Woman’s Paper Skin a Walking Notepad
For this Chinese woman who suffers from a condition called artificial urticaria, her skin has served as a notebook for all the years of her life.
This strange medical anomaly has no ill effects, but most agree that it is very weird.
Huang Xiangji is a 50-year-old woman from Chengdu who uses her skin like writing paper.
Huang claims that when she writes a word on her skin by using her fingernail, the letters protrude from her skin a moment later.
“I used my body as a notebook for years,” says Huang.
Even as a child, she was able to do this and she would often create shopping lists on her arm before going out to the stores. (That’s one list you can’t misplace!)
(Link)
*Picture above is of a woman with a similar disease and not Huang
By MDeeDubroff on 03-10-2008
Comment by Tim
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
So, if she is Chinese why is she writing in English? Perhaps an English language interview regarding her condition? Inquiring minds want to know. ;~)
Comment by averil tiong
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:20 pm
she may be chinese but that doesn’t mean mandarin is the only language she’s capable of speaking.
and looking at the direction of how the words were written on her legs maybe it was the reporter or some other person who scribbled on her skin.
Comment by Tim
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
True, she may know many languages I was merely curious as to the circumstances of the photo. Thanks for answering my comment.
Comment by Braggs
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Dermatological Urticaria is a symptom of Chlamydia. She should get tested and treated for this. Yes, I had it. Yes, I had this symptom. Yes, the girl that gave it to me had this symptom too.
Comment by Sun Tzu
October 3rd, 2008 at 3:50 pm
There are no pictures of the actual woman. I should probably put a star and comment at the bottom saying such.
Comment by Davis
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
There is also a harmless condition called Dermatographia, which seems a more likely explanation than Chlamydia.
Comment by Kevin
October 4th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I’m sorry, the correct answer was Chlamydia.
Comment by MDeeDubroff
October 5th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Thank you all for your insightful comments. I could find nothing on this strange malady even though i thoroughly searched.
Thanks for your efforts.
I appreciate it.
Comment by Simon
October 5th, 2008 at 9:31 am
This has to be one of the coolest conditions I have ever heard of. I wonder if it is painful for her at all. I’d like to read more about this if I can.
Comment by Marisa
October 5th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Cool. Hope she doesn’t get bitten by mosquitoes often.
Comment by jasmine
October 6th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
My sister and I both developed this symptom in middle school. Turns out it was related to a food allergy. Not Chlamydia.
Comment by santosh pandey
October 7th, 2008 at 11:28 am
i don’t think she is chinese
Comment by michelle
October 7th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Look tim, it says the picture above is not huang, but another woman with a similar disease.. look at the small prints.. =)
Comment by rachel
October 8th, 2008 at 1:11 am
i think the picture was from an artist who recently had a photo exhibition and she had the same illness…
Comment by Time Tracker
October 10th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Could this woman be the first signs of a new generation of species, alla Heroes?
Comment by web
October 11th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
“This strange medical anomaly has no ill effects, but most agree that it is very weird.”
Thank you for clearing that up.
Comment by Maya
October 12th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Kay, I have this. It’s not actually a big deal–I wish I had thought of taking pictures of it and passing it as art… Basically it’s like itchiness, that’s it. Nothing to do with Chlamydia, factually. All I can guess is that that comment was from a troll.
Comment by nick
November 9th, 2008 at 9:05 am
i do believe that i am one in a million, i just came across this and my skin reacts the same way. it lasts for about 20 minutes and then fades away. pretty cool, but it is not as dramatic as the one in the picture.
Comment by isabelle
February 1st, 2009 at 12:41 am
this may be a great way to cheat, using your skin as a cheat sheet. although, it would be harder to rid of the evidence.
Comment by ....
March 4th, 2009 at 12:35 am
then wear a sweatshirt and no one would see you cheating(when you lift the sleeves, make sure no ones looking)
Comment by saaarrj
April 7th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
i have the same thing, but mine can last for hours…
it doesn’t really hurt..although my friend decided to see if it would work on my face one time and gave me whiskers. those kind of stung…
Comment by duhhhhhhhhh
August 25th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
*Picture above is of a woman with a similar disease and not Huang
Read the whole article before you comment. Dumb ass
Comment by urticaria
August 26th, 2009 at 6:49 am
Hey, I have this too! never thought anything of it! Doesn't really bother me, since it doesn't hurt or anything.
here is a link of what it really is, for those interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dermatographic_urtic...
Comment by CMSF
August 26th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
The Chinese are big on English and consider mastery of it as the mark of being well educated (a big feather in the cap). Perhaps its a combination of elevating herself with using the language doubled with a little bit of privacy. (People who speak many languages often use ones other than the common one around them when they want privacy.)
Comment by duhhhh
August 26th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
He posted before that note was added as would be clear if you'd read the entire comment thread before commenting. Dumb ass.