Daniel S. Alam, MD, FACS, Editor

Because of its paramount importance, loss of function of this nerve is simply debilitating to those affected. Beyond the functional deficits, the psychological stigma of facial paralysis is daunting. Patients will often seek options far and wide to try to restore and rehabilitate their facial function. Therein lie both the rewards and the challenges that we face as physicians who care for these patients.

In some regards, no matter what approach we take, everything we do can potentially improve the lives of these patients. While this may seem a valid means to an end, we must not settle for the simple answer, and instead, we should seek the best one for the individual patient. The fact that so many potential solutions exist underlies the failings they all possess. The management of facial paralysis is inherently imperfect. Countless techniques exist because none is the Holy Grail. Each offers its advantages and disadvantages, and all can be the “correct answer,” but only in the “correct patient.”

In this issue of Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America , a collection of world class physicians provide insight into a single facet of the management of facial paralysis. As leaders in the field, they draw from their extensive clinical experience and expertise to provide a focused perspective on the problem. As stand-alone articles, none is the answer to every patient’s needs; as a collection, we hope the issue will encompass the state of the art in the management of patients with facial paralysis. From medical management to complex microvascular techniques, the gamut of clinical options is covered.

I would like to thank the contributing authors for their valuable contributions to make this issue possible. More than any other arena of facial plastic surgery, the rehabilitation of the paralyzed face is littered with flawed solutions, and so, it’s only in the gathering of minds that we will find our ultimate answers.