Cancer, heart disease, the common cold — these medical conditions are well-known by the public, in part, because they affect large numbers of people. But did you know there's a genetic condition that causes babies to suddenly lose all their fat after birth? Or an aggressive autoimmune disorder that can cause the bridge of the nose to collapse? Or a disease that causes the skin to blister under even the lightest pressure? Every week at Live Science, we call attention to a rare disorder that may not be widely known, describing its symptoms, treatments, causes and recent cases that caught our attention.
Latest about rare diseases
Angelman syndrome: A disorder that stops people walking and speaking
Angelman syndrome is a rare disease that disrupts the normal development and function of cells, particularly in the nervous system, leading to severe developmental delays and learning disabilities.
Acromegaly: A disease that causes adults to grow uncontrollably
Patients with acromegaly make too much growth hormone, which causes them to grow disproportionately large bones, organs and tissues.
Stone man disease: A rare condition that causes a person to grow a second skeleton
Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is an extremely rare congenital condition that causes the body to grow a second skeleton, rendering patients immobile.
