Katie Piper was a model and aspiring TV presenter. Young and beautiful, Katie seemed to have it all. Then, on March 31st 2008, she had a cup of sulphuric acid thrown in her face by an associate of her jealous boyfriend.
The skin on Katie’s neck, face and hands was destroyed, and she was left blind in one eye. Her nose and throat were so badly burned that Katie had to be fed through a tube in her stomach. As scar tissue reforms, Katie needs regular operations to dilate her oesophagus in order to be able to drink and eat properly.
Katie’s burn reconstruction treatment was led by Dr Mohammad Jawad. Dr Jawad decided to remove all the skin from Katie’s face, rebuilding the foundations using Matriderm, a skin substitute. Skin from Katie’s buttocks and backs was then grafted onto her face—the first time this kind of burns reconstruction work had been done in one operation.
Those associated with the case have called Dr Jawad a “medical genius,” and Katie Piper views him as a hero. Dr Jawad was simply pleased he could help a brave young girl overcome such a horrific incident.
In the aftermath of her treatment, due to overwhelming public support and stories of shared experiences, Katie set up the Katie Piper Foundation. The foundation supports UK burns rehabilitation centres and strives to introduce the burns reconstruction treatment she received as standard in the UK. Information about contact and mailing lists can be found at www.katiepiperfoundation.org.uk.
Dr Jawad is highly experienced in burns reconstruction surgery, but also performs a variety of cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures at his London practice Nip n Tuck Surgery. You can book a consultation for eye bag removal, liposuction, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty and many other cosmetic procedures. Dr Jawad offers friendly, personalised and experienced care, and is dedicated to helping people change for the better.
