The Northern Territory politician whose face has developed gaping holes

MELBOURNE - A Northern Territory politician is said to have been left in shock after the sudden appearance of two huge holes on his face.

According to the Northern Territory News, newly elected Ross Bohlin had contracted folliculitis, an infection of his hair follicles.

Bohlin, an MLA for Drysdale, was visiting his 68-year-old mother in hospital in Adelaide when his face began swelling up alarmingly, and within two days, his face had bloated by 2.5cm.

“I couldn’t eat or drink properly. It was frightening,” the Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying.

A former police officer, Bohlin, said the disease was probably caused by something as simple as friction from his shirt collar.

Doctors at the Flinders Medical Centre found two infected follicles - one on his jawbone and the other near his mouth.

“I was pulling out great strands of puss with tweezers from big cavities. Believe me, it wasn’t nice,” he revealed.

When antibiotics failed to work, Bohlin was admitted to Port Augusta Hospital, where the holes were cleaned up under general anaesthetic.

He was discharged on Christmas Eve but still needs the cavities packed with gauze every day.

“At first, a 20cm strip of gauze was needed,” he said.

“But the healing has started - I’m down to 15cm,” he added. (ANI)