A badly-burnt five-year-old girl is to get her hair back thanks to a pioneering operation by plastic surgeons.

Sidra Afzal was left with a bald patch on one side of her head when she was badly burnt by hot cooking oil at the age of 2.

Ten months ago a balloon was implanted under the healthy portion of her scalp. It was filled with gel at a rate of six teaspoonfuls a week to stretch the skin. When the balloon is removed tomorrow surgeons will be able to graft the extra skin on to the bald patch.

The balloon now contains more than a litre of liquid and is the same size as Sidra’s head. Surgeons will remove the balloon then gently pull the new skin and hair follicles over the burnt side of Sidra’s head.

Sidra suffered 25 per cent burns from the hot fat in an accident at home. Doctors had to graft skin from her thighs on to burns on her back and arm to lessen the scarring.

Sidra, from Blackwood, South Wales, spent two months in hospital recovering from the accident.

Her mother, Saba, said: “She was left self-conscious about her bald patch. 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 when she would get her hair back.”

Initially doctors warned the Afzals that Sidra would never get her hair back. Then they decided to try the tissue expansion procedure and explained how the balloon would grow on top of her head.

Sidra’s mother said: “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 goes to the hospital each week without complaint.”

Sidra has been tutored at home since the balloon was implanted last September. Her father, Mohammed, 46, said: “We have had to watch her like a hawk to make sure she doesn’t bang her head. It looks scary but it is virtually painless. 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 but Sidra always has a smile on her face and is very proud of her thick hair growing over the top of the balloon.”

Sidra was admitted to Morris-ton Hospital, Swansea, yesterday ready for the 90-minute operation.

If it is a success, she will be able to return to her primary school in September.

Bill Dickson, the director of the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, in Morris-ton Hospital, said: “She is a delightful little girl. 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.”

Her mother said: “We can’t wait to see the finished result. Hopefully she will have a lovely full head of hair. But whatever happens, we think she is very beautiful.”

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