Covered in 'fish scales', Nusrit Shaheen lives each day in agonising pain, the oldest survivor of a rare skin disease.
For the 30-year-old, each day is a battle. But she refuses to let her condition get in the way of living her life, playing sport and studying - determined to be a role model for children affected.
She suffers Harlequin Ichthyosis - an extremely rare genetic disorder which causes the skin to grow seven times faster than normal.
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Nusrit Shaheen, 30, suffers Harlequin Ichthyosis, an extremely rare genetic disorder which affects around five babies a year in the UK. She is pictured with her nephew Hassan
The extremely rare genetic disorder causes the skin to appear tight the development of thick plates of hard scales that resemble armour plating. The skin splits at several areas causing deep cracks. And a sufferer's face looks stretched with turned out lips and eyelids, and the ears, hands and feet may be hidden by scales
The skin appears tight, with thick plates of hard scales resembling armour plating or the harlequin suit of a jester.
The skin splits at several areas causing deep cracks. And a sufferer's face looks stretched with turned out lips and eyelids, and the ears, hands and feet may be hidden by scales.
Four of Miss Shaheen's siblings died from the disease at birth. And at 30 years old, she is thought to be Britain's oldest survivor.Last year she was hospitalised with a bacterial infection and prescribed antibiotics, which caused all her toenails to fall off.
And with the return of the cold weather, Miss Shaheen faces being confined to a wheelchair, as her skin stiffens up and cracks, restricting her ability to move.
'I've been in good health recently,' she said. 'It has its ups and downs.
'The cold weather really affects the condition so I'm braced for winter.
'My skin stiffens up when it's freezing so it can be really painful and tough to move.'
Miss Shaheen, from Coventry, said she hopes she can be an example and inspiration to others who live in pain every day.
Babies born with Harlequin Icthyosis have diamond-shaped scales that can cause problems with the respiratory system and restrict their movement.
The cracks that appear in the skin can lead to dangerous infections, leaving sufferers bed-bound or hospitalised for weeks at a time.
The condition, caused by a mutated gene carried by her parents, makes skin grow seven times faster than normal.
The extra skin needs to be removed constantly and ointment is also applied four or five times-a-day.
Miss Shaheen uses the moisturiser Hydromol and goes through three tubs of the over-the-counter cream every week.
She said: 'It's strange. It's exciting to be the oldest person to survive with this condition but at the same time a little bit scary.
Four of Miss Shaheen's siblings died from the disease at birth. And at 30 years old (pictured when she was younger) she is thought to be Britain's oldest survivor of the disease
The condition, caused by a mutated gene carried by her parents, makes skin grow seven times faster than normal. The extra skin needs to be removed constantly and ointment is also applied four or five times-a-day
'I really want to show to young kids with this condition that you can grow up to a good age and you can do everything that you want to do in life.
'Just because you are born with this, it doesn't mean that it has to affect what you do with your life.
'Whenever I walk down the street, people stare, will make comments or they will laugh with their friends.
'I'm not bothered anymore. I have had to put up with this all my life so I've become used to it now.
'I usually ignore it, but if it gets to me then I'll say something or pull a face. That works.'
Whenever I walk down the street, people stare, will make comments or laugh with their friends. I'm not bothered anymore'
Miss Shaheen is in the final year of her level three sports diploma at Hereward College in Coventry and hopes to pass her driving test soon.
Despite her condition, the brave Coventry City and Manchester United supporter is not put off playing sport and loves athletics and football.
She keeps in contact with other sufferers of the ultra-rare condition that affects just 14 people in the UK using Facebook and via the Ichthyosis Support Group.
She has also appeared on ITV's This Morning and Channel 4 documentary 'Beauty and the Beast: The Ugly Face of Prejudice'.
Miss Shaheen added: 'It's hard for some people to understand my condition without seeing the effects for themselves.
'Not everyone understands. I always think that if you have a visual example then it is much better.'
Miss Shaheen (as a child) said: 'I really want to show to young kids with this condition that you can grow up to a good age and you can do everything that you want to do in life'
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