Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@joedimeo/Instagram/@joeroydimeo
Topics: TikTok, Real Life, Normal People
Stefania Sarrubba
Topics: TikTok, Real Life, Normal People
A man who received a groundbreaking face and a double hand transplant has responded to one of the most pressing questions from his followers.
Joe DiMeo was only 18 when he fell asleep at the wheel of his Dodge Charger while driving home from a night shift. He suffered burns on 80 percent of his body, going on to receive a face transplant from a 47-year-old donor in a state-of-the-art surgery that involved 140 people and lasted a gruelling 23 hours.
Now 26, DiMeo is chronicling his life and recovery as a face transplant recipient, answering the Internet's most bizarre and realest questions about post-transplant life.
On his TikTok account, that counts 252k followers, Joe recently tackled a sensible question about a simple everyday routine for most people.
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"A question I get a lot about my face transplant is do I shave?" the video begins, with Joe revealing in the caption that he normally shaves '3 times a week', saying it's the donor's facial hair.
"I normally don't like facial hair," Joe continued in the video, "but recently grew a goatee."
"I decided to shave it today, I use electric razors so I don't cut my face," he added, demonstrating how he shaved and showing the final result.
Joe previously responded to questions about having been in a coma following his accident, and being on the table for one of the most cutting-edge surgeries in the world, but also one of the most dangerous.
The surgery was performed only twice before Joe, and didn't go smoothly.
"The first one passed away on the table, and the second one the hands failed," Joe told PEOPLE.
"But going into any surgery, you can die, so that didn't bother me at all," he added.
"It's not a perfect surgery, and I was making it a perfect surgery in the beginning. But then I realized, you know what, let me be real," Joe says, after the surgery was successful.
During his recovery, Joe met a training nurse who would later become his wife, Jessica DiMeo.
"It sucks I got into the accident. I lost 80 percent of my skin, and I have someone else's face and hands on me," he said.
"But then I also found my life partner, and if I wouldn't have had the accident, I'd probably still be a cocky 26-year-old," he continued.
"I would prefer not to be burned, but I like my life now, just because I have Jessica around."