53-year-old Xia Yuanhai from Laotu village in Chongqing, southwestern China, began developing sebaceous hyperplasia when he was an adult.
This medical condition is generally benign; sebaceous hyperplasia simply means an adult’s sebaceous glands in their face are overactive. Small lesions appear over the face in yellowish bumps along the nose, cheeks, and forehead, but don’t generally require medical attention.
For Xia, however, his sebaceous hyperplasia came on very gradually. But because the process of its development was so slow, it was already too late when his family realized he desperately needed medical attention.
Xia’s condition has altered his entire face until it has become deformed, caused him to lose his hearing, and put intense pressure on his teeth.
The family is now desperate to raise money for Xia’s operation.
Given that Xia has already received so much attention around his village, his family is hoping to capitalize on this attention and win the favor of others in a wider region.
They’re hoping that by sharing Xia’s story, they’ll be able to earn the pity and sympathy of others who might be able to contribute just a little bit of funding toward changing Xia’s life before it’s lost forever.
