A bizarre condition that accelerated a woman’s aging process by 50 years within days has left doctors bewildered.
Nguyen Thi Phuong, a Vietnamese woman, now resembles a 70-year-old after an allergic reaction to seafood triggered an alarming aging condition.
Her difficult journey began in 2008 when, within a few days, her youthful appearance rapidly diminished, resulting in sagging and wrinkled skin across her face and body.
To shield herself from curious onlookers, Phuong has had to wear a mask whenever she goes out; however, doctors are now striving to uncover the cause of her sudden and distressing aging.
Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, her husband and a carpenter, affirms that his affection for his once-beautiful wife remains unchanged. Meanwhile, Phuong, now 26, indicates that her condition has deteriorated since its onset.
Hailing from Vietnam’s Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre, the couple has decided to speak to the media for the first time to seek assistance.
There are suggestions that her condition might be lipodystrophy—a rare syndrome characterized by the breakdown of fatty tissue beneath the skin, leading to rapid skin growth.
Victims of this incurable syndrome exhibit loose skin, wrinkles, and the sunken features typical of much older individuals.
This condition is extremely uncommon, with only about 2,000 out of the seven billion people worldwide believed to be affected by lipodystrophy.
Phuong mentioned that she has been allergic to seafood for a long time and experienced a severe reaction back in 2008.
She recalled, “I felt intense itchiness all over my body. I couldn’t stop scratching, even while I slept.”
Opting for medication from a local pharmacy rather than visiting a hospital due to financial constraints, she stated, “After a month of taking the drugs, the itchiness subsided, but hives remained on my skin.”
She then turned to traditional medicine, which successfully eliminated the hives and the itchiness, but unfortunately led to her skin sagging and folding.
Phuong subsequently tried another type of traditional medicine to target her rapid-aging skin issue, yet it proved ineffective.
The couple cannot recall the specifics of the medicine or the pharmacy from which they obtained it.
Tuyen expressed that his wife’s condition has not changed his feelings for her or their relationship.
He stated, “I married Phuong when she was a beautiful woman. I have been with her throughout this ordeal and have never felt shocked.”
“Discussing personal matters can be challenging, but it’s essential to understand that my love for her remains strong.”
According to Phuong, it is her husband’s unwavering love that enables her to endure the challenges that lie ahead.
