STUDENT WITH RARE SKIN CONDITION RAISES AWARENESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Oluwadamilare Joseph, who has trichoepithelioma, a rare genetic condition that causes tumours to grow from hair follicles, has begun posting about the condition on social media to educate the public. Joseph was diagnosed at six years old and said he initially viewed the condition as natural because multiple family members, including his mother, brothers and cousins, also live with it. He has since built an audience of more than 100,000 followers on TikTok, having joined the platform in 2023.

Trichoepithelioma can present as either a single lesion, known as solitary trichoepithelioma, or multiple lesions as in Joseph's case, known as multiple familial trichoepithelioma. Growing up in Cross River State, Nigeria, Joseph reported facing bullying and discrimination at school because of his appearance, which he said became severe enough that he stopped attending on Fridays. Joseph said strangers have stopped him on the street to ask questions about his condition, which he said affects him for days afterwards.

Joseph's sister Coltan, a photographer, began sharing photographs of their family online in 2022 to raise awareness of trichoepithelioma. Joseph said he joined social media efforts the following year in the hope of educating people about the condition. He stated that further public awareness of trichoepithelioma remains necessary.