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Home / Lifestyle

Mum left with pubic hair growing on face after skin graft

NZ Herald
8 Jan, 2020 12:38 AM3 mins to read

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Since having her daughter six months ago, Crystal says she's been conscious of the skin graft. Photo / Botched / E!

Since having her daughter six months ago, Crystal says she's been conscious of the skin graft. Photo / Botched / E!

A woman has been left with pubic hair growing out of her face after a botched skin graft to treat a brutal dog bite injury.

US woman Crystal Coombs had part of her cheek torn off by a pit bull when she was just 9 years old.

In a bid to save her cheek, doctors took a skin graft from her groin and attached it to her face.

But years later it appears the skin graft has had lasting side effects after it started spouting pubic hair, meaning Coombs has had to pluck each one as they appear.

Appearing on the latest episode of E!'s Botched, she said since becoming a mum she's more self-conscious than ever.

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She recalls the horror attack and the unfortunate aftermath of her operation.

Crystal Coombs, from the US, was left with pubic hair growing on her face after a skin graft to treat a savage dog bite. Photo / Botched / E!
Crystal Coombs, from the US, was left with pubic hair growing on her face after a skin graft to treat a savage dog bite. Photo / Botched / E!

"When I was nine years old, my grandfather was holding a dog.

"I was actually pretty terrified of the pit bull. All I remember is (it went) black.

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"The surgeon suggested the skin graft, take it from the groin. They did the surgery and then the hair started growing," Coombs explained.

Dr Nassif then asked the mum: "So you're getting pubic hair on your face?"

Coombs replied: "Literal pubic hair."

A close-up of the skin graft that shows the small pubic hairs growing on her cheek. Photo / Botched / E!
A close-up of the skin graft that shows the small pubic hairs growing on her cheek. Photo / Botched / E!

The incident has left Coombs furious, with the young lady claiming she was never informed of the potential side effects.

"At first it didn't affect me," she added.

"Since having my daughter, I started to get really conscious of it.

"I'm worried about the kids she'll go to school with, I don't want her to be teased."

In the episode, Coombs asks the doctors to do what they can to minimise her graft.

They explained it is a risky procedure, one that is "actually deceptively complicated".

Dr Dubrow explained: "That skin graft is very close to critical anatomical structures like the nose, the cheeks and the eye.

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"If altered, even a little bit, it can change the entire shape of the face and look very deformed."

Finally, experts came up with a solution, telling Coombs they could insert a space filler and stretch the skin to remove the original graft before closing the gap with skin from around her face.

She was delighted when surgeons told her they had a solution to her awful problem. Photo / Botched / E!
She was delighted when surgeons told her they had a solution to her awful problem. Photo / Botched / E!

The operation was a success and Coombs was left with nothing more than a thin scar on her cheek.

"Before my surgery, I had a skin graft on my face with pubic hair growing out of it," she said.

"After having my daughter I was nervous about how other kids would treat her because of how I looked.

"But, thanks to Dr Nassif, the skin graft is completely gone.

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"So now my face is finally smooth, symmetrical and pubic hair free."

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