A three-year-old boy once cruelly dubbed ‘Mickey Mouse’ over giant ‘ears’ caused by treatment for a rare skin condition has shown off his amazing recovery.
The youngster, named only as Qibao, was born in Fujian province, southern China, with several giant, dark-coloured moles covering his skull.
The condition, medically known as congenital naevus, is primarily caused by an abnormal overgrowth of pigment-producing cells in the skin that can affect not only a child’s appearance, but also their mental well-being and overall quality of life.
Surgeons in Shanghai told his family they could remove them but said little Qibao would have to have his skin stretched before the the surgery so they could cover the gaps.
Pre-operation video footage shared on social media by Qibao’s family shows the large balloon-like newly-grown skin on both sides of his head that triggered his heartbreaking nickname.
Now, five months after the treatment began, surgeons have declared Qibao’s treatment a complete success after the removal of the moles. His mother, named as Ms Chen, talking about how other children mocked her son, said: ‘We wiped away our tears and moved forward.’
Post-operation video footage shows Qibao with his head swathed in bandages playing happily in the hospital’s nursery. Qibao’s courage touched the hearts of social media users across China.
One wrote on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok: ‘This boy is so brave and so is his mum. I cried watching this.’
Another said: ‘I used to get teased too for how I looked. This really hit me.’
And another Douyin user said: ‘He looks so happy now. This is the power of medicine and love.’
Around one per cent of babies are born with congenital nevus. However, they are often much smaller and are sometimes called ‘brown birthmarks’ by medics. They get bigger as children age.
Treatment is usually surgery to remove the blemish, but full-thickness grafts may be required for large growths.
If surgery is not possible due to the size, location or thickness of the blemish, laser therapy may help to reduce pigmentation.
Dermabrasion may also be used. This involves resurfacing the skin so it grows back smoother.