Lithograph from Ferdinand Ritter von Hebra's Atlas, part 10, plate 7, showing a man in red shirt whose face is completely covered in brown hair. Hypertrichosis (also called Ambras syndrome) is an abnormal amount of hair growth over the body. Extensive cases of hypertrichosis have informally been called werewolf syndrome,because the appearance is similar to the werewolf. The two distinct types of hypertrichosis are generalized hypertrichosis, which occurs over the entire body, and localized hypertrichosis, which is restricted to a certain area. Hypertrichosis can be either congenital (present at birth) or acquired later in life. The excess growth of hair occurs in areas of the skin with the exception of androgen-dependent hair of the pubic area, face, and axillary regions.