Featured Image Credit: @taylormuhl/TikTok
Topics: Health
Callum Jones
A woman was left surprised to discover she's her own twin with two separate sets of DNA all due to a rare condition.
Taylor Muhl has a rare genetic condition known as human chimerism, which is where a person has two or more sets of DNA in their body due to the fact they 'absorbed' their twin in the womb.
The impact of the condition is apparent with the model's appearance, as she has a visible line down her body she says indicates the split between two separate sets of DNA.
Sitting down with Barcroft TV, Taylor spoke about how her body is slightly darker on one side compared to the other, with the 41-year-old believing her left-hand side belongs to her twin.
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So, how did Taylor become just one individual?
Well, she and her sibling became fused together while they were in the womb - subsequently creating just one fetus that grew.
Taylor is said to be one of only 100 people across the globe to be diagnosed with human chimerism, and opened up on what it's like having the rare condition.
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"I have two genetic makeups within one body. It’s basically having totally two different humans under the same hood of the car, so to speak," she said.
"When I grew up no-one said anything about my second colour skin pigmentation because no-one really knew.
"My whole life I was always told that my second colour skin pigmentation was just a birthmark.
"Most doctors, even in this day and age, don’t know about Chimerism because it’s that rare."
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As soon as Taylor was born, doctors noticed a pigmentation on her abdomen - though they initially believed it was a birthmark.
See, Taylor's mother, Alex, didn't have any ultrasounds prior to giving birth - so she was unaware of the prospect of twins.
Later chromosome testing ultimately found Alex was meant to have a second girl.
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Back to Taylor, concerns surrounding the pigmentation surfaced when she became frequently ill as a teenager.
Initially believing she had a weakened immune system, Taylor in fact later discovered she carries two different sets of DNA, and therefore, two different immune systems.
To combat the dreaded lurgy, Taylor takes an array of vitamin supplements and strong probiotics to keep her health at an optimal level.
Nonetheless, it's certainly not perfect, as she told Yahoo: "Even with doing all of that, though, I still endure autoimmune problems and food sensitivities daily, so emotionally it can get frustrating and wearing."