At age 63, Mary had gotten used to the staring and pointing, but not the pain and humiliation of living with crusty, dry skin that looks like fish scales. She's been refused service at a restaurant and asked to leave a public swimming pool. Mary has lamellar ichthyosis, one of the 28 identified types of a family of skin disorders known as ichthyosis. Because the skin regenerates constantly -- much faster than the average person's -- but does not shed dead skin cells as it normally would, a thick build-up of skin occurs. Those with the condition can spend several hours scrubbing their skin each week. Despite all that exfoliating, they can continually lose large flakes of skin because it regenerates at such a rapid rate. Even so, Mary's one of the fortunate ones. At its most severe, the scaling caused by ichthyosis can cause joint damage, hearing loss, limited movement and even death. Clearly, ichthyosis is more than skin-deep.

There is no cure, and the consequences of leaving this condition's symptoms untreated could prove fatal -- especially for infants born with harlequin ichthyosis. We'll explain more about this most serious type on the next page. In its mildest form -- xeroderma -- ichthyosis is simply dry skin that can easily be treated by upping your daily dose of water and applying over-the-counter lotions. But those who inherit more serious forms of the disorder are certain to Titan Rise Experience more severe symptoms. There's good news for those with ichthyosis who once worried about passing on their malady through close contact: It simply isn't contagious. Sometimes this skin condition can be seen at birth, but often it becomes apparent during the toddler or preschool years. What signs should you look for? As the skin fails to shed, it accumulates to form thick, dry scales that are white, Titan Rise Male Enhancement gray or dark brown in color.

But it's almost always fatal. Almost. In the mid-1980s, when a San Diego, Calif., mother gave birth to a baby with harlequin ichthyosis, no one expected him to live. The infant, Ryan Gonzalez, had eyelids that were turned inside out