Facial Transplants - Should we?

Salu · 11-11-2003, 13:38

http://212.58.226.30/1/hi/health/3259773.stm

Surgeons say that they are now ready to start trials of facial transplants...

They infer that that would only be available for facial disfigurment and not cosmesis but as the past has shown, once you start going down a shaky moral road then it's hard to stop. As you are going so slowly that you don't always realise just how far you have travelled. By the time you have....things will never be the same again.

Think of a world where you can buy a new facial identity on the black market from unscrupulous plastic surgeons....Osama Bin Laden now looks like Duncan from blue....scary

I am however behind medical advancement for facial disfigurement. It's a tough one folks....

**Russ B** · 11-11-2003, 13:48

For medical purposes, I would cautiously welcome this.

**Chris** · 11-11-2003, 13:57

I don't think this presents moral issues any more than a heart or a liver transplant because skin is an organ just like any other. It may have tricky social and psychological issues however, as in our society appearance is extremely important to the way we relate to each other and to ourselves. People considering this ought to get extensive counselling, I think.

I think the legal issues could be overstated. This won't change your DNA or your fingerprints, and scarring from an operation like this is bound to be visible.

Jon M · 11-11-2003, 14:09

adds new meaning to the words "you've got a face like death this morning"

basa · 11-11-2003, 14:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by s1lv3r

adds new meaning to the words "you've got a face like death this morning"

Just realised the implication of your post !! The only possible donors for face transplants would be dead bodies !!!!

**Chris** · 11-11-2003, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by basa

Just realised the implication of your post !! The only possible donors for face transplants would be dead bodies !!!!

*re-thinks moral issue

Hmmm ... not sure I'd like to meet the face of a dead relative down the high street, even if they had consented to it on their donor card.

Chimaera · 11-11-2003, 15:00

But I don't think the face (once transplanted) would totally resemble the original - the underlying bone and muscle structure would surely make it look different?

**Chris** · 11-11-2003, 15:19

It would certainly be different, but would it be different enough?

Ramrod · 11-11-2003, 15:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

It would certainly be different, but would it be different enough?

I don't think the recipient of the new face would care. If you are in deep enough doo-doos that you need a new face then you need a new face.

**Chris** · 11-11-2003, 15:52

For sure, but I'm still thinking about relatives of the face donor. Will they recognise the face once it's on a new person, and how would they handle it?

Ramrod · 11-11-2003, 15:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

For sure, but I'm still thinking about relatives of the face donor. Will they recognise the face once it's on a new person, and how would they handle it?

Incredably unlikely to meet the person I would have thought

**Chris** · 11-11-2003, 15:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramrod

Incredably unlikely to meet the person I would have thought

True, but that's side-stepping the issue. How would you react? Personally, in the unlikely event of meeting my dead brother down town, I might need to be taken away by the men in white coats. *gibber*

(My brother's alive and kicking BTW, just an example)

Ramrod · 11-11-2003, 15:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by towny

True, but that's side-stepping the issue. How would you react? Personally, in the unlikely event of meeting my dead brother down town, I might need to be taken away by the men in white coats. *gibber*

(My brother's alive and kicking BTW, just an example)

As someone said earlier, I think that due to different bone structure and facial expressions, the 'new' face would look very different

**Chris** · 11-11-2003, 16:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramrod

As someone said earlier, I think that due to different bone structure and facial expressions, the 'new' face would look very different

OK, given that:
1. You're not likely to meet the recipient of your loved one's donated face, and
2. You're unlikely to recognise the face anyway;

If you did meet them, and you did recognise the face, how might you react? Sorry to be so persistent, the more I think about this the more it gives me the wobblies.

Bex · 11-11-2003, 16:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russ D

For medical purposes, I would cautiously welcome this.

i think i agree with russ..i dont think it should be used for anything more than serious facial disigurement....but havent thought about the issue much, might change my mind and totally disagree later lol