A three-year-old boy from China who was cruelly nicknamed "Mickey Mouse" due to a rare medical condition has undergone a remarkable transformation, thanks to a series of successful surgeries.
Little Qibao, from Fujian province in southern China, was born with several large, dark-coloured moles covering his scalp, a manifestation of congenital naevus, an extremely rare condition caused by the abnormal overgrowth of pigment-producing cells in the skin.
Determined to help him lead a normal life, doctors devised a treatment plan that involved surgically removing the moles. But first, Qibao had to undergo a process known as tissue expansion, in which balloon-like implants were inserted under his skin to grow enough healthy tissue to cover the areas affected by the mole removal.
Pre-surgery footage shared by his family on social media showed Qibao with large, inflated growths on both sides of his head an image that, unfortunately, led to the mocking nickname referencing Mickey Mouse.
His mother recalled how other children laughed at him and how deeply hurtful it was. “We wiped away our tears and moved forward,” she said, reflecting on their emotional journey.
Now, five months later, surgeons have declared the operation a complete success. The moles and the balloon-like expansions have been removed, and Qibao is recovering well.
In post-operative video clips, a cheerful Qibao can be seen playing in a hospital nursery, his head wrapped in protective bandages. The transformation has touched hearts across China.
Social media users on Douyin China’s version of TikTok flooded the comments with praise and support.
“This boy is so brave, and so is his mum. I cried watching this,” one user wrote.
Another shared, “I used to be teased for how I looked. This really hit home.”
A third commented, “He looks so happy now. This is the power of medicine and love.”
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