Xu Jianmei Chinese woman who received a face transplant Country: China

1. A Chinese Girl Whose Face Was Restored
2. Xu Jianmei's Biography

A Chinese Girl Whose Face Was Restored

Xu Jianmei, a Chinese girl, had her face severely scarred for a long time. What remained of Xu's face could hardly be called a face at all - a horrifying mass of scar tissue turned her into a person without a face. Xu's family was unable to afford expensive plastic surgeries for their daughter, but participating in a medical experiment became their only option. Chinese doctors grew a new face directly on Xu's chest, and after the face transplant, her face regained its features.

Xu Jianmei's Biography

Xu Jianmei, also known as Xu, is a young Chinese girl who experienced a tragic incident that left her face severely disfigured. In 2013, when she was only 17 years old, Xu had already forgotten what it was like to have her own face. At the age of five, she was involved in a terrible fire that left her facial features transformed into a horrifying mass of scars. Her chin, eyelids, and part of her ears were completely absent. Being from a financially disadvantaged family, Xu's parents were unable to afford the costs of plastic surgeries, forcing her to live without a face. Only Xu knows the amount of suffering she endured during her childhood.

However, in 2013, salvation came for Xu. She was invited to participate in an experiment that could potentially give her a new face. With nothing to lose, Chinese doctors began "growing" a new face on her chest. To elaborate, they transplanted skin from Xu's thigh onto her chest and placed a fluid-filled ball underneath it, gradually stretching the skin to the desired size. Once enough skin was available, it was used to cover Xu's face, replacing the horrific mask she had worn for years.

Of course, it is too early to talk about beauty. Initially, a significant victory would be if Xu could control her lips, allowing her to smile. Chinese doctors have already performed several similar surgeries, including widely discussed nose transplants that were grown directly on the patients' foreheads. The first face transplant surgery in the world was conducted in France in 2005. Xu Jianmei became one of the world's first patients to undergo such a procedure. Only time will tell how well the transplanted face will adapt, but the doctors provided very favorable predictions for Xu's recovery and full rehabilitation immediately after the surgery.