What Is Chimerism? Woman Claims She Is Her Own Twin

Taylor Muhl is not just any ordinary woman — she is living with two sets of DNA and is technically her twin!

Muhl, who is a native of California, first noticed something different with her body while attending a dance class as a kid. She discovered she had a straight line running down the center of her torso, leaving her body with two different skin colors.

When Muhl’s parents took her to a doctor, they were told it was a mere birthmark and they had nothing to worry about. However, as Muhl grew up, she began noticing changes in her body such as her deteriorating health.

It was then she consulted various doctors and was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Chimerism. It is a state in which an individual’s body is composed of two genetically distinct types of cells.

In Muhl’s case, she is a fraternal twin who fused together with her sibling while she was in the womb. Therefore, she now carries her sister’s DNA and has two different immune systems and bloodstreams. The problem is that Muhl’s immune system considers her sister’s immunity a foreign entity and therefore is constantly fighting off her sibling’s healthy cells, resulting in autoimmune issues.

Autoimmune disease is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks healthy cells.

Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle about her deteriorating health before being diagnosed with Chimerism, Muhl said: “My autoimmune issues started pretty heavily as a preteen, and that was very difficult being so young, especially not knowing why I was sick. Also, at times I did feel emotionally sad that my stomach appeared different than all my friends.”

In an Instagram post alongside her photograph depicting two skin tones, Muhl wrote:

“‘I Am My Own Twin’ I have a genetic condition called, Chimerism. I'm a fraternal twin who fused together with my sibling in the womb. I carry my twin’s genetic makeup within my own body, which is the second color skin pigmentation on my torso. There are only 100 cases documented in the world at this time. I'm on a mission to spread Human Chimera awareness and its link to autoimmune. This photo was shot outdoors in natural light, in cold weather by celebrity photographer @jimjordanphotography. My twins genetic makeup can always be seen outwardly on my body, but at times it's more prominent than others. I felt it was important to show my entire physical demarcation because in the entertainment business there's an overwhelming amount of pressure to appear physically perfect or within a certain physical stereotype. I hope by showing my own imperfections I can inspire others who have physical abnormalities or who are different, to never let that stop them from pursuing their dreams, to love themselves unconditionally and to know they're beautiful just the way they are!”