26-year-old woman who looks 70 may have rare dermal condition

Nguyen Thi Phuong (L) and her husband

Doctors at the Ho Chi Minh City Medicine and Pharmacy University Hospital said a rare dermal condition may have caused the rapid aging process seen in Nguyen Thi Phuong, a 26-year-old woman who looks like 70.

In a consultation on October 28, the doctors concluded that Phuong had acquired cutis laxa – a groups of rare connective tissue disorders in which the skin becomes inelastic and hangs loosely in folds - and Mastocytosis - a group of rare disorders caused by the presence of too many mast cells in a person's body.

Prof. Dang Van Phuoc, deputy director of the HCMC Medicine and Pharmacy University Hospital, said there will be another consultation before the doctors reach a final conclusion in the next 10 days.

“Cutis laxa made the woman look old. In fact, only her facial skin ages, not other parts of her body,” Phuoc said.

He added the hospital will soon make an official announcement on what caused Phuong’s facial aging process.