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| Burns girl grows new head of hair | Burns girl grows new head of hair |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A five-year-old girl has been given a new "piggyback" head to help her replace skin and hair she lost in an horrific burns accident as a toddler. | A five-year-old girl has been given a new "piggyback" head to help her replace skin and hair she lost in an horrific burns accident as a toddler. |
| Sidra Afzal, from Fleur-de-Lys, near Caerphilly, is being treated by doctors at Morriston Hospital, Swansea. | Sidra Afzal, from Fleur-de-Lys, near Caerphilly, is being treated by doctors at Morriston Hospital, Swansea. |
| They implanted a special balloon under her scalp 10 months ago which has steadily grown with new skin and hair. | They implanted a special balloon under her scalp 10 months ago which has steadily grown with new skin and hair. |
| Now they plan to remove the gel-filled balloon and pull the new skin and hair follicles over Sidra's burnt head. | Now they plan to remove the gel-filled balloon and pull the new skin and hair follicles over Sidra's burnt head. |
| Sidra was two when she suffered 25% burns from cooking oil in an accident at her home, leaving her bald on one side of her head. | Sidra was two when she suffered 25% burns from cooking oil in an accident at her home, leaving her bald on one side of her head. |
| Doctors grafted skin from her thighs onto burns on her back and arm to lessen the scarring but her scalp remained red and swollen, and her hair did not grow back. | |
| Her mother Saba, 38, said: "She was left self-conscious about her bald patch. | Her mother Saba, 38, said: "She was left self-conscious about her bald patch. |
| "All little girls fuss about their hair and she is no different. | "All little girls fuss about their hair and she is no different. |
| "She always wears a hat when we go out and she kept asking me when she would get her hair back." | "She always wears a hat when we go out and she kept asking me when she would get her hair back." |
| Surgeons at the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery in Morriston are carrying out the tissue expansion procedure. | Surgeons at the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery in Morriston are carrying out the tissue expansion procedure. |
| It looks scary but it is virtually painless Sidra's father Mohammed | |
| A 90-minute operation will be carried out this week and, if it is a success, Sidra will be able to return to school in September after spending a year having tutoring at home since the balloon was implanted. | A 90-minute operation will be carried out this week and, if it is a success, Sidra will be able to return to school in September after spending a year having tutoring at home since the balloon was implanted. |
| The balloon has been filled with a special gel at the rate of six teaspoons full each week - with the healthy skin and hair stretching around it. | The balloon has been filled with a special gel at the rate of six teaspoons full each week - with the healthy skin and hair stretching around it. |
| It now contains more than a litre of liquid and is the same size as her head. | It now contains more than a litre of liquid and is the same size as her head. |
| Dr Bill Dickson, the burns centre's director, said Sidra was a "delightful little child to look after". | Dr Bill Dickson, the burns centre's director, said Sidra was a "delightful little child to look after". |
| Doctors at Morriston's burns centre are caring for the little girl | |
| "It is a rare procedure but we are very hopeful her new scalp will grow with her because it is her skin. | "It is a rare procedure but we are very hopeful her new scalp will grow with her because it is her skin. |
| "The injections and the expanding balloon can be quite uncomfortable. But Sidra has coped really well." | "The injections and the expanding balloon can be quite uncomfortable. But Sidra has coped really well." |
| Double-take | Double-take |
| Her mother Saba said; "Sidra is so brave. Before the first operation, her doctor explained what would happen and asked if she wanted to go ahead. | Her mother Saba said; "Sidra is so brave. Before the first operation, her doctor explained what would happen and asked if she wanted to go ahead. |
| "She answered: 'As long as I can look nice, I don't mind the pain." | "She answered: 'As long as I can look nice, I don't mind the pain." |
| Sidra's father, shopkeeper Mohammed, 46, said they had to watch her "like a hawk" to make sure she did not bang her head. | |
| "It looks scary but it is virtually painless," he said. "She does feel the balloon move and wobble from time to time, though. | |
| "People do a double-take and some stop to ask why her head is like this. It's only natural that they are curious. | "People do a double-take and some stop to ask why her head is like this. It's only natural that they are curious. |
| "But Sidra always has a smile on her face and is very proud of her thick hair growing over the top of the balloon," he added. | "But Sidra always has a smile on her face and is very proud of her thick hair growing over the top of the balloon," he added. |