pappagooch Posted November 11, 2003 #1 Share Posted November 11, 2003 Surgeons appear to be gearing up to carry out the world's first face transplant. British doctors say they have been approached by 10 patients keen to find out more about the procedure. Surgeons in France and the United States say they are now ready to graft the face of a dead person on to someone who has been facially disfigured. However, British doctors say they need public support before they will carry out the highly controversial procedure. Medical advance The prospect of transplanting a face from a dead person to another living person was first raised by plastic surgeons one year ago. Speaking at the time, Peter Butler, a plastic surgeon at London's Royal Free Hospital, told a conference that the procedure would be possible within months. Surgeons now say they have reached the point where they could carry out the operation. They say improvements in anti-rejection drugs now make it possible. The technique would involve removing facial muscles and skin from a dead donor and placing them on another person. Surgeons have acknowledged that such a procedure raises major moral, ethical and psychological issues. The Royal College of Surgeons of England is expected to publish a report on face transplants next week. Surgeons hope it will help to spark a public debate. The Royal Free Hospital insisted that its doctors would not carry out the procedure until the issues were debated. While Peter Butler and his team are confident they have overcome the technical hurdles to this procedure, there are many moral, ethical and psychological issues which need to be debated before anyone has surgery," a spokeswoman said. "The publication of the Royal College of Surgeons' report on the issue of face transplantation, which is due soon, is the first step in this important process." Rest of Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceyKC Posted November 11, 2003 #2 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I immediately thought of the movie, 'Face/Off'. I think it would be beneficial to the patients who are disfigured, but a strange situation for the families of the donors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappagooch Posted November 11, 2003 Author #3 Share Posted November 11, 2003 I immediately thought of the movie, 'Face/Off'. I think it would be beneficial to the patients who are disfigured, but a strange situation for the families of the donors. I did as well. Thats a good point btw. But it can be a bad thing as well. Imagine if someone with $$ saw a face they desired, and then hired someone to kidnap that individual to "steal their face". Wouldn't be pretty! Or governmental benifits... hmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenojjin Posted November 12, 2003 #4 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I personally see this as absolutely disgusting . Not only is it gross but ones outer appearance should never mean anything at all . Good looks is nothing more than an illusion that means nothing , As an advanced race shouldn't we humans be beyond this crap by now ?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceyKC Posted November 12, 2003 #5 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I can only think of the person who has a disease that caused their nose to have to be taken off, or a burn victim. It's not vanity when you want to go out in public and not be stared at because you look so different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nxt2Hvn Posted November 12, 2003 #6 Share Posted November 12, 2003 I think this could be a good thing. I am supposing that the person receiving the "new face" wouldn't necessarilly look like the "donor" because the receiver will still have their own "facial structure" (skeletal structure). The only difference would be the skin color and tone and any marks like moles or birth marks that are on the "donor" face. I am guessing anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kryso Posted November 23, 2003 #7 Share Posted November 23, 2003 Every medical procedure has its good and bad points, especially when a dead person is involved - you enter a whole new ethic debate. But… it comes down to the individual and whether they have agreed to have this procedure done to them, after they on longer has use for their face (sounds strange!) To simple want to change your face to have a better looking one - in my opinion - is a little freaky! But if you're disfigured by disease or fire, or a birth defect, then that’s up to the person to decide! Think of it like this… if you have had a disfigured face for the last 10 or 20 years, if not longer, and suddenly medical science comes up with an answer, would you still be saying no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjo Koolzooie Posted November 24, 2003 #8 Share Posted November 24, 2003 What is the world coming too..!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melladior Posted November 24, 2003 #9 Share Posted November 24, 2003 Imagine if someone with $$ saw a face they desired, and then hired someone to kidnap that individual to "steal their face". Wouldn't be pretty! Or governmental benifits... hmmm Develop that into a screenplay, papa. I'd watch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KayEl Posted November 24, 2003 #10 Share Posted November 24, 2003 I have the exact thought about stealing people's faces. Reminds me of one of Frank Baum's Oz books, where Dorothy met a sorceress who have a whole closet full of heads. When she wants to change her appearance, she simply take old one off and put another one on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess Posted December 4, 2003 #11 Share Posted December 4, 2003 I think this would be a good thing for people that have been disfigured,say due to a bad accident,fire,etc.But i also think there had better be strict laws and regulations,otherwise the "rich" will take advantage of it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VENKMAN Posted December 4, 2003 #12 Share Posted December 4, 2003 ones outer appearance should never mean anything at all The next time you go out in public and EVERY single person stares at you, let me know. I'd like to know how you would feel then. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babyforrest Posted December 4, 2003 #13 Share Posted December 4, 2003 I think that it is a great idea for anybody that is disfigured to get the opportunity to look "normal" again. It is a very bad idea if it is purely out of vanity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjo Koolzooie Posted December 6, 2003 #14 Share Posted December 6, 2003 Who will be willing to switch faces with someone else? Mind you saying that, I guess there would be some people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engulf Posted December 8, 2003 #15 Share Posted December 8, 2003 MJ would be delighted!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bright Eyes Posted December 9, 2003 #16 Share Posted December 9, 2003 I know you say that outer appearances don't matter, but that's not true at all, they matter greatly and I can confidently say that I'm sure each of us have looked at someone before and thought 'oh my god' or somewhere along those lines. I love the film Face/Off but I was always creeped out by the thought of switching faces. If this is going to be made possible I think it should only be available to the people who could really benefit from it such as accident victims. I don't think ti should be viewed as another type of plastic surgery for the vain people out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lil_kanga77 Posted December 24, 2003 #17 Share Posted December 24, 2003 I might be a little slow on the up-take but wouldn't this make the whole 'identity theft' crisis worse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gonzowalker Posted December 25, 2003 #18 Share Posted December 25, 2003 Does this mean I can finally upgrade to Steve Buschemi? Might be a good look for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefirstman Posted December 25, 2003 #19 Share Posted December 25, 2003 I dont find this to be a rational ideda at all,it would be toying with mother nature and what she as given to us.As Bright eyes said,it would be good for accident victims and such but not made available for rich people.And where are they going to get the faces?dead people?yuch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorpius Posted December 29, 2003 #20 Share Posted December 29, 2003 One could debate on this psychologically, politically, morally, or ethically--but how would one debate this topic in a spiritual perspective? If you believe in ghosts/spirits, and life after death. What happens to the face of the spirit of the deceased person? Does it suddenly dissappear leaving the spirit face-less or will it not have any affect on the spirit of the deceased one? Now what about the person recieving the new face? How does this affect this person's appearance in the life after death? Will it become identical to the person who has died or will this not affect this person's spirit? However, I believe there is life after death, and we take on the appearance of pure energy able to manipulate itself. The complexity of my theory of life after death is quite confusing and long that i can't explain it, but i'm sure my new and "different" perspective should spark something up. What do you think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceyKC Posted January 1, 2004 #21 Share Posted January 1, 2004 Blue-Scorpion, that makes me think about people whose bodies are mangled in some terrible accident. What do you suppose happens when their faces are altered? (think about Michael Jackson) I believe everyone's appearance goes back to their original form, so all their loved ones will know them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOracle Posted January 2, 2004 #22 Share Posted January 2, 2004 I believe that the appearance of our Spirit is in no way related to the appearance of our physical body. I also agree with your pure energy able to manipute itself theory Blue-Scorpion. If as a spirit we wish to contact our loved one I think we are able to appear as we were in our physical form but outside of that we appear totally different. Which may explain ectoplasm and orbs. Just my opinion What do you think ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scorpius Posted January 2, 2004 #23 Share Posted January 2, 2004 If as a spirit we wish to contact our loved one I think we are able to appear as we were in our physical form but outside of that we appear totally different. Which may explain ectoplasm and orbs. Just my opinion What do you think ? Sounds about right to me, and it also explains orbs and that ectoplasma-thingymabober . Good work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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