Carmen Tarleton’s life has been marked by hardship and unbelievable resilience. In 2007, her estranged husband attacked her with industrial lye, leaving her face disfigured and burning more than 85% of her body. For years she endured excruciating tightness and pain as skin grafts contracted, especially around her face and neck.
Then, on Valentine’s Day six years ago, she finally received news she had been waiting for: a donor had been found who could provide her with a full face and neck transplant. After an intensive operation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, complications arose—her immune system began rejecting the new face, and doctors struggled to stop the decline. In a final attempt, they administered a reduced dose of an anti-rejection drug. To their relief, the rejection slowed, the infection stopped, and Carmen slowly began to recover.
For years afterward, she enjoyed a life with far less pain. Now 51, Tarleton accomplished things she once thought impossible—she kissed her partner again, embraced being a hands-on grandmother, wrote a book, participated in the Rose Parade as an organ donation advocate, delivered motivational speeches on resilience, and even learned to play the banjo.
But medical challenges continued. She experienced several episodes of rejection, which were managed, but she lost her vision last November, largely due to the original attack.
Transplanted faces, like all donated organs, last only a limited time. Carmen expected hers to remain viable for roughly ten to twelve years. Instead, in early August, she developed intense pain. Her face swelled drastically, blisters appeared, and doctors discovered that the major blood vessels supplying her transplanted tissue were failing. With blood flow declining, parts of the tissue began to die. She lost transplanted hair and eyebrows, a portion of her left nostril, and her lips no longer close fully.
Still, Carmen has not abandoned hope.
“They expected 10 to 12 years. I made it seven — that’s remarkable,” she told CNN from her boyfriend’s home in Vermont. “To me, it’s just another step. I’m always optimistic. When I think about everything the doctors have learned through my case, it’s actually pretty amazing.”
She hopes to preserve her current transplanted face as long as possible — ideally until another donor becomes available. If not, she knows further grafts may be necessary.
“I chose this path, and I don’t dwell on the risks. I have no regrets,” she said. “Some days are harder, especially when the pain hits, but overall, I’m doing well.”
More than 40 people worldwide have undergone face transplants, with roughly 15 in the United States. Her medical team is still considering next steps and remains hopeful her wounds will stabilize. A second face transplant is among the possibilities.
Dr. Brian Gastman of the Cleveland Clinic, who has worked on three face transplants, cautioned that because the field is so new, no one can predict how long a transplanted face will last. Some patients, like Connie Culp, have kept theirs for over a decade.
Carmen continues traveling to Boston every two weeks for treatment — alone, as she always has.
“I’m the most optimistic person, even when things get tough,” she said. “I still have so much I want to do. I want to learn guitar, I want to be here for my grandkids. I’m not ready to give up.”
