Funeral home uses 3D printing to reconstruct disfigured faces of the deceased

A municipal funeral parlor in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi province, has used 3D printing to reconstruct the faces of deceased individuals who were subjected to severe injuries and disfigurement upon their death.

Photo shows a staff member at the funeral parlor checking a printed face model. (Photo/Chinanews.com)

The service allows for the faces of victims killed in disasters or accidents to become recognizable, and thus helps the dearly departed to leave the world looking good.

With higher accuracies, adopting the 3D printing method takes just one day, said Yuan Junqiang, a staff member with the funeral home. Traditionally, plaster, cement, paint and other materials have been used to reconstruct a person’s face, and the process, which would normally require the manual labor of a plastic surgeon, is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Photo shows a staff member at the funeral parlor holding a printed model of his own face in his hands. (Photo/Chinanews.com)

For 3D printing, a technician will first acquire three to five pictures from the family showing the distinct facial features of the deceased. Afterwards, the technician, based on these photos, will build a three-dimensional model of the face, which will then be printed out through 3D printing and applied manually with make-up.

"Thanks to 3D printing technology, the departed are able to leave the world while looking good, which is also a comfort to their families", remarked Zhang Lianchao, another staff member with the funeral parlor, noting that what has been repaired is not only the facial appearances of the dead, but also the wounds and scars left to their families.