Facial surgeon Iain Huchison on TED

Pioneering oral and facial surgeon Iain Hutchison works with people whose faces have been severely disfigured. Not only a renowned surgeon, but also a tireless advocate for improved surgical techniques and a powerful educator, Mr. Hutchison seeks fundamentally to improve the lives of his patients, in the operating room, and by celebrating their humanity. Here, he presents an overview of this work.

NOTE: This talk contains images of disfigured and badly injured faces that may be disturbing. If you are squeamish, hide your screen from counter # 12:10 to 13:19—but do keep listening.


Mr. Hutchison's foundation Saving Faces explores the nature and importance of our faces—our communicative expressions, our personal characteristics, our identity. Portrait paintings shown in this presentation were created by artist Mark Gilbert during a four year residency at the Royal London Hospital. The artist worked on portraits of Hutchison's patients before, during and after their incredible surgeries, and sometimes during treatment. For more information and further images of this project and audio visual media, which was exhibited at The National Portrait Gallery, London in 2002, click here and here and here.