

Abby and Brittany Hensel were born in 1990 as conjoined twins. Their bodies are joined, but they have separate heads, where one twin will control each half of their body. The twins soon found themselves starring in their own reality show in 2012, Abby & Brittany, aired on the TLC network, and soon they’d gained worldwide fame. After a while, though, they chose to keep themselves to themselves after appearing in their show, but this is what Abby and Brittany Hensel have been up to since we last saw them. Joined at birth Abby and Brittany Hensel were born on March 7 in 1990. They were a complete surprise to their parents Patty and Mike, who were unaware they were expecting twins, let alone conjoined twins. Of course, the twins were an eye-opener for Patty and Mike, but that did not stop them loving their little girls as soon as they came into the world. They spoke with the doctors at the hospital and agreed the best course of action would be to keep the girls together. Any talk of separation quickly ended once Patty and Mike learned how difficult it would be to perform the operation successfully, so they instead opted to raise the girls conjoined.

Unlike others Conjoined twins are pretty rare, but Abby and Brittany were even rarer as they were born dicephalus twins. It is a rare form of conjoined twin where they seem to share one body, but have two heads. The body is symmetrical which makes it seem as though they are just one with two heads, but actually, their two bodies are joined together, and each twin controls one side. After they were born, doctors didn’t expect them to live for long as typically these kinds of conjoined twins do not survive past infancy. Abby and Brittany shot past infancy and were soon gaining the attention of the media, as there were only a small number of dicephalus twins in the world.

Getting used to each other They share one body, but each twin controls their own side of it. As they grew, they had to learn how to coordinate their movements, which made crawling and eventually walking an even bigger challenge to the twins than most young kids face. Although they are a part of one body, they cannot feel what is happening on their twin’s side. Abby feels what is on her side, the right, and Brittany only feels what is on hers, the left.

How they were formed Conjoined twins form during the early months of their mother’s pregnancy. Their destiny can already be written before their mother will even know they are pregnant. The fertilized egg in their mom’s womb started to split, which is what happens for all cases of identical twins, but in this case it didn’t fully complete the split, and so Abby and Brittany were formed conjoined. Although many of their internal organs are their own, there are several parts of their body that they share, including their ribs, liver and reproductive system.

Same body, different minds Despite sharing the same body, the twins grew up with their own distinct personalities. They were asked if they had two heads when they were younger, but their response was that they didn’t. As far as the twins saw things, each twin had just one head, and the other belonged to their sister. Abby is the taller twin, she’s four inches taller than Brittany, and while Abby liked bright colors, her sister was more into the tomboy look. During their lifetime they have sported different hairstyles from each other as well as things like shoes and leggings.

Family life Despite growing up with a really rare condition, the girls grew up in a typical American family. Abby and Brittany have a brother and sister, their mom is a nurse, and their dad is a carpenter. While growing up, their parents thought it was important to discipline each child separately for anything they might have done wrong. Their supportive beginnings in life have stayed with them and helped them to develop a strong mental resilience and character.

Their bodies aren’t completely shared They share major organs, including their intestines, bladder, and diaphragm but have many differences too. For one, they have independent immune systems which means that even if one twin is sick, the other won’t necessarily get ill, despite being in such close proximity. Brittany has twice contracted pneumonia while Abby has never had the condition. The twins have agreed that one of the rare times they wish they were apart is when the other is sick.

Height difference The twins are different heights, which means that the shorter girl, Brittany, has to walk on tiptoes. As they were growing up, it didn’t take them too long to master the art of walking, and soon Abby and Brittany were turning their attentions to more challenging activities. They moved on to riding bikes and playing sports, surprising pretty much everybody with their coordination skills. They developed an active lifestyle and later learned to go bowling, swim, and play the piano.

Fame at six After learning to live with each other and developing better than anyone expected, the twins were soon gaining media attention. They were invited onto the set of Oprah to share their incredible journey at the tender age of just six. Once they appeared on the Oprah show, they were being asked for interviews from a host of famous media platforms, including Time and Life magazines. They appeared in special programs for the Discovery Channel and the BBC, but their attention didn’t stop there.

Doing everything together Unsurprisingly, the twins have no choice but to spend every second of the day together. We tend to take it for granted that we can do all of our own private things without anybody else there, but that is not the case for Abby and Brittany. They have to do everything together, that includes brushing their hair, choosing what to wear, even when to go to bed. The pair do not get hungry at the same time, and one will often fall asleep before the other.

Supporting each other They are sisters, and they stick together through everything. They weren’t expected to live long after their birth, but continued to surprise everyone by their resilience. They defied the odds and grew into a pair of pretty healthy teenagers. Brittany stopped growing by the age of 12 however, and Abby had to have surgery to prevent her from growing any further. Despite a few minor setbacks, the twins were carrying on with their lives as normally as possible, and a teenage milestone was just around the corner for Abby and Brittany.

Learning to drive Abby and Brittany wanted to live as normal a life as possible, and when they turned 16 they wanted to take to the roads, just like every other teen. They each had to take their own written driving exam, to ensure they were able to comprehend the rules of the road and then were tested on their driving ability. They both control the wheel while Abby takes control of stuff on the right side of the driver’s seat, and Brittany the left.

Passing the test Despite the difficulty of relying on the other to perform certain tasks while out on the road, the twins managed to pass their test, and each received their own driver’s license. Much like every mom, Patty was worried about her girls going out on the road, and she pondered what would happen if they got a speeding ticket. The twins were super happy to have each received their own license, and it was just the latest moment in their lives where they impressed everybody.

Their own show The twins had reached the age of 16, and as they were developing and doing things all other teens were doing, reality network TLC were interested in having them star in their own reality series. The cameras were soon as much a part of their lives as each other and in 2012, six years after being followed around by the cameras, their show was aired. The twins were 22 when it was broadcast, but their journey from teenage to adulthood was the focus of the show.

Educating others The twins and their family were not ones to put themselves in the spotlight, so why would they choose to star in a reality TV show? It was not in search of fame that much is for sure. They wanted to help educate the world about their condition and how they live with one another on a daily basis. They wanted everyone to see them as people and not just the ‘conjoined twins’ that most people would see them as.

High school years Their high school years were being broadcast for the world to see. While most of us would rather forget our teenage years, Abby and Brittany were sharing theirs with everybody. What the documentary showed was that the twins worked incredibly hard and had a real capacity to learn. They had their favorite subjects; Abby liked math, and Brittany liked writing. Despite being given their own homework assignments, the twins did admit to occasionally taking a peek at the other’s work if they were struggling with their own.

What their future holds The teens were having to think about their future, as they were quickly getting through high school. They graduated from high school in 2008 and actually made a little bit of history. Abby and Brittany were the first pair of conjoined twins ever to pass high school in the USA. They were not expected to live beyond their infant years, but here they were both graduating high school. Their lives were right on track and Abby and Brittany were going to stop at nothing to make a success of life.

Heading to college Often when a student graduates high school, the next step is college, and this was no different for Abby and Brittany. They had lived their lives as separate as possible, asking people to treat them as two individuals. When they got to college, they initially began doing their own majors, but it was too grueling on their body so agreed to do a joint major in education. They were now living on their own and had realized that if they wanted to, they could achieve anything.

Thinking alike Having spent so much time together, the twins had grown to know pretty much what the other was thinking or feeling without having to communicate verbally. Their ability to coordinate their movements had meant they spent a lot of time thinking together about everything. They had the ability to finish each other’s sentences, and their friends called this telepathic understanding their “twintuition.” They would have to adapt to new challenges and soon had to learn how to use a computer together, coordinating their efforts to type emails and papers.

Traveling the world Abby and Brittany wanted to live as normal a life as possible, and that involved visiting as many corners of the world as they could. It had been a lifelong dream of the twins to visit Europe and eventually they managed to check out many of the hotspots Europe had to offer. They headed over to London to visit one of the busiest cities in the world before jetting over to Italy and experiencing the ancient city of Rome.

Worries about the future As soon as they came into the world, doctors were estimating they wouldn’t last long. Abby and Brittany defied the odds and got through all of the major moments in a young person’s life, even making it to college. There are some fears for the twins in the future, though. Doctors estimate the pair will have heart problems in later life as their bodies will have to work hard to support each other. The twins have truly led amazing lives.

Time at college It wasn’t enough to just attend college for Abby and Brittany, they were also determined to succeed. In 2012 the twins actually graduated from their college each with a coveted degree in education. They both loved their time at college, and it shows that all of the hard work paid off, they are now considered college graduates. They did the usual things you’d expect from a college student: partying, spring break, making friends, and learning valuable skills and life lessons.

Professional ladies When interviewed at a young age both Abby and Brittany wanted to pursue their own individual careers, but they learned from college that that would be exhausting so sought a joint career in education. They used their new skills and made the move into teaching others. They wanted to help shape the young minds of the future and gained experience teaching the 4th grade in college. Helping the youngest minds in America was what the twins wanted to do so they began looking for a job at an elementary school.

Still going strong The twins recently celebrated their 28th birthday in 2018. From a bleak-looking beginning to life, here they are at 28, professional women with so much to give society. Their mom always treated her twins as their own individual people, so much so that she made sure they both got their own birthday cake! Patty wished, like most moms, that her children would be happy and it seems as though Abby and Brittany are very happy with how their lives turned out.

Living beyond predictions It is uncommon for conjoined twins to be born, it is estimated only around one in 200,000 babies will be born conjoined. What makes Abby and Brittany’s story even more remarkable is that many of those conjoined twins do not survive – either only one will remain, or they will both die soon after they are born. It is common for conjoined twins to be female though, with around 70% of all conjoined twins being female.

Fame not always a good thing While Abby and Brittany have been seen on a few shows throughout their lives, they have not sought to be in the spotlight often. They don’t enjoy being the center of attention and being considered a spectacle. The twins have grown to embrace being conjoined, but they are still annoyed about something because of their condition. They say it really annoys them when people stop and stare at them, or even worse, take pictures, feeling as though they are invading their privacy.

Through thick and thin The twins often face a very familiar question when meeting new people. Don’t you want to separate? They don’t consider separating a good option and the more they grew, the more it seemed as though their parent’s decision to keep them together was correct. They have lived together for so long they don’t really see a future without the other, and are happy with the quality of life they have now vs. what it might be like if they were to undergo an operation to separate.

Hopes for a family The twins do want to live as normal lives as possible and have said they would at some point like to date, get married, and ultimately have children. They are optimistic that they will be able to have these things, and if the rest of their lives are anything to go by, we won’t bet against them achieving their dream. Doctors have warned there might be complications with having children, but there are no physical reasons why they cannot have any.

Life away from the spotlight They have appeared in the media on several occasions but maintain a life away from the cameras as best as possible. They have never wanted to be famous, just to get their experience out there with life as a conjoined twin, hoping to educate others about their condition. Now they prefer their privacy and are keeping a low profile, helping them to focus on their day to day lives without the distractions of being followed around by a bunch of cameras.

Helping others The twins began working at an elementary school in 2017, teaching the 5th grade. It works pretty well for them as they are able to multitask, one can be teaching the class while the other is able to answer any questions their students might have. They are paid one salary at the moment, but perhaps in the future will be able to negotiate two paychecks, considering they have two degrees between them. The twins have learned to overcome difficult beginnings to life and are now flourishing.

Others like Abby and Brittany Many would assume that separating conjoined twins, if a valid option, would sense, but not everyone shares this viewpoint. On the other side of the world from the Hensel’s, Pin and Pan are Thai twins connected down the middle and each have their own head, arms, and torso, but they share two legs. They’ve been literally inseparable since birth and made it clear that they want to continue that way. The two are happy being together and feel that as long as they’re healthy, why separate?

Pin and Pan are not alone Another case like the Hensel twins and Pin and Pan is that of Carmen and Lupita. These young ladies decided since they’ve lived into their teenage years conjoined, they want to keep on keeping on. Though Lupita (right) suffers from scoliosis, which puts pressure on her lungs and makes it difficult to breathe, Carmen is there to breathe just a bit harder and help her get through. The girls never considered being separated because they think surgery is much riskier due to the multiple body parts they share.

When separation is the answer Not all conjoined twins stay that way. Sometimes surgery is a valid options for separation. Abby and Belle Carlsen were born conjoined, but then were ultimately separated as babies. Today, they are living as happy, healthy almost teenagers. Their parents thought that separation would give their daughters the highest quality of life, so they went for it. While Abby and Brittany are living life to the fullest while still conjoined, the same goes for Abby and Belle who are separated.

The surgery Often times separation surgery, takes nearly a full day, or at least half of one, and a very large surgical team. It is exhausting, intense, and not always successful. Regardless, it typically involves splitting one organ into two separate ones without complications. In the case of the Carlsen’s, it was parts of the digestive system that needed to be divided. Medical advances over the years have made the chance of survival for conjoined twins much higher and within the next several years, it will hopefully only continue to grow.

After separation The Carlsen’s grew into giggly sisters who lead very separate, individual lives. They actually claim to have opposite personalities. Abby is sensitive and cuddly and rushes through the puzzles on her kids’ menu at restaurants, while Abby is a bit more hyper and talkative and illustrates her placemat with artistic drawings. The two may be different, but they share an incredible story and are sometimes seen holding hands without even realizing. They have matching necklaces that say “one in a million” to remind them just how special they are.

Different ways to be conjoined Conjoined twins can be linked at various parts of their bodies. Abby and Brittany are and Abby and Belle were parapagus, meaning they are conjoined at the torso (chest, abdomen, pelvis). This is not necessarily the most common instance of conjoined twins, such as one of the more common thoracopagus, where the infants are combined at the chest and are usually face to face. Unfortunately, survival of both thoracopagus twins is rare because they share a heart and usually separation results in only one twin keeping it.

Combined at the head Less common, but more of a medical marvel are craniopagus twins who share a skull and typically have separate brains, but may share brain matter. Though it’s rare that craniopagus twins survive pregnancy and birth, nothing’s impossible. Jadon and Anias McDonald are probably the most well known and their story touched many people’s hearts. In 2016 their parents crowdfunded to raise $2.5 million for a separation surgery when the boys were 13 months old. A roaring success, the two survived and will hopefully lead full, healthy lives.

To separate or not to separate While it is very rare that conjoined twins survive past infancy, it is even less likely to make it through the lengthy and risky process of a separation surgery. Nearly all conjoined twins share vital organs, making surgery very dangerous and difficult, but sometimes the only option. If there is certainty the babies will not survive without the surgery, many parents usually opt for the operation. There are miraculous success stories such as the Carlsen’s and the McDonald’s that make it all worth it.

Conjoined twins in pop culture Some conjoined twins become famous from media coverage, others from films and television shows. Often portrayed as freaks, you can see from the real life examples, they just want to be considered normal. Hollywood, however, usually chooses to entertain rather than be politically correct. A great example of this is in the Adams Family with Flora and Fauna Amor, conjoined twins who Gomez wooed to spite his brother Fester. Darlene and Maureen Sue Levin may play conjoined twins in the film, but are just regular twins in reality.

Freak show Another example of conjoined twins on the big screen is from American Horror Story: Freak Show. The anthology series’ fourth season went above and beyond with hard work and special effects when they decided to use one actress, Sarah Paulson, to portray two different characters, conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler. Each scene that included Paulson’s characters would take anywhere from 12 to 15 hours as opposed to the typical five because it took so long to get everything precise.

Big Fish To achieve the real effect of conjoined twins in film, it’s easier (and apparently more time efficient) to use real life identical twins. This was the case in Big Fish when Ada and Arlene Tai were cast as Ping and Jing. The actresses played conjoined twins who entertained soldiers as performers at a nightclub in Korea. In order to create the illusion that the two were conjoined, they wore a custom designed dress that was partly divided, but connected from the hips down.

Challenges conjoined twins face Aside from the “fake” conjoined twin problems represented in Hollywood, there are some very real challenges that actual conjoined twins face every day. For instance, many have only one arm and leg per twin, so they have to get used to walking and coordinating their movement with the person they share a body with. Another challenge is the lack of privacy and always having another person around. Additionally, they are two separate people in one body – imagine having to eat or go to the restroom entirely on someone else’s schedule.

Judgement and misconceptions People tend to judge or mock the things they don’t understand. Whether it’s human nature, or just people being cruel, this holds true when it comes to conjoined twins. People tend to stare at them or consider them to be freaks. They also often make fun of them because they look different than everyone else. While this can make life, especially for adolescent conjoined twins, even more difficult than it already is, most people eventually get used to them and move on. It’s important to understand that they are just people who also want to lead normal lives.