Illustrations of hypertrichosis from Gaspar Schott's "Physica Curiosa, sive mirabilia naturae", 1622. 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. Gaspar Schott (February 5, 1608 - May 22, 1666) was a German Jesuit and scientist, specializing in the fields of physics, mathematics and natural philosophy, and known for his industry.