After six years of being labelled 'dragon boy', Muhammad Yunusov has finally been cured of the horn like growths that have covered his face and head since birth.
The little boy's mouth, eyes and nose, along with much of his scalp were covered in scaly barnacle-like growths, the result of the rare skin condition granulomatous candidiasis.
Doctors in his home town in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan had failed to find the cause or a cure for the distressing disease, and his parents kept the eight-year-old hidden away, allowing him out only with a mask covering his face.
The boy's uncle eventually took him to a leading dermatologist after cruel taunts of 'dragon', 'freak' and 'Zorro' became too much for the family to bear. Amazingly, specialist Professor Mir Ali Baltabaeva cured Muhammed in just 17 days with a mixture of topical creams and medication.
He told reporters: 'I learned about this unique young boy from his uncle, who came to the clinic with photographs of the child and complained that none of the doctors could diagnose him. He asked: 'Can you help my nephew?' The child was a terrible sight, so I ordered a separate ward for him.'
He added that Muhammad's mother had 'burst into tears of joy' when she saw the results of her son's treatment.