New releases regarding the French woman to receive the first successful face transplant are concerning American doctors about the procedure becoming mainstream.  The woman, identified as a 37-year-old divorced mother, experienced a serious rejection of the new facial parts by her immune system, approximately one month after her procedure. 

When she began experiencing redness of the face, doctors immediately turned to infection as the culprit, however, the redness was actually the result of her body attacking the new face.  Numerous efforts to stop the problem were administered such as increasing prednisone doses and adding an immune-suppressing drug to her treatment, however, it wasn’t until exceedingly high levels of the steroid drug were administers that the woman’s symptoms were alleviated.

The woman is now recovering successfully from her face transplant and can now even stroll through public places without eliciting a reaction from bystanders.  The initial need for the face transplant was the result of a severe dog attack the woman endured from her pet Labrador.  Severely disfiguring injuries caused by the attack inhibited her every day lifestyle and ability to function as a normal human being.   She can eat and swallow, both things that she could not do prior to the face transplant, and the only visible sign remaining is a small thin scar where the new face was attached.  Doctors say that she is even beginning to gain sensation in her new face.

Recent discussions at a medical conference in Arizona imply that American doctors will be entertaining prospective patients for face transplant procedures, exclusively for severe cases of burns and disfiguration when all other options have been exhausted.  While many doctors in the U.S. are interested in the prospect and potential of this procedure, much research is still needed to determine how to reduce the associated risks.