The nurse who lost her second face in a rare and complex medical journey is Carmen Blandin Tarleton. Carmen initially suffered severe disfigurement due to a brutal attack by her estranged husband with a caustic substance that destroyed much of her face. She underwent the first face transplant surgery in 2013, which gave her a new face and significantly improved her life.
However, after several years, her first transplant started to fail due to repeated rejection episodes. In response, Carmen made the difficult but courageous decision to undergo a second face transplant—the first American and only the second person worldwide to receive a second full face transplant.
In this second surgery, performed by a large team of specialists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Carmen received a donor face that matched her tissue more closely, reducing the risk of rejection and improving functional and aesthetic outcomes. The two-day surgery was a major success, and Carmen’s recovery has been remarkably smooth compared to the first transplant.
Now, Carmen is thriving and enjoying a renewed quality of life. She has become an inspirational figure, embracing new adventures and sharing her story of resilience and hope. Her journey highlights the extraordinary advances in facial transplant surgery and the indomitable human spirit.
Would you like a detailed article chronicling Carmen’s extraordinary journey through two face transplants and her inspiring recovery, or an overview of the medical advancements that made this possible?