This Little Girl Refused To Stop Smiling During Six Months Of Gruelling Surgery

It was the first time the operation had ever been done in the UK, but not even six months of gruelling surgery could take the smile off this little girl’s face.

Brave nine-year-old Jessica Brett was born was a huge and incredibly rare mole that covered half of her head – that, if left untreated, could have become cancerous.

But rather than kicking up a fuss during the treatment, the schoolgirl didn’t complain once and now she really does have reason to smile – as the surgery was a success.

Doctors didn’t want to leave the little one with a bald patch after removing the mole so, in a UK first, decided to grow more skin on her scalp.

Surgeons attached four balloons to Jessica’s scalp and filled them with saline solution in a bid to stretch the skin.

When enough excess skin had been created, the balloons were removed and the mole cut out. The new skin was then stretched over the gap, creating a normal scalp.

Courageous Jessica coped with her unusual ‘mohawk’ hairstyle by drawing inspiration from her idol Jessie J, who shaved her hair for charity in 2013.

"She was really so brave - it just didn't bother her,” said her proud mum Becky, 34.

"She looked like she had buns on her head, and people used to comment on how they liked her 'hairstyle'.

"It was a long process but Jessica showed us her strength with how brave she has been and her courage.

"She wore a hat but then sometimes she would go out without it.

"Everyone is so proud of her. She just embraced what she has been through. She's ever so brave.

"It's nice now to think that it's all over for her.  She looks as perfect as she did before and it's as if it never happened."

Jessica was born with the birthmark - a pigmented melanocytic nevus - which was partially visible under her hair on the left hand side.

The condition affects just one per cent of the population and appears on the head or neck in just 15 per cent of cases.

The bubbly youngster from Lincoln wasn't phased by the birthmark - but doctors said it should be removed as soon as possible to avoid it becoming cancerous.

"If it turned cancerous they wouldn't be able to remove it quickly enough because it's such a large area and it takes such a long process," explained Becky, who runs a data cabling company with husband James, 37.

She shaved off all her hair and had the first three silicone balloons inserted in a line down the centre of her scalp in June 2013.

Plastic surgery specialist Khawaja Gulraiz Rauf, at Leicester Royal Infirmary, filled the balloons with saline solution every two weeks using a syringe.

Three months later - when the 'lumps' contained 1.4 pints - surgeons removed the skin with a mole on, and the balloons, and used her newly stretched scalp to cover it up.

But the skin wasn't quite big enough, and she had to have her head shaved again and a final balloon inserted in October last year, with her parents inflating it at home.

The final ten per cent of the mole - along with the balloon on the side of her head - was removed in January, and now Jessica has a perfect head of growing hair.

"Although Jessica has scars, they are quickly fading and she is looking forward to growing her hair out again," said Becky.

"She's been amazing throughout this whole journey, taking it all in her stride with a huge smile on her face."

It is believed the procedure has never been done on the scalp in the UK before, and had been only done once before, in the USA.

Little Jessica even held a coffee morning to raise money for an iPad for Mr Gulraiz Rauf filled with photos of her experience so that he can better explain the procedure to future patients.

"The successful outcome of Jessica's procedure is due to help of a wonderful team of anaesthetists, trainee surgeons, paediatric nurses, plastic surgery specialist nurses, play specialist and occupational therapists who helped me make the surgical journey for the patients and their families smooth and enjoyable,” said Mr Gulraiz Rauf.

"Jessica and her parents were exemplary with way how they complied with all the instructions and kept smiling throughout this difficult time."

We’re so glad Jessica had her happy ending!

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