‘Elephant Man’ In China With 33-lb Facial Tumor Turns Down Offer to Join Freak Show

A man in China who has a 33-lb tumor on his face is now considered as China’s “Elephant Man.” His disfigured face not only made him a subject of ridicule but also an interesting prospect to be in a freak show. However, the man named Huang Chuncai turned down the offers to join the show in China.

Huang, 39, has been suffering from the facial tumor for more than 35 years. He has been a subject of medical documentaries and studies after his condition was considered as the worst case of neurofibromatosis known in medical history.

The Yongxin County native has undergone four surgeries just to remove the massive tumor. However, these medical operations did not help that much. His first one was done in 2007 and three more were performed in the following years.

Huang Chuncai, 39, suffers from a condition called neurofibromatosis.

The surgical procedures may have reduced the size of the tumor, but it is still considered as the largest facial tumor in the world. Despite undergoing four surgeries, Huang’s appearance did not improve enough for him to venture out into the open.

He is dubbed as the "Elephant Man" in China and he has declined an offer to star in a freak show.

Huang lives with his family who has become used to his face. He lives a normal life but new tumors are still growing and it is doing so at an alarming rate.

Huang has undergone four surgeries but they did not improve his appearance.

He is living a normal life with his family, despite new tumors growing at an alarmingly fast rate.

Despite being called “Elephant Man,” Huang does not have the same condition as Joseph Merrick, the original Elephant Man from the 1800’s. Merrick is thought to have a condition called the Proteus Syndrome, which produced symptoms different from Huang’s condition. Still, Huang’s neurofibromatosis is debilitating.