Chronic facial nerve palsy resulting in mimetic muscular paralysis due to congenital and acquired aetiologies significantly impairs self-esteem and social interactions. Modern microsurgical techniques utilising free neurovascular muscle transfer offers improved facial animation. The present study details a one-stage free muscle transfer utilising the gracilis muscle for facial reanimation. The nerve to gracilis is coapted to the nerve to masseter for reanimation of paralysed face. 26 free gracilis transfers in 21 patients, aged 7 to 53 years, have been carried out since May 1995. Aetiologies of facial paralysis include congenital, post-surgical, trauma and infection. Where possible, nerve biopsies were taken from the masseteric and gracilis nerves for axonal counting. These results have been compared to historical axonal counts in cross facial nerve grafts. Facial reanimation was assessed by both photograph and video assessment. Clinical results were then correlated to axonal data. Excellent motion within the transferred muscle was usually noted within 3 months post surgery. Two patients required reoperation for arterial thrombosis and all muscle transfers have survived. Two patients have required reinsertion of the caudal end of the muscle transfer. It has been noted that the procedure has produced an increased level of self-esteem in the patients and an increase the patient’s confidence. The single stage facial reanimation by free micro-neurovascular gracilis transfer, innervated by ipsilateral masseteric nerve, provides a valuable alternative to the two-stage procedure involving cross face nerve graft and subsequent free muscle transfer. The technique presented offers excellent facial reanimation in a shorter time period, less morbidity with only a single operative procedure. The success of this alternative procedure would appear to be due to the greater amount of available axons in the nerve to masseter to reinnervate the muscle transfer.