Dede Koswara, an Indonesian man with a severe case of HPV (Human Papilloma Virus, the hottest new STD sweeping the country) began growing roots out of his appendages after cutting his knee when he was 15. The cutaneous horns are really massive amounts of keratin, but give Dede the appearance of being half-man, half-tree.
The wood-like warts were growing at a rate of five millimeters per month. Insects were nesting in the base of the growths. He had undergone surgery before, but the warts grew back faster because the cause had not been addressed. Finally, the chief dermatologist at the University of Maryland Medical Center took blood tests and biopsies of the growth, which determined the cause of his condition. Surgeries performed in Jakarta have brought Dede closer to his original self. He continues to receive treatment, including chemotherapy, to combat the virus.
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