UNC Facial Nerve Center

12/02/2025

Never before has there been an in-person gathering where Ramsay Hunt Syndrome patients from all around can meet for patient advocacy, education, and support. The Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Foundation is changing this! The foundation will be putting on the RHSF Patient Summit: Face Forward 2026 (details to come early in the New Year!). Please consider donating on Giving Tuesday to support this extremely important cause.

Giving Tuesday Campaign

11/21/2025

Happy Friday! Listen to a recent podcast featuring Dr. Miller talking about long-term outcomes after DAO excision/myectomy. We hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5vFKyAd8QrNrKBMyVI2X0v?si=qxfL4bMFSPaC6uVu18e-vA

About the Face · Episode

11/11/2025

Behind every smile affected by Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, Bell’s palsy, and other causes of facial paralysis is a story of strength — and often, silent struggles with mental health. People with facial paralysis face greater risks of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. That’s why we’re so excited to share a new mental health page by Dr. Corah Lewis, a UK clinical psychologist dedicated to supporting people living with facial paralysis, now live on the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Foundation website.
https://www.ramsayhuntfoundation.org/mental-health

Email from Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Foundation Explore practical ways to care for your mind while navigating Ramsay Hunt syndrome.  Vol. 1, No. 7 November 2025 Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Foundation Newslet

09/27/2025

The International Facial Nerve Symposium has come to a close. The meeting had 666 clinicians attending from 52 countries and 5 continents. The motivation for everyone is simple, we need to keep working to improve treatment options for patients with facial paralysis! We look forward to seeing you back in the US!

09/25/2025

We are halfway through the 15th International Facial Nerve Symposium and the UNC Facial Nerve Center team has been busy! We have discussed how to better classify smiles in patients with synkinesis, long-term outcomes after DAO excision, and the need to improve standardization in facial nerve research. Of course we have celebrated our incredible team as well!

09/23/2025

The UNC Facial Nerve Center team is in Madrid this week at the 15th International Facial Nerve Symposium! This meeting occurs every 4 years and provides an opportunity for clinicians around the world to share ideas and strategies on how to improve treatment options for patients with facial paralysis.

09/17/2025

For the first time ever, the preeminent facial plastic and reconstructive surgery journal, FPSAM, has released a special issue dedicated entirely to facial nerve research! Dr. Miller was one of two guest editors for this special issue. Both Dr. Miller's and Dr. Drake's research are featured as well! For two weeks, all articles can be downloaded for free.

Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine

08/27/2025

With the new school year starting at UNC, we thought it was time to revamp the facial nerve center's logo! We hope everyone had an enjoyable summer.

07/07/2025

Thank you, Dr. Tyler Rist (far right), for all of your hard work this past year in caring for facial paralysis patients at the UNC Facial Nerve Center! Having just completed his fellowship at UNC, Dr. Rist will be going to the Medical University of South Carolina where he will continue to build and expand their facial nerve center.

05/30/2025

Read about a patient's amazing journey with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome in the Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Foundation's May newsletter. Thank you so much for sharing your story!

​On May 1, 2025, members of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Health and Humanities: An Interdisciplinary Venue for Exploration (HHIVE) Lab had the opportunity to speak with Howard Stall about his experience living with Ramsay Hunt Syndrome. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll be highlighting Howard’s story...

05/15/2025

There need to be more facial nerve centers around the country and world so facial paralysis patients can get the care they deserve! This morning Dr. Miller gave the keynote presentation at the AAFPRS Spring Meeting in New Orleans about how to start and build a facial nerve center. The UNC Facial Nerve Center team wants to thank all of our patients who travel to see us, both from near and far!

05/12/2025

This weekend the whole facial nerve center team got together with their families to celebrate another great year! There was a 60' bounce house and plenty of "grown ups" enjoyed it alongside the kids!