30 People Whose Unique Genetics Made Them Stand Out

What comes to your mind when you think about mutations? Laser vision? The ability to turn into a giant angry green monster? We hate to break it to you, but the reality is a little less sci-fi-esque. But that doesn’t mean certain small gene mutations and birthmarks can’t result in some cool features!

Bored Panda has compiled a list of people whose unique genetics made them stand out. From extra digits to tongue tentacles, we’re sure you’ve never seen anything like this before – check them out in the gallery below!

h/t: Bored Panda

#1 My Friends Newborn Baby Was Born With The Same Birthmark In Her Hair As Her Mother

Image source: Bell_Ashley666

This unique discoloration of the hair is the result of a condition called Poliosis, that results in melanin being absent from a certain part of a person’s hair or body. These types of birthmarks can be inherited – like in the case of this mother and her newborn!

#2 My Friend’s Iris Is Split In Half

Image source: anpeneMatt

This is not a fancy contact lens – it’s actually a condition called heterochromia iridum. It is usually caused by an excess or lack of melanin, resulting from genetics, injury or disease.

#3 My Dad Has 6 Fingers On Each Hand. He Uses 2 Fingers To Flip Someone Off

Image source: the_cozy_one

This condition is called polydactyly and is hereditary – this man’s son was also born with 12 fingers and toes but had removal surgery at a young age.

#4 Ulnar Dimelia Or Mirror Hand Syndrome

Image source: drlindseyfitzharris

Ulnar dimelia is a rare congenital deformity where a person’s ulna is duplicated and thumbs are absent, resulting in seven or even eight fingers on a hand. The condition is sometimes called the “mirror hand syndrome”.

#5 My Brother-In-Law Got A Thumb From Each Parent

Image source: ChewyPickle

Looks like we inherit everything from our parents – even the shapes of our thumbs!

#6 My GF Was Born Without A Nail On A Finger. So Due To Popular Demand, We Put Google Eyes On It

Image source: nofapventure

This condition is called anonychia congenita and affects the fingernails and the toenails. People affected by this condition are usually born without or with only a part of certain fingernails.

#7 My Son Was Born With Natural Elf Ears

Image source: animaorion

This condition, called Stahl’s ear, results in an extra cartilage fold leading to the pointy elvish ear shape.

#8 I Was Born Ready For This

Image source: AeroHammer

This person was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome and looks like their whole life led to this exact moment.

#9 I Have Only Four Fingers On My Left Hand, And Have And Index Finger Instead Of My Thumb

Image source: evan4765

Symbrachydactyly usually results in babies being born without or with underdeveloped fingers. This condition can be treated with prosthetics, physical therapy or surgery.

#10 I Was Born With A Scar On My Eye

Image source: Spikenws

This condition is called macular pucker and is caused by scar tissue formed in the eye’s macula. It usually causes blurred and distorted vision to the person affected.

#11 My Son Has Symmetrical Hair Whorls Which Go In Opposite Directions. This Allows Him To Grow A Natural Mohawk

Image source: OmongKosong

Many behaviorists have studied hair whorls to find a genetic link between handedness and whirl direction but no conclusive results have been found so far.

#12 My Boyfriend Has Freckles On Only Half Of His Face, I Think It’s Cool

Image source: notsosecrett

A Californian woman with a similar condition went on The Doctors back in 2015 and dermatologists explained that this type of freckle pattern is actually a very specific birthmark. “And the pigment cells in your neural crest, some of them actually developed a mutation or a change and as the cells migrated over, it actually effects only half the body. ‘That’s why there’s such a sharp cut off,” explained dermatologist Dr. Sonia Batra.

#13 Half Of The Eyelashes On My Right Eye Are White

Image source: Inimeitiel-

This person says the discoloration of their eyelashes happened overnight when they were 11 – their mother even thought they bleached them somehow. It is actually a condition called Vitiligo and occurs when a person’s immune system is weak in a specific area, causing the color to disappear.

#14 My Left Eye Is About 1/3 Grey

Image source: Nico_LaBras

This condition is called sectoral heterochromia and may be inherited or caused by certain genetic mutations, disease or injuries.

#15 My Dad’s Index Tip Was Cut Off When He Was 10, My Index Is Shorter Than My Pinky

Image source: poopjetpack

The weird part about this case is that scientists say acquired characteristics are non-heritable, meaning a cut finger shouldn’t be passed along to an offspring. the reason for this is truly a medical mystery.

#16 I Have Tentacles Under My Tongue- Apparently Not Everyone Does?

Image source: SligPants

These elongated tentacles of the tongue are called plica fimbriata and are completely harmless – although they can get stuck between your teeth!

#17 My Wife Discovered That She And My Sister Both Have Syndactyly Connected Toes. They Celebrated Their Similar Trait With New Tattoos

Image source: IanthegeekV2

This condition, typically referred to as webbed toes, is pretty rare among humans, with only 1 in 2,000 – 2,500 newborns affected. Fun fact: Ashton Kutcher was born with webbed toes!

#18 A Friend Of Mine Can Grab Things Backwards

Image source: Dubdrone

This condition is called hypermobility and is more common among children. The extreme mobility usually decreases with age and only about 5% of adults have it.

#19 My Kid Has One Streak Of Very Dark Hair

Image source: smsikking

This condition is the opposite of poliosis – instead of having no melanin, areas affected by it have increased levels of melanin, resulting in a darker color.

#20 I Was Born With 6 Toes On My Left Foot And My Co-Worker Was Born With 4 Toes On Her Right Foot

Image source: DomnLee

Maybe you can borrow one for her?

#21 I Was Born Missing My Right Pinky And Thumb

Image source: PiratePanda

Cons: harder to hold a fork, difficulties finding gloves.

Pros: can do a mad Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle impression.

#22 Five Fingers, No Thumb

Image source: Lamont_

This condition, where a thumb is abnormally shaped, is called triphalangeal thumb. As the name suggests, the finger has three phalanges instead of two and can be treated with surgery. Only 1 in 25,000 children are born with the condition.

#23 I Was Born Without A Bridge In My Nose

Image source: fedorahitler

The person that posted this picture to Reddit shared one interesting fact: his nose never bleeds. Neat!

#24 I Was Born With A Condition Where My Right Thumb Is Unable To Bend

Image source: Breapop

This condition is called a trigger finger and results in the tendon that allows the thumb to bend being swollen and locking. Only about 3.3 children out of a 1,000 are born with it.

#25 My Daughter Was Born With A Perfect Number 2 On Her Head

Image source: JoumanaKayrouz

What happened to the one marked with the number 1? The parents joked that if she had a twin, she must have ate it.

#26 Abnormally Pruney Fingers?? Every Time I Go Swimming With Anyone My Hands Are Always 10x More Wrinkly Than Anyone Else’s

Image source: aliens-dope

Some scientists speculate our fingers ‘prune’ for it to be easier to grab things underwater but they are not entirely sure.

#27 My Little Finger Is My Biggest Finger

Image source: SurvivalFish

So much for ‘little’ finger! Imagine the pinky promises this person could make.

#28 I Can See The Internal Bruising In My Finger When I Hold My Hand Up To The Light

Image source: Enceladus89

After this person posted a picture of their hand on Reddit, many users asked why aren’t the finger bones visible. The answer is because of the way skin and flesh diffuse light – imagine that you’re looking through frosted glass.