Facial Expressions
By: Loucas Hadjiconstantis
Yiannis Pistolas

• facies, faciei, f. - face; expression, countenance (typical of a certain disease or state)



Terms referring to healthy or pathological state:
•• f. composita -  “normal, natural face”, i.e. composed, regular face of a healthy person
•• f. dolorosa - facial expression of a person suffering from pain
•• f. febrilis - feverous face expression, i.e. restless, discomposed characterized by shiny eyes
and redness in face •• f. plethorica - hyperemic face with florid, red complexion due to excessive
circulation of blood

Facies composita
Normal, natural face.


Facies dolorosa
Person suffering   from pain.


Facies febrilis
Feverous face
  expression.

Facies plethorica
Hyperemic face
 with florid, red    complexion.

Terms referring to a certain disease/dysfunction of a certain organ:
• f. alcoholica / aethylica - bloated, persistently red face as a consequence of excessive drinking
• f. pneumonica - one-sided blush on the same cheek as the lung affected by pneumonia
• f. nephritica - oedematous, pale face due to the inflammation of kidneys with swelling appearing
most around eyes
• f. cardiaca - oedematous, pale, and yellowish face with cyanotic hue; half open mouth, cyanotic
lips; typically accompanies heart failure
•

• f. anaemica - very pale face with greenish tint in patients with iron deficiency
•f. mitralis - blush on cheeks, cyanotic tip of the nose and ears; the patient looks younger
his/her age; typical of patients with mitral stenosis
• f. gastrica - facial expression typical of acute stomach problems; deep nasolabial fold
• f. tuberculosa / hectica - exhausted, pale face with blush on cheeks, “burning” eyes, dry lips,
excited countenance,    half open mouth
• f. morbillosa - “unhappy” facial expression with rash and reddened eyes sensitive to light;
typical of children suffering from measles
• f. syphilitica - melancholic facial expression with saddle nose deformation; typical of the
patients having the late congenital syphilis (syphilis congenital tarda)
• f. tetanica / risus sardonicus - facial expression typical of tetanus patients; mouth widened as
in laughter, but the skin on forehead as if expressing grief; tonic spasm of mimic and chewing
muscles
• f. leontina - the lion-like facial appearance occurring in patients with certain forms of leprosy

Facies alcoholica / aethylica
Bloated, persistently red face.


Facies pneumonica
One-sided blush on the
same cheek as the lung
affected by pneumonia.

Facies nephritica
Oedematous, pale face with swelling appearing most around eyes.


Facies cardiaca
Oedematous, pale, and yellowish face with cyanotic hue; half open mouth, cyanotic lips.


Facies anaemica
Very pale face with
greenish tint in patients
 with iron deficiency.

Facies mitralis
Blush on cheeks, cyanotic tip of the nose and ears.


Facies gastrica
Facial expression typical of acute stomach problems;
deep nasolabial fold.

Facies tuberculosa / hectica
Exhausted, pale face
with blush on cheeks,
“burning” eyes, dry lips,
excited countenance,
half open mouth.

Facies morbillosa
Rash and reddened eyes sensitive to light; typical of children suffering from measles.


Facies syphilitica
Saddle nose deformation; typical of the patients having the late congenital syphilis.


Facies tetanica / risus sardonicus
Typical of tetanus patients; mouth widened as in laughter, but the skin on forehead as if
expressing grief.

Facies leontina
Lion-like facial appearance; patients
with certain forms
of leprosy.

Eponyms:
•facies Hippocratica → facies abdominalis
•sunken eyes, pinched nose, deadly livid and cyanotic skin sometimes covered with large drops of
cold sweat, specific for the collapse due to severe disease of abdominal organs accompanied by
peritonitis (rupture of gall bladder, perforated ulcer in stomach or duodenum)
•facies Parkinsonica / oleosa
•amimic face with characteristic stare; the patient seems to lean forward to the observer; oily
skin of face, sometimes drooling occurs; typical of patients with advanced Parkinson's disease
(morbus Parkinson)
•

Facies Hippocratica → Facies abdominalis
Sunken eyes, pinched nose, deadly livid and cyanotic skin sometimes covered with large drops of
cold sweat.




Facies Parkinsonica / oleosa
Amimic face with characteristic stare; the patient seems to lean forward to the observer; oily skin
of face, sometimes drooling occurs.

Typical of patients     with advanced Parkinson's disease (morbus Parkinson)



Thank you !