Xu Jianmei’s parents couldn’t afford plastic surgery, but agreed for Xu to try a new pioneering technology for free.
This involved Xu growing extra skin on her chest, formed from a removed blood vessel implanted from her thigh.
Surgeons then inserted a water-filled skin expander beneath the skin.
They “grew” the skin over the expander until they had enough for Xu’s new face.
When enough skin had grown, doctors performed a string of eight-hour operations, and Xu woke up after the most recent one, to find she once again had a chin, eyelids and an ear.
Touchingly, Xu said the best thing was she had regained the ability to smile.
Surgeon Jiang Chenhong from Fuzhou, south eastern China, explained:
‘With her new face she’ll be able to express herself in a more precise way.
‘She will even be able to blush as her emotions change — but it will take time.’
Doctors say Xu’s wounds will take several weeks to heal.