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Oct 15, 2008 5:54 pm US/Central
Girl, 12, Gets Hair Transplant; New Found Freedom
(WCCO)
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Ashley had local anesthesia and said it didn't hurt. She was even able to text message her friend during the whole five hour procedure.
CBS
When Ashley Stewart was just two years old, a pot of soup fell on her. She was badly burned and lost some of her hair on the front and left side of her head.
On Wednesday, the now 12-year-old Fridley girl is getting a new lease on life and new locks.
"They used to call me scar face and bald headed," said Ashley.
She said she's gotten over the teasing and name calling -- she just wants a new head of hair.
"I think I'm just going to wear all my hair up," she said.
Ashley is going through her second hair transplant. She had the first back in January.
Doctor Robert Reese took small pieces of hair-bearing scalp from the back of her head. He then took those follicles and transplanted them.
"The first transplant we did over 2,000 follicles … today's transplant was a little over 1,600 follicles," said Reese.
However, Ashley's surgery was more complicated than most. The doctor didn't have as much scalp to work with.
"Where her burn injury was, we lost a segment that would have been available to us to transplant," said Reese.
Ashley had local anesthesia and said it didn't hurt. She was even able to text message her friend during the whole five hour procedure.
"I don't feel it. I hear it, like when they place it in -- I hear a little -- tsssk," said Ashley.
It will be about two months before the new hair will start to grow in.
"Those little baby hairs, when they come in, they eventually grow into the adult type hair after about a year's time," said Dr. Reese. "She'll look like she has a full head of hair again."
That's good news for Ashley.
"So now I can do whatever I want to my hair. I can wear pigtails when I want to," said Ashley.
For more information, log onto
www.reesehair.com to find out about hair transplant procedure.
Sonya Goins, ProducerContact Sonya
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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