Carmen Tarleton became the 5^th person to ever receive a face transplant at Boston's Brigham and Woman's Hospital.

In 2007 Tarleton was attacked by her ex-husband, he burned Tarleton over 80% of her body using lye.

Lye is a strong solution used for cleaning. It can come in an Industrial strength liquid or in a form that resembles a bar of soap. If held in your hand for too long a bar of lye can burn your skin.

Tarleton's surgery took over 15 hours and required thirty medical staff to be present. As part of her face transplant Tarleton received new lips, a new nose, facial muscles, arteries and nerves.

In a video interview posted by boston.com Tarleton said, "I was an ordinary registered nurse, mother of two in my second marriage...and that 15 to 20 minutes changed the rest of your life."

"Its hard to look in the mirror and not see the person you always saw, but now when I get a new face I know I'm going to have to go through that again...for how unfair it is, its brought out the best in us."

Boston.com reports that Tarleton's family was against her receiving a new face because they did not want her looks to change again. Tarleton says it isn't about beauty, but it is hard to live with a face that hardly functions.

Tarleton wrote a book about her experience called "Overcome Blind, Burned and Blessed," it is due out in March.