Laypersons’ ability to identify facial paralysis increases with the severity of the condition, although individuals are not always able to accurately localize paralysis on the face, according to a study published online in JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.

Peiyi Su, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, and colleagues conducted a prospective observational study to assess societal members’ ability to identify facial paralysis of varying degrees and localize the defect on the face.