bizarre skin condition part 2

May 27, 2007 1:58 PM

Did someone already post the follow up to the post about the guy with the disfiguring growths on his hands? If so, I missed it.
posted by serazin to MetaFilter-Related at 1:58 PM (36 comments total)

Good *shudder* that *ulp* he's doing better.
God, I'm pretty strong stomached, but can barely look at the pics, let alone imagine what it would be like to live with that condition. Once again, cheers to him and the folks helping him out.

Dremel saw? Kee-rist.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 2:22 PM on May 27, 2007

Pretty much what Alvy said. Thanks for the update, serazin.
posted by Abiezer at 2:31 PM on May 27, 2007

I will try to flesh this out a bit more for you.

Heh.
posted by danb at 2:50 PM on May 27, 2007

Missed that the first time. Wish I'd missed it this time. And I didn't think I'd find anything ever that would turn me off Popeye's fried chicken. I was wrong.
posted by ColdChef at 2:54 PM on May 27, 2007

I wasn't turned off Popeye's fried chicken until you mentioned Popeye's fried chicken.
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 3:32 PM on May 27, 2007

Mmm, chicken! that would go great with the corn chips I am eating now!
posted by Iron Rat at 3:49 PM on May 27, 2007

I thought my scab collection was gross.
posted by bardic at 3:55 PM on May 27, 2007

I knew I was going to regret clicking. I just didn't know how much.
posted by scody at 3:57 PM on May 27, 2007

MetaTalk: Disfiguring growths.
posted by loquacious at 4:09 PM on May 27, 2007

Yeah, it's pretty disgusting, but also fascinating. I like these pictures the best.
posted by puke & cry at 4:16 PM on May 27, 2007

It's no toenail necklace.
posted by blue_beetle at 4:25 PM on May 27, 2007

I'm so going to use this thread as an appetite suppression aid. Gnar.
posted by loquacious at 4:49 PM on May 27, 2007

Elsewhere in the world, there must be a man whose hands are elastic, a boy whose hands burst aflame, and a woman whose hands disappear.
posted by brain_drain at 4:52 PM on May 27, 2007 [6 favorites]

This guy is son_of_minya's archnemesis.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:12 PM on May 27, 2007

I... am grateful I read this before I clicked any of the links. I think I will now pass on clicking the links, if it's all right with you guys.
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 5:19 PM on May 27, 2007

I wish I was as smart as Mr.Encyclopedia. Please excuse me while I go lose my dinner.
posted by deborah at 6:12 PM on May 27, 2007

These pictures did not disturb me, actually, but the picture especially showing his face saddens me, as did looking at the way his fingers were contorted. I'm sure having a hard substance over his appendages for so long has drastically altered the sensations and movements he can manage, which probably is even worse than it sounds.
posted by artifarce at 6:13 PM on May 27, 2007

I'm sure having a hard substance over his appendages for so long has drastically altered the sensations and movements he can manage.

Until now I hadn't even bothered to think about even approaching the merest conceptual noodlings concerning the topic of sex or masturbation with regards to this poor son of a bitch. It hadn't even so much as hinted at crossing my mind. Not so much as even partially formed.

Until now.

I really do hate you, Milkman Dan.
posted by loquacious at 6:27 PM on May 27, 2007

And now I hate you, loquacious.
posted by cmyk at 6:46 PM on May 27, 2007

At first I was glad his face wasn't shown, but puke & cry's photos indicate his face is actually fine. Which is even better.
posted by delmoi at 8:04 PM on May 27, 2007

Please someone say fake.
posted by Mid at 8:08 PM on May 27, 2007

mommy told you bad stuff would happen if you kept touching yourself there. mommy told you, didn't she???
posted by quonsar at 8:33 PM on May 27, 2007 [1 favorite]

Oh, great. Now I think I've caught it. Adn itsa partijiculasdrly fast=-acytibng stgraijn ovcbythgjerwdsfiouswerasde.,./,
posted by L. Fitzgerald Sjoberg at 8:42 PM on May 27, 2007

from the original post:

"The growths have that same texture, smell and feel."

SMELL??? Bleeeagh. Just don't go on about the taste, ffs!
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 9:11 PM on May 27, 2007

Am I alone in finding this curious, but not very disturbing?
posted by Aloysius Bear at 9:35 PM on May 27, 2007

They just don't burn people as witches as much as they used to, do they?
posted by klangklangston at 9:44 PM on May 27, 2007

Al B - I agree. You know, I've seen worse crap growing up in rural America. Hell, even here in Portland there're some pretty disfigured folks. (recap) This guy's coral reef to merely barnacled hands are not that bad.
posted by valentinepig at 11:04 PM on May 27, 2007

I have a story for the people who are grossed out by those pictures.

I used to be easily grossed out by things too. I was always being tricked into viewing goatse or tubgirl or whatnot by people who knew about this weakness, and I wasn't happy.

I decided to do something about it.

There's a picture out there of a woman's infected vagina. The skin of her labia is a moist greenish brown, and she's covered with blue-black pustules. She appears to be suffering from a secondary fungal infection on her rotting skin, and the entire area is apparently soiled with feces.

Anyway, I loaded this picture in my browser, and I just looked at it. I wept, cursed god, and wished for death, but I didn't look away. And after a while I felt nothing at all.

I haven't felt properly disgusted since. Pictures of decapitated heads and people shitting into each other's mouths just evoke a vague, cerebral distaste--a mere intellectual recognition that a person probably ought to find this repulsive. I think something broke in me that day.

If it's worth it to you, you can probably do the same.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 11:25 PM on May 27, 2007 [2 favorites]

I used to be easily grossed out by things ... I was always being tricked ... I wasn't happy ... I decided to do something about it.

So, rather than, say, finding a new group of friends that have advanced past high-school grossouts, you deliberately blackened a teeny, tiny portion of your soul.

Let us all know how that works out for you.
posted by frogan at 11:33 PM on May 27, 2007 [6 favorites]

I prefer contemplating the story of Wonhyo drinking from the skull to achieve a result similar to that MPDSEA describes.
posted by Abiezer at 11:44 PM on May 27, 2007

you deliberately blackened a teeny, tiny portion of your soul.

Basically. Whenever your soul cries out, tells you that what's going on is wrong, what you're doing is wrong, well, you could listen to it. I guess you could listen to it. Or you could take it out back and put a bullet in its head, show it who's boss.

See you in hell, soul.
posted by Mr. President Dr. Steve Elvis America at 3:14 AM on May 28, 2007 [3 favorites]

loquacious writes ''Until now I hadn't even bothered to think about even approaching the merest conceptual noodlings concerning the topic of sex or masturbation with regards to this poor son of a bitch. It hadn't even so much as hinted at crossing my mind. Not so much as even partially formed.'

I'm ashamed to say that it was the very first thing that popped into my head.

The upside, of course, is that hands like that would surely always feel as though they belonged to somebody else.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 3:27 AM on May 28, 2007

Well, at least this time I'm not going to be simultaneously fascinated and disgusted for over a week. I really hope this guy gets much better in the future.
posted by graymouser at 4:25 AM on May 28, 2007

There's a picture out there of a woman's infected vagina.

I've seen that picture too. Thanks for the memories.

I'll be sending my therapist bills directly to you.
posted by briank at 6:42 AM on May 28, 2007

Aloysius Bear wrote "Am I alone in finding this curious, but not very disturbing?"

No, me too. It's just not really that gross, especially compared to other skin problems. It's just like a really big scab.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:31 AM on May 28, 2007

I'm with you, more curious than disturbing. However, I think I can understand why so many have such a visceral reaction. Our hands are what makes us human...we identify with them more than we realize (some identify daily!) We take them for granted and here, in this guys case, you could see a headshot of him and think "ah, normal dude", but then his hands are the starkest contrast you could imagine to that. You could never hide that, and it would literally take over every aspect of your life.

Ever had a nightmare where you had freakishly large hands? Or were completely disfigured? Now strip away reason/cause, medical care, information/support, and EVERYTHING else that could make this even remotely bearable. Or the hope/possibility of cure. Terrifying!
posted by iamkimiam at 9:29 AM on May 28, 2007