Facial Recognition and the Fusiform Gyrus

Back in high school I remember so many people saying they were bad with names, but they never would forget a face. I thought, hmm wouldn't that be nice to remember faces so easily. When I was younger I think I remembered them more easily, but as I got older I had more and more problems remembering faces. After my surgery I noticed the problem was much worse than before. People I had known for several months, I could still recognize. People that I had known only a couple weeks before surgery, or anytime after the surgery, I could not recognize. I am good with voices, so I would quickly memorize a person's voice and use that to help recognize a person. I also make an effort to remember a person's body type and height, hair color, and things like that to help me remember them.

So many people's faces just look the same to me, until I know them for several months. It turns out that there is an area called the fusiform gyrus in the temporal lobes of the brain. Since my right medial temporal lobe was removed with the lobectomy (to correct seizures), I am missing the right fusiform gyrus. Somehow I am still able to learn faces, it just takes a really long time. Another difference is that I can't mentally picture a face. I remember as a child being able to picture a face whenever I wished, but I no longer have that ability. So, for example, I recognize my wife when I see her, but am unable to visualize her face even though we have been married for several years. 

Anybody out there have experience with facial blindness? Post a comment about it.