Surgery brings back her smile

For the past 12 years, Xu Jianmei has not smiled and she thought she would never smile again. The 17-year-old girl from rural Putian, Fujian province, says she liked to hide her fire-scarred face from public and always bowed her head to avoid eye contact.

But in October, her life changed. Xu's face was rebuilt by doctors after almost a year of treatment.

For the first time in 12 years, Xu looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. She knew it is the beginning of a new life.