face transplant

Former Member

Soooo, what you think to this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6083392.stm

Former Member

I think it makes an excellent debate.

Former Member

I'm not sure yet. I agree with the idea of those who've been disfigured being able to have a new chance at "being normal" (because lets face it, who knows whats normal?) but I do wonder about the emotional impact on the patients and the donors families...

Former Member

Hmm. I think I did put it under the wrong board.. feel free to move it to politics/debate.

Indrid Cold

Captain wrote:

Hmm. I think I did put it under the wrong board.. feel free to move it to politics/debate.

You can move it yourself. Click on "thread tools".

Former Member

Surely this would be the ideal time for a sequel to Face Off?

Former Member

I think it's absolutely fantastic that they can do this. These peeps who've had their face ripped/blown/burned off will be able to have a new lease of life and a sense of 'normality'. If i could donate me face i would.

Former Member

I love the incredibly scientific diagram at the end of the BBC article.

I agree with Rubberskin (apart from the donating my face part coz I need it right now and I hope by the time I don't need it it'll be all wrinkly anyway). Of course it might be psychologically challenging to get a new face, but surely no more so than having no face at all or a hideously disfigured one. And even if you've got someone else's face you're not going to look just like them - it sits over your muscles and bone structure and as such will make you different either from yourself before or the person the face was transplanted from.

I'd be really interested to hear from people against it though, just to understand the reasoning.

Former Member

LucieLu wrote:

I love the incredibly scientific diagram at the end of the BBC article.

I agree with Rubberskin (apart from the donating my face part coz I need it right now

Well, i did'nt mean i was going to pop down to A&E on Friday and donate it coz i haven't got anything better to do

Former Member

I don't see the ethical problem with facial transplants, as long as everything is done under reasonable circumstances (e.g. making sure post-traumatic stress will not have a too great impact on the patient).

Former Member

Deep Fathom wrote:

I don't see the ethical problem with facial transplants, as long as everything is done under reasonable circumstances (e.g. making sure post-traumatic stress will not have a too great impact on the patient).

I agree with this although you would also have to check that the IS what the donor wanted, as the family might strongly disagree for one reason or another. However I'm not keen what happens with a rejection, if the face dies/gets rejected it could be a lot worse for the receipent and they could be even worse off then they where to start with.

Teh_Gerbil

I see no problem.

Former Member

i think its fine from the patients side of things- it is a great scientific advance which will obviously benefit many people, so its great really.
however what about the donor? i mean its nice to donate but your dead relatives face?? imagine walking down the street and seeing the face of your dead sister on some stranger? its too bizarre for words and THAT would be emotionally disturbing for the relative.

cant remember what else i was gona say, it was something good tho.

Former Member

Scarlet Pimpernell wrote:

i think its fine from the patients side of things- it is a great scientific advance which will obviously benefit many people, so its great really.
however what about the donor? i mean its nice to donate but your dead relatives face?? imagine walking down the street and seeing the face of your dead sister on some stranger? its too bizarre for words and THAT would be emotionally disturbing for the relative.

cant remember what else i was gona say, it was something good tho.

it won't look like the donor though because its just the skin and some muscle that is being transferred. the bone structure of a person is what mainly defines how their face looks.