cancer.
Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis, Lewandowsky-Lutz dysplasia, "Tree Man Syndrome"
People with "Tree Man Syndrome" have warts that grow out of their skin that look likes tree bark. This condition may be worsened by exposure to sunlight. Typically the warts are benign when they first develop early in life but can become malignant later on.
Hypertrichosis, "Werewolf Syndrome"
People who suffer from "Werewolf Syndrome" often have abnormal hair growth covering their entire bodies. Often their faces are covered with long hair. Hypertrichosis can either be congenital or acquired (from anti-balding treatments). Often those born with the condition have other genetic mutations as well.
Cold Urticaria, "Cole Allergy"
People with this strange disorder are basically allergic to the cold. Contact with cold air can trigger a histamine reaction similar to what those with peanut or bee allergies can suffer from. It can also cause hives and swelling in the affected area. They can also experience swelling of the tongue and throat which can be life threatening.
Aquagenic uticaria, "Water Allergy"
It seems odd that anyone would be allergic to water considering most of our body is made up of water. However, this condition does not present as a true allergy with a histamine response. This condition is quite rare and the cause isn't completely understood. Some with this disorder can develop hives and welts after a few minutes of exposure. The most common treatment is topical capsaicin to relieve pain.
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, "Stone Man Syndrome"
People with "Stone Man Syndrome" have a genetic disorder that turns soft tissue into bone. It's caused by a mutation to the ACVR1 gene found in muscle, bone, tendons, and ligaments and is responsible for turning cartilage into bone. However, in this mutation allows ossification to continue turning soft tissue into bone and fusing joints together. 1 in 2 million people and there are no known cures. Trauma and even removal of bone just leads to the body producing more bone in that area.
Elephantiasis
People with this condition have an obstruction in their lymphatic vessels which can cause extreme swelling of the tissue and skin in the legs and testicles. Often this condition is caused by a mosquito-borne parasite. Over 40 million people have been affected by this condition.
Alien Hand Syndrome
People with this condition involves a rogue hand that can act independently and act contrary to what the individual wants to do. This can result as a rare side effect from brain injuries or surgical severing of the corpus callosum. There is no cure however the symptoms can be managed with therapy.
Foreign Accent Syndrome
Some people have been known to develop and condition that causes them to speak in a foreign accent beyond their control. In some cases they can use several accents at different times or even blended together. Often this condition develops as the result of a stroke or another brain injury. The only treatment for this condition is extensive speech therapy.
Sources:
- http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/10-strangest-known-medical-conditions
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