I've had this issue all my life. Probably not severe, I can recognise family members, although there are two nieces I often confuse which is awkward when I'm talking to one of them about the other! But I wouldn't call it mild either. Do you find it can make you anxious in gatherings? I've never been able to work out which is the cause and which the effect. There's a gym I go to regularly with quite a few friends I've known for years, but a year ago "the Italians" turned up. Three men and three women I think, though it could be more. My older friends are on first name terms with them all and often go for day trips and weekends in the hills with them etc, they all know me by name and are friendly, but I tend to take a back seat and don't join in their social circle as i havent got a clue who im talking to! As far as I can tell there's three identical men with dark hair usually tied back in a bun and short beards, and three identical pretty women with long dark hair. I'm told by others they look nothing like each other! That sort of situation has happened frequently throughout my life and whenever mentioning it i get told i need glasses, but its nothing to do with eyesight!!

I to have problems with being able to recognizing faces. I have had this all my life. A guy shaves his beard and I have no idea who he is. Clark Kent puts on his glasses and I have no Idea he's superman. I don't know if it's brain thing or not. Oddly I have no problem at all being able to tell asians apart and can easily remember them.

I'm the same way. I also have a problem in public. Sometimes I encounter a person with features similar to my friends' and I make eye contact or avoid it until they say or don't say something to me. I sometimes look at people and try to memorize their face. I have to imagine that they may go missing and I need to do a portrait sketch.

Thank you all for your input. I feel better knowing I'm not the only one who has this problem!

I've heard of it but don't know anyone who has it. Tell everyone to get unique face tattoos.

I never had the problem until i no longer needed to remember the many people i was coming into contact with. It seems that my brain now, as i move into my 70s, has decided that p
eople who i don't expect to see again no longer need to be remembered.

Has my brain become lazy, or have i developed a 'recognition' disability. I don't know and frankly, scallop, i don't give a clam. LOL

I've trusted my brain to do what it needs to do for 60+years, and have rarely been disappointed, so i'm not going to start worrying now. I also believe that worry is a misuse of my imagination, so i just let it go, and merely apologize if i don't remember a face.

I try not to be embarrassed, and am successful sometimes. But i was embarrassed one day, after i moved to my new town and walked into Starbucks, suddenly hearing a man greet me. I couldn't recognize him. "It's Greg," he said, but the recognition and memory didn't kick in until he said his last name. Then it all came back, even as my face became hot and red from embarrassment. He certainly looked peeved in that moment. I apologized, blaming my faux-pas on a senior's moment.

I had worked with Greg on a number of committees for about 20 years off and on, but not for about 10 years. He had just been appointed as Dean of a local University satellite campus, and had moved to the town where i now lived. I've seen him since, and he's been somewhat cool, but friendly.

I do what i can, and try not to worry about things i can do nothing about. Life is too short and satisfying for such nonsense.

Be sure you're getting B 12 and vitamin C and D every day and lots of fluids. People often have confusion and memory problems if they're difficient in any of these.

I'm the opposite. I recognise faces in detail.

Weed is the answer.

Mention it to your doctor. Could be a symptom of something. Don't panic, but get it checked out.

I've heard of this before. Not to be flippant, but there are a number of faces I wish I could forget. It sounds like you are coping with the condition (indeed what else could you do?), and I hope it's not too much of a problem for you.

I remember faces and voices easily and retain those memories for a very long time. I even remember telephone numbers from 50 years ago. On the other hand, I have difficulty in remembering names.

Be like a guy ! We look at boobs and remember the face ever after ?   Lol

I think I might have a mild dose of it, or is there a name for recognising the face but not getting the name ?