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PSYCHOLOGY

"It Was A Shock When I Saw Her For The First Time": Mom Gave Birth To A Baby With Striking Snow-Colored Hair

Date March 12, 2019

Author By Ethan Blair

Mississippi baby stuns everyone with her silver-white hair

Jessica Smith, a mom from Mississippi, welcomed her daughter Devina on May 1, 2017. Before the new mom got to see her daughter, the doctor told her that her baby had plenty of hair. What Jessica didn’t expect to see was the unusual, striking silver-white color!

Speaking to Daily Mail, the mom said:

I never expected her to have hair like that.

I didn't know until she was born.

The doctor told me she had a lot of hair during delivery but it was a shock when I saw her for the first time, she had so much hair, it was crazy.

I hadn't seen a baby like that before others were blond, but not white.

I think it makes her extra special.

 

READ ALSO: As White As Snow: Mom Opens Up About Her Shocked Reaction After Giving Birth To Albino Baby

The baby girl quickly became an Internet sensation. People online were mesmerized by Devina’s hair, and some even didn’t believe it was real, claiming the girl’s pictures were edited.

But no, Devina’s pictures weren’t edited. The girl was born with partial albinism, which is what gave her hair this rare light color.

The girl’s skin and eyes are also fair-colored. Devina is healthy, but she may be at risk of vision problems – this is common in albino people.

Sadly, Devina is growing up without her dad. Her father, Sgt. Kyle Clayton Thomas, was killed in training just four weeks after the girl was born, WMC Action News 5 reported.

READ ALSO: 2 Little Boys Become Advocates For Albinism After Their Mom Turns Them Into Instagram Stars

What is albinism and how common is it?

Albinism is a genetic condition in which people produce little to no melanin. This is why albino people tend to have very pale skin, fair hair, and pale-colored irises.

Albinism is not very common. According to Medical News Today, it’s estimated that the condition affects 1 in 5,000 to 15,000 people in sub-Saharan Africa and 1 in 17,000 to 20,000 people in the United States and Europe.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JOANNÈ DION (@joannedion_) on

People with albinism may be at a higher risk of certain health problems. Vision problems are common in those affected by the condition, and they are also at a somewhat higher risk of skin cancers, especially non-melanomas. Also, their skin may burn easily when exposed to sunlight.

With that said, people with albinism aren’t more or less healthy than the general population. What makes them really unique is their look!

READ ALSO: Albino Twins From Argentina Were Born With Hair Whiter Than Snow