Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) June 9, 2009 -- Born in Puerto Rico, Adyana later moved to Florida where her parents hoped to find a qualified plastic surgeon to help their daughter look as happy on the outside as she felt on the inside. Turns out, it wasn't such an easy task! In fact, Adyana's family searched for years and years to find someone to help their daughter regain her smile. After poring through newspapers, magazines and on the Internet, they finally found Dr. Babak Azizzadeh at the Facial Paralysis Institute in California.



Who would have ever thought the Florida family would find a doctor 3,000 miles away?! But finding a doctor who specializes in facial paralysis isn't easy, and the family wanted nothing but the best for their little daughter.

Fortunately, they came to the right place: Dr. Azizzadeh is one of the few facial plastic surgeons experienced in facial paralysis and nerve reconstruction in the country. Dr. Azizzadeh is the course director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Advances in Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery and the author of one of the foremost textbooks in plastic surgery entitled Master Techniques in Facial Rejuvenation.

Adyana and her parents were excited about the trip to Beverly Hills, but this was no sunny vacation to California. At the time of her surgery, Adyana was about to start elementary school. She was extremely sensitive about her facial paralysis and particularly concerned about how she might be perceived by her classmates. How could she possibly make new friends, Adyana and her family wondered, if she couldn't smile?

As an expert in facial paralysis, Dr. Azizzadeh understood not only the little girl's concerns but also the struggle she faced in restoring her smile muscles. As a result of the severity of her condition, the brave elementary school student underwent two cutting-edge procedures over a span of two years. During the first stage procedure, Dr. Azizzadeh performed what is called a cross-facial nerve graft, or a nerve transplant.

Once the first procedure had taken effect, about a year later, it was time for the second procedure, known as a gracilis free muscle graft, or muscle transplant. Knowing what to expect after her first surgery, Adyana was understandably anxious about her second procedure. But she and her family had complete faith in Dr. Azizzadeh and the final step to giving Adyana back her smile - once and for all - was an unqualified success.

Today, Adyana is a happy, well-adjusted and most importantly smiling third grader! She can now smile spontaneously and is a well-adjusted student leading a renewed life. And, thanks to a plastic surgeon who lived 3,000 miles away, Adyana can rest assured the next time she comes to Beverly Hills it will be as a tourist - not a patient!

About Dr. Babak Azizzadeh Dr. Babak Azizzadeh is a Harvard-trained Facial Plastic Surgeon who specializes exclusively in the cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the face, eyes and nose. He is the Director of The Facial Paralysis Institute and board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. His expertise in cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery has made him one of the most sought-after surgeons in the country. He has been featured in The Oprah Winfrey Show, The New York Times, People, Discovery Health, and numerous other media for his expertise in facial plastic surgery.

In addition to his busy surgical practice, Dr. Azizzadeh has also been actively involved in several humanitarian causes. He has founded and is the Director of the Facial Paralysis & Bell's Palsy Foundation (www.facialparalysisfoundation.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the treatment of patients with facial paralysis. Dr. Azizzadeh also works with Global Smile Foundation and Medical Missions for Children (MMFC), traveling to third-world countries in order to treat children with cleft lip and palate disorders. Additionally, he is involved with the Reconstructive Surgery Program of the R.O.S.E. Fund (Regaining One's Self-esteem), a national non-profit organization committed to ending violence against women and children.