Facial disfigurement and sense of self in head and neck cancer.

People who suffer facial disfigurement as a result of head and neck cancer experience profound psychological trauma. This article will describe the role that the face plays in an individual's sense of self and body integrity; the psychological impact on self-esteem; physiological dysfunction with or without disfigurement that pose obstacles to meaningful therapeutic communication; implications for individual and group psychotherapy; and tasks of psychological recovery related to a transformed sense of face, body, and self.