To explain the treatment, Lesley wrote the following:
"Following the loss of a large area of scalp during the attack, Sergei is undergoing a year of treatment to cover these bald areas with normal hair bearing scalp. He has had two tissue expanders, or balloons, inserted under the scalp where there is normal skin and hair growth. He is now having injections of saline into these three times a week via valves implanted under the skin. The balloons will gradually expand, stretching the skin. When there is sufficient stretch to cover part of the bald area, more surgery will be carried out. This will pull the expanded scalp over the area without scalp. As this area is quite large, this will have to be done in two or three further stages, expanding the tissue gradually each time before stretching it over the area. Sergei will therefore need a total of 3 to 4 operations in order to achieve as good a result as possible. It is hoped that this should be possible to complete within a year."
Sergei attended the Priory school in Dorking during his stay here.
Sergei with the surgeon
Sergei with his mother Anya and Lesley Coton
Sergei with his mother Anya and the Coton family
Sergei with his mother Anya
Photos courtesy of Best magazine
