Ayla Summer Mucha, a baby born in December, has gained attention on TikTok after her parents started sharing their journey to raise awareness about her rare condition. Ayla was born with a “permanent smile.”
Her parents, Cristina Vercher, 21, and Blaize Mucha, 20, were excited to meet their baby. But they soon learned that Ayla’s mouth had not developed normally. She was diagnosed with bilateral macrostomia, a rare condition where the corners of the mouth do not fuse properly during pregnancy.
Neither parent had heard of this condition before. “We had never met anyone with macrostomia, so it was a huge shock,” Vercher said.
A 2007 study in the Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal documented only 14 cases. Even the doctors at Flinders Medical Centre had never seen it before. The ultrasound scans had not detected it, making it an unexpected discovery at birth.
“The C-section was already overwhelming,” Vercher said. Seeing her daughter for the first time, she noticed something was different. Hours passed before doctors could explain what was happening.
“We were very worried,” she said. “The hospital had little knowledge or support for such a rare condition.”
Vercher also wondered if she had done something wrong. But doctors reassured them that macrostomia happens randomly and is not caused by anything parents do.
Beyond appearance, the condition can make feeding difficult. Most infants with macrostomia need surgery to improve facial function. “We don’t have full details yet, but we know it will involve skin closure with minimal scarring,” Vercher said.
Despite the challenges, the family remained hopeful. They started a TikTok account, @cristinakylievercher, to raise awareness. The account now has over 118,000 followers.
Videos of Ayla, like one of her in a floral dress, have reached over 47.4 million views. “She’s so adorable!” one viewer wrote. Many asked to learn more about her condition.
While some comments were unkind, others were quick to defend Ayla. “Ignore the negativity—your daughter is beautiful!” one user wrote.
Vercher hopes people can be kinder online. “Anyone could experience something like this,” she said. “We will keep sharing because we are so proud.”