Introduction to facial flaps

The increasing incidence and prevalence of cutaneous neoplasia of the face requiring surgical extirpation demand that the cutaneous surgeon be adept at the repair of a wide spectrum of cutaneous facial defects. By approaching the regional location of a facial wound, the novice or experienced flap surgeon may simplify his or her approach to operative reconstruction. Flap behavior and biomechanics are learned easily with experience, and the informed cutaneous surgeon may obtain superior facial reconstructive results.