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50 Photos Of Unique People’s Features Because Of Their Rare Genetics (New Pics)
Warning: this article might inspire you to pursue a career in genetics or to become a scientist. The world of genetics is fascinating, to say the least. It can make you feel like you’re living in a sci-fi book, instead of on Planet Earth, and there are plenty of examples that make us go, “Wow, I can’t believe this is real!”
Our team here at Bored Panda has put together this fascinating list of people who were born different from the rest. From small and subtle differences to larger ones that everyone would notice passing you by on the street, here are some of the most unusual examples of genetics at work. As you’re scrolling down this list, upvote the photos that intrigued you the most. And if you’ve got any entrancing tales about genetics in your family to tell all the other Pandas, we invite you to do so in the comment section.
Intrigued by Mother Nature and in the mood for some more examples of unusual genetics? You’ll find them in Bored Panda’s previous two articles on the topic right here and here.
Even though the cases in this list are visually stunning and some might even be classified as ‘cool,’ unfortunately, genetics can also make it more likely that you develop diseases, including certain cancers. For example, 5 to 10 percent of all breast cancers are thought to be hereditary and caused by abnormal genes passed down from parent to child. Bored Panda reached out to experts in the field to tell us more about this.
This post may include affiliate links.
Mother And Her 1 Year-Old Son Have Very Uncommon Heterochromia Leaving Them With Beautiful And Mesmerizing Swirled Blue And Black Eyes
Amina Ependieva Has Two Rare Genetic Conditions: Albinism And Heterochromia
The former is a condition that reduces the amount of melanin pigment in the skin, eyes, hair, while the latter is a difference in coloration of the iris. The two conditions together make this young girl extremely unique.
One Of The Coolest Birthmarks I Have Ever Seen
Bored Panda reached out to the team at the UK-based Breast Cancer Now charity to learn more about this disease, the symptoms, the reasons why someone might develop it, and how to reduce the risks.
“There are many different risk factors for developing breast cancer, some of which we can’t control, like being female, getting older, and for some people, a family history of the disease. There is never one single cause of breast cancer, but rather it results from a combination of our genes, the surrounding environment, and the way we live our lives,” a representative of Breast Cancer Now explained to Bored Panda.
8-Year-Old Carter Blanchard And Rowdy The Dog Both Have A Disorder Called Vitiligo
Love The ”Pattern” In My Wife's Eyes
Her eyes are incredible. It almost looks like they have a flower pattern. Truly ice blue, but not cold looking.
I Have Partial Heterochromia In Both Eyes
“There are things you can do to help to reduce your risk such as drinking less alcohol, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping physically active. Even the small changes like walking more or cutting down on processed foods can be a great start,” they said that there are lots of small lifestyle changes that can reduce the risks. Even though we can’t control everything, we can control some things.
Breast Cancer Now explained that breast cancer is the most common cancer in the United Kingdom. Around 55k women and 370 men get diagnosed with the disease each year. “1 in 7 women in the UK will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and 8 out of 10 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women aged 50 and over,” the representative told Bored Panda.
My Sister Has Had Hair That's Half Blonde Half Brunette Since She Was Born. 1989 vs. Today
I Have A Hereditary Gap In My Eyebrow
A Rare Genetic Disorder Known As Cat Eye Syndrome
"The boy happens to have cat eye syndrome, a genetic condition that often leads to other detrimental health defects. All that said it was a good lesson...despite his challenges he had the most curiosity, the most to give."
“Everyone’s breasts are different and can change with age and at different times of the month. No one knows your body better than you, so it’s important to get to know how your breasts normally look and feel so it will be easier to spot if there are any unusual changes,” Breast Cancer Now said.
“Most breast changes won’t be cancer but it’s important to report anything different or new to your doctor as soon as possible and get it checked out. The sooner breast cancer is diagnosed, the more effective treatment may be.”
Baby Chanco Was Born With A Lot Of Hair Which Kept Growing. This Is Her At 7 Months Age
I Have A Small Amount Of Sectoral Heterochromia In My Right Eye, Plus A Kind Of Interesting Eye Pattern
My Daughters Birthmark Is An Up Vote
According to Breast Cancer Now, checking your breasts for lumps or swellings is very simple and you can remember what to do by using the acronym TLC: Touch, Look, Check.
“It could be when you get dressed, or when you’re in the bath or shower or putting on moisturizer—just as long as you do it regularly and remember to check the whole breast and the surrounding area, including the upper chest and armpits. Most cases of breast cancer are found by women noticing unusual changes, taking the initiative, and visiting their doctor.”
I Have A Birthmark In My Eye
I'm just saying, you look like you belong in the capitol from the Hunger games
I Was Born Without Finger Or Toe Prints
I (17M) Have Abnormally Long Arms 5’9 With A 6’6 Wingspan
As an adult, he will have a lot of friends...friends who need him during moving day
Here are some of the most common breast cancer signs and symptoms:
-“A lump or swelling in the breast, upper chest, or armpit. You might feel the lump, but not see it.
-Changes in the size or shape of the breast
-A change in skin texture i.e. puckering or dimpling of the skin
-A change in the color of the breast—the breast may look red or inflamed
-Rash, crusting, or changes to the nipple
-Any unusual discharge from either nipple.”
I Was Born With One Of The Rarest Forms Of Belly Buttons In The World
I Have A Skin Condition Called Dermatographia Which Causes My Skin To Raise From The Smallest Scratch And I Like To Draw Flowers On Myself Sometimes
I Saw Some Say That They Have Sectoral Heterochromia, And I Raise You To Central Heterochromia
Taylor Muhl Has A Rare Genetic Condition Called, Chimerism. She Is “Her Own Twin”
I have two sets of DNA, two sets of blood and immune cells. The two colors of skin pigmentation on my torso is from my and my twin's two different genetic makeups. My particular case of Chimerism is linked to autoimmune disease.
I went undiagnosed for more than half my life due to the rarity of my condition. I’m now an advocate for Chimerism, it’s link to autoimmune disease and body positivity. My hope is to prevent others from going undiagnosed how I did.
Brazilian Family All Have 12 Fingers And Toes Due To Genetic Condition "Polydactyly"
None Of My Fingers Have A Middle Joint
I hope this person can still do basic things. Must be quite hard if one's fingers can't bend.
A Boy With Heterochromia
This Hexagon Vein Structure On My Wrist
I Always Hid It, But Now I Want To Share With You My Birthmark In The Center Of My Forehead
She is so beautiful. I have a birthmark on my chest that I treat like "jewelry" and will wear things that emphasize it. I feel that way about her birthmark with her bangs like that. It is like built in jewelry to be emphasized.
A Few People Have Actually Said Wtf When Looking At My Eyes
My Face Birthmark
My Girlfriend Has Freckles In Her Iris. They Look Like Marbles
My Vitiligo Has Turned Half Of My Upper Eyelashes White
I Am Allergic To The Cold
Me too! Idiopathic cold urticaria. Antihistamines every day and I'm ok, but if I forget, I look like I've been sitting in a patch of nettles.
My Hair And Eyelashes Are Naturally Split Into Blonde And Brunette
I Have A Pair Of Moles, That Look Like An Eyebrow Piercing
My Hair Is Half Blonde Half Brunette. Including Eyebrows
My Son Inherited My Joined Together Toes
My Sons Nostrils Are Shaped Like Little Hearts
My Son Was Born With A Black Spot Of Hair In His Blonde Hair. It Grows In Black, And There Is No Birth Mark Or Discoloration Under It
My Iris Is Misshaped But No Known Eye Problems After 25 Years
My Beard Grows 1/4 Orange And Is Split At Pretty Much The Middle Of My Chin (Even Extends Up To My Bottom Lip)
Been Seeing A Lot Of 4 Finger Havers, Here's Me! I Was Born With 3 Of Them
Dinosaur!!! (Not an insult, I think that’s really cool as long as they aren’t impacted too much!)
How My Vitiligo Changes From The Winter To The Summer
The Amount Of Hair My Daughter Had At 2 Months Old
My daughter was born the same. Everyone said it would fall out, it never did.
Her Birthmark Fits Perfectly With Heterochromia
This Is My Sister's Eye. She Has A Condition Called "Coloboma"
My Son And I Have Matching Freckles In The Same Spot
Off-Center Pupil I've Had Since Birth
I'm 21 And Still Have 2 Baby Teeth
I had three untill 24 (had taken them out surgically). My wisdom teeth never grew, and an x-ray showed they don't exist in my jaw.
I Was Cursed With A Belly Button That Sticks Out Through My Shirts
To All The People With Four Fingers. Kneel Before Me
My siblings (twins) were born with 6 fingers but not as long as this. The 6th one eventually dried up and fell off.
This Guy's Super-Long Thumb
My Newborn Son Covered Head To Toe In White "Fur"
That is lanugo hair. Throughout the pregnancy, babies grow and develop in a sac filled with amniotic fluid. This protective fluid cushions the baby. A baby’s skin is covered with a waxy, cheese-like substance called vernix, which protects the skin from amniotic fluid. Vernix prevents a baby’s skin from chaffing in the womb. Lanugo helps protect the skin and makes it easier for vernix to adhere to a baby’s skin. Once a baby sheds lanugo hair — either in the womb or outside the womb — the hair usually never returns. The only exception is in cases of severe malnutrition.
I Was Born With Only Four Fingers On My Left Hand
My Girlfriend's Eyes Are Weird
I Have A Rare Disorder Called Cleidocranial Dysotosis. Got My First Dental X-Ray Today And I Have A Lot Of Extra Teeth
My Feet Are Totally Flat
When people tell me I don’t draw feet correctly, I’ll just show them this picture, that’ll show them!
The Right Joint Of My Thumb Never Developed. I Can't Bend It
My Brother Has A Perfect Hexagon Of Moles When Sitting Like This
While The Veins On My Left Hand Say 'Yo', The Veins On My Right Hand Spell 'Hi'
One Side Of My Facial Hair Turns Into A Swirl Near My Cheekbone
Loss Of Blood Flow To My Fingers Due To Raynaud’s Disease
My mom had it. I have it. It's very painful. I need to be very careful and very fast if I'm shopping in the freezer section. No rifling through to check things out. See what you want. Grab it and throw it in the basket very quickly. Even then, the ends of my fingers turn white and hurt for a number of minutes. I wear warm gloves, even in the early fall to late spring. If very severe you can actually need to have fingers or toes amputated due to lack of blood flow.
I Was Born With Sectoral Heterochromia, Although It’s Rare
I’m Partially Blind In My Left Eye. It Doesn’t Show Any “Red Eye” In Photos
Glad you know this is the reason. Things like that can indicate all sorts of issues. Such as if it is green instead of red with the flash, that can be indicative of glioblastoma.
I Was Born With A Heart On My Head (Birthmark)
I Have Hyperhidrosis, Which Means My Hands And Feet Sweat A Lot. This Is How My Hands Usually Look
I Got Stung By A Jellyfish 20 Years Ago That’s Effected The Cells In My Skin Meaning It Can’t Change Colour Due To Temperature
My daughter was bitten by an adder (uk) when she was 18 months, it’s one of our only snakes here and rarely that dangerous, she still has two white puncture marks on her leg today (23)
Our Baby Came Out With Some Hair
My mother said I came out with a lot of hair too. But now I also lost it a lot..
I Have Pin-Sized Holes Either Side Of My Neck That Leak Sinus Fluid. I Believe They Are A Congenital Birth Defect Called Branchial Cleft Fistulae
I Have A Tear Drop Shaped Birthmark Perfectly Placed Under My Right Eye
My Extra Finger
My Coworker's Hand Is A Little Small
My Natural Hair Is Brown With Blonde Patches
Heart Shaped Veins On My Eye
Mildly Interesting Photo Of My Eye That I Managed To Get In Focus, I Have Sectoral Heterochromia
I Have Fraternal Thumbs, 1 From Each Parent Due To A Genetic Mutation On My Dad's Side (Unilateral Brachydactyly Type D)
My Eyelashes On My Right Eye Started Growing White A Few Months Ago
I Inherited This Small Gap Between My Middle And Ring Finger From My Dad. Both Hands Are Like This
My Sister Has A Missing Knuckle. Her Finger Still Works But It’s Just Short
I Have A Rare Genetic Condition Called Distichiasis (A Double Row Of Eyelashes). Sometimes They Grow Into My Eyeball
It does hurt. I have the same thing. There are eyelashes that have to be tweezed occasionally because they grow at weird angles and they scratch. You get used to it, and there are benefits. When you wear mascara, you look AMAZING.
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Hope they see a cardiologist, since that trait often accompanies heart issues.
Odd, never heard that. Both my husband and I have it and both kids have it. Doctor is well aware as she has had to help us out a few times with wrong way lashes. Definitely will look into it.
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My middle daughter has this, and while beautiful, they cause her a lot of trouble.
Me too. So annoying when a lash grown into the wrong direction.
Poliosis Is The Localized Depigmentation Of Hair Follicles Resulting In A White Streak
It is also known as a Mallen streak or white forelock. It can be caused by genetic or environmental factors.
I Don't Have Fingerprints
My Left Hand Is Missing A Finger As It Was What Formed My Thumb
OP commented on their original post on reddit: "Just realised I worded the title badly, sorry about that. If anyone is curious, I was born missing a bone in my left thumb so I had no control over it. It would literally flop around. I don’t fully understand it but the surgeon used parts of my finger and thumb to make what I currently have! I can’t bend it in the same way as most can but it’s still very functional :)"
I Have Six Toes On Both Of My Feets
I Have Cystic Fibrosis. One Of My Scars Looks Like A Second Bellybutton
Hey me too! It always confused my friends when I was like "I have two belly buttons"
My Girlfriend Has Different Finger Structures
I Was Born With Crooked Pinkies, Which Is Also Called Clinodactyly
My mom’s ENTIRE side of the family has that. She grew up with 10 kids in her family, and every single one has this, and I do a little bit as well!
My GF And My Nephew Have A Very Similar Birthmark Despite They Aren’t Related At All
My Wife Just Gave Birth To Our Firstborn, And Me And My Son Both Have The Same Weird Genetic Abnormality Where We Have An Extra Large Space Between Our First And Second Toes
My Daughter Has Different Color Eyelashes
I Have Rare A Hereditary Disorder Called Multiple Hereditary Exostosis Which Causes Bone Growths On Various Body Parts
Normally these aren't very noticeable, but the one on my forearm grew on my growth plate, causing the bone to grow in the opposite direction.
Extra Finger
I Was Born With My Left Ear Missing The "Rolled Hem" That My Right Ear Has
Thanks, I Hate Long Index Fingers
I Was Born With One Normal Thumb And One Toe Thumb
I Was Born With No Joints In The Middle Of My Fingers, I Cannot Make Fists
If you get into a fight I guess you'll have to settle for slapping the other person. :p
I Have A Heart Shaped Birthmark In My Eye
My Thumb Has Another Thumb Sprouting Out Of It
I went to school with a girl who had been born with something very similar, except her extra thumb tip dropped off or had been surgically removed. She had a weird dent left where it had been.
I Have Absolutely Ridiculously Flat, Wide And Ugly Middle Fingers And Thumbs Caused By Genetic Disorder Called Brachydactyly
A Super Thick Tuft Of Hair On My Newborn Daughter's Head
This Patch On My Skin Never Tans/Burns. I’ve Had It Since I Was Born
My Friends Palms Only Have One Line Going Through Them
My dad & I have that on our left hands! It's called a single palmar crease or simian's crease. I was once reading a book on palm reading & there was a picture of a hand with the single crease along with a passage that said "BEWARE HE WITH THE SINGLE ANGRY SLASH ACROSS HIS PALM!" It made me feel pretty badass, lol
I Was Born With 4 Toes On One Foot
I'm this lady's exact opposite: born with six toes on my right foot! (The extra one had to be removed).
I Have An Extra Crease On My Pinky Finger
Finally Learned That This "Extra" Bone In My Foot Is An Accessory Navicular Bone
I Have Matching Triangle Freckles On My Arm And My Left Eye
My Ear Has A Sharp Bump. It's Fun To Touch
Met A New Cousin Yesterday With 6 Toes
My Left Hand Pinky Finger Has An Extra Joint Crease But No Extra Joint
I Was Born With Really Tiny Pinkies. Usually A Pinkie Goes Up To The Third Knuckle. Mine Barely Reaches The Second
I Was Born With Something Called The Sonic Hedgehog Gene Where I Had Three Thumbs Also My Pinkies Are Extremely Crooked
None of us are perfect. Some, however, are completely unique. I'm awed by the unique eyes. So beautiful..
Everyone is unique and perfect at the same time. It's about time the world wakes up and realises this.
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i have partial heterochromia, meaning the inside of my eyes are brown while the outside are gray, and in my right eye i have two brown stripes
Woah, that sounds so cool! Could we see a pic?
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the article does not mention that some of these cases may not be genetic or hereditary... some people are prenatally exposed to insecticides or herbicides that can do these things. Incorrect prescription of drugs to pregnant mothers like Thalidomide exposure can cause some of these cases.
I have a wisdom tooth breaking through the gum. Why is this unusual, you ask? I'm 63 years old!
Me my mom and my brother all have double row of eyelashes, my brother has "starburst" pattern heterochromia, my step dad has a small second pupil in one of his eyes, and I have joint hyper mobility meaning all my joints are double jointed
I hate to have to say this, but everyone's genetics makes them unique, so let's not be superficial here and only care about appearances.
True, but the point of this is that even though people think that appearance is everything and having unique birthmarks is bad, it’s actually really cool.
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I have gold spots in both my blue green eyes, more in my right than left. My eyes will change color with the weather and what colors I'm wearing.
I have dimples on the backs of my shoulders, the 2 toes next to my big toes on both feet were crossed before I got them corrected, and almost all of the women in my mum's family (myself included) all have a genetic mutation that makes our lumbar vertebrae shorter than they should be.
My gym teacher, I cant really explain it but his iris and pupil are pretty large and completely black, so it's like he has dog eyes almost and I just think it's so beautiful. It's his defining trait almost
These are such beautiful, unexpected and interesting idiosyncrasies. My boring matching brown eyes are functional but not interesting. I'm glad these people live in contemporary times and not in the superstitious past where communities might have hurt them or ostracised them for their uniqueness.
I have partial heterochromia (part of my left eye is blue while the rest is green) and one of my friends has a freckle under each eye, perfectly symmetrically (like mitsuri from demon slayer)
Don't be surprised if your friend shows up with pink and green hair, and a sword ;)
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I have really loved seeing everyone’s unique and beautiful differences, thanks for sharing!
I am like the girl in #79. The ring finger on my right hand is missing a knuckle. My dad's mom and her sisters all have this too.
I have dimples on the backs of my shoulders, the 2 toes next to my big toes on both feet were crossed when I was little (I had it corrected), and most of the women in my mum's family all have a genetic mutation that makes all of our lumbar vertebrae shorter than they should be
The hair on the front of my head is about three shades lighter than on the back. It was cool in the 80s. Everyone thought I did that to my hair!
I never even noticed before but after reading this article I notice my grandma with very light colored blue/green eyes has brown freckles in her eyes
That is extremely cool! (I searched it up to see what it is.) It DEFINITELY belongs on the post!
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Me and my sister have amber rings around our pupils. Not sure if that’s normal or not though…
Beautifully unique describes all these. Except for the ones where their little ones inherited something special, in that case that's super cool!
i have something much less cool-a little birthmark in my eyelid. not on. IN. i was so worried it was smth bad and i asked my mom and she said, "Oh, that? You've had it forever."
I have birth marks on my right eye and on my second toe on my left foot. I also inherited something called "skin tags" from my dad's side of the family.
I also inherited skin tags from mum and dad. At least one I used my fingernails to remove it and there is another one I want to cut off. They are sensitive and I also sensory issues related to Fibromyalgia so they can get quite itchy and stuff. I seem to be the one child who inherited pretty much everything from my parents (skin tags, moles, migraines, insomnia etc)! Best thing though was the combination of my parents hair- mum's curls with dad's thickness, which I am very proud of :)
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I am like the girl in #79. The ring finger on my right hand is missing a knuckle. My dad's mother and her sisters all had this too.
None of us are perfect. Some, however, are completely unique. I'm awed by the unique eyes. So beautiful..
Everyone is unique and perfect at the same time. It's about time the world wakes up and realises this.
Load More Replies... i have partial heterochromia, meaning the inside of my eyes are brown while the outside are gray, and in my right eye i have two brown stripes
Woah, that sounds so cool! Could we see a pic?
Load More Replies... the article does not mention that some of these cases may not be genetic or hereditary... some people are prenatally exposed to insecticides or herbicides that can do these things. Incorrect prescription of drugs to pregnant mothers like Thalidomide exposure can cause some of these cases.
I have a wisdom tooth breaking through the gum. Why is this unusual, you ask? I'm 63 years old!
Me my mom and my brother all have double row of eyelashes, my brother has "starburst" pattern heterochromia, my step dad has a small second pupil in one of his eyes, and I have joint hyper mobility meaning all my joints are double jointed
I hate to have to say this, but everyone's genetics makes them unique, so let's not be superficial here and only care about appearances.
True, but the point of this is that even though people think that appearance is everything and having unique birthmarks is bad, it’s actually really cool.
Load More Replies... I have gold spots in both my blue green eyes, more in my right than left. My eyes will change color with the weather and what colors I'm wearing.
I have dimples on the backs of my shoulders, the 2 toes next to my big toes on both feet were crossed before I got them corrected, and almost all of the women in my mum's family (myself included) all have a genetic mutation that makes our lumbar vertebrae shorter than they should be.
My gym teacher, I cant really explain it but his iris and pupil are pretty large and completely black, so it's like he has dog eyes almost and I just think it's so beautiful. It's his defining trait almost
These are such beautiful, unexpected and interesting idiosyncrasies. My boring matching brown eyes are functional but not interesting. I'm glad these people live in contemporary times and not in the superstitious past where communities might have hurt them or ostracised them for their uniqueness.
I have partial heterochromia (part of my left eye is blue while the rest is green) and one of my friends has a freckle under each eye, perfectly symmetrically (like mitsuri from demon slayer)
Don't be surprised if your friend shows up with pink and green hair, and a sword ;)
Load More Replies... I have really loved seeing everyone’s unique and beautiful differences, thanks for sharing!
I am like the girl in #79. The ring finger on my right hand is missing a knuckle. My dad's mom and her sisters all have this too.
I have dimples on the backs of my shoulders, the 2 toes next to my big toes on both feet were crossed when I was little (I had it corrected), and most of the women in my mum's family all have a genetic mutation that makes all of our lumbar vertebrae shorter than they should be
The hair on the front of my head is about three shades lighter than on the back. It was cool in the 80s. Everyone thought I did that to my hair!
I never even noticed before but after reading this article I notice my grandma with very light colored blue/green eyes has brown freckles in her eyes
That is extremely cool! (I searched it up to see what it is.) It DEFINITELY belongs on the post!
Load More Replies... Me and my sister have amber rings around our pupils. Not sure if that’s normal or not though…
Beautifully unique describes all these. Except for the ones where their little ones inherited something special, in that case that's super cool!
i have something much less cool-a little birthmark in my eyelid. not on. IN. i was so worried it was smth bad and i asked my mom and she said, "Oh, that? You've had it forever."
I have birth marks on my right eye and on my second toe on my left foot. I also inherited something called "skin tags" from my dad's side of the family.
I also inherited skin tags from mum and dad. At least one I used my fingernails to remove it and there is another one I want to cut off. They are sensitive and I also sensory issues related to Fibromyalgia so they can get quite itchy and stuff. I seem to be the one child who inherited pretty much everything from my parents (skin tags, moles, migraines, insomnia etc)! Best thing though was the combination of my parents hair- mum's curls with dad's thickness, which I am very proud of :)
Load More Replies... I am like the girl in #79. The ring finger on my right hand is missing a knuckle. My dad's mother and her sisters all had this too.
