UK Cyclist Receives 3D-Printed Facial Prosthetic After Crash Left Him With Third-Degree Burns

A cyclist who received severe third-degree burns to his head after being struck by a drunk driver has been fitted with a printed 3D face. The Guardian: Dave Richards, 75, was given a 3D prosthetic by the NHS that fits the space on his face and mimics his hair colour, eye colour and skin. While recovering, he was referred to reconstructive prosthetics, which has opened the Bristol 3D medical centre, the first of its kind in the UK to have 3D scanning, design and printing in a single NHS location. Richards, from Devon, said surgeons tried to save his eye but 'they were worried any infection could spread from my eye down the optic nerve to the brain so the eye was removed.'

He called the process of getting a 3D-printed face 'not the most pleasant.' He added: 'In the early days of my recovery, I felt very vulnerable, and would not expose myself to social situations. It took me a long time to feel comfortable about my image, how I thought people looked at me and what they thought of me -- but I have come a long way in that respect.'

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