Arterial anatomy of subdermal plexus of the face

The subdermal plexus of the face was angiographically investigated using ten fresh cadavers injected with a radio-opaque lead oxide-gelatin mixture over the entire body. The subdermal vessels were unique in each region of the face, and the author classified the vessels into three kinds according to their running forms, shape of their skin territories, and arrangement of the territories. A kind of line by anastomoses of the subdermal vessels which are mutually adjacent or by the quite elongated subdermal vessels was observed. The line depicted by those vessels almost coincided with the relaxed skin tension lines. The author believes that when local flaps in the face are utilized, the flaps should be better designed along the line to obtain better blood supply and aesthetic outcome.