A BRAVE dad who lost his nose to cancer is having ground-breaking treatment to grow a new one on his forehead.
Paul Singleton had the bridge and half the flesh of his nose removed after doctors found a cancerous tumour in his right nostril.
An attempted reconstruction “collapsed” within six months and the 45-year-old has now been offered pioneering treatment to grow a new hooter on his forehead.
The surgery, a UK first, has been worked on by specialists in Germany and the noseless dad is an ideal candidate.
NHS consultants at Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow, Middx, inserted a coin-sized device to Paul’s hairline last month, which will self-inflate and stretch the skin over 90 days.
Once enough excess skin is grown, medics will remove the inflated device and trim the excess skin, before transferring it to a metal and cartilage nose bridge. The new skin will then be stitched over the bridge to hold it in place.
The dad-of-one, from Chorleywood, Herts, said: “People do double-takes when they see me sometimes, as I have a huge lump on my head, but a few stares are worth it to get a new nose.
“The doctors say it’s growing quicker than they expected, and hope to use the skin to finish my nose next month.”
Fiancée Ellie, 44, said: “When consultants first told us about the treatment, Paul and I burst out laughing. We couldn’t believe it was possible.”
The couple plan to wed next year when Paul’s new nose will be in place. Speaking about his decision, he said: “With my face looking how it did, I realised I had nothing to lose.”
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