Subcutaneous approach to forehead, brow, and modified temple incision

Placing the incision at the hairline or just posterior to the boundary of the hair, with subcutaneous elevation of the flaps, is a more effective way to correct the aging upper face, whether it be "crow's feet," excess forehead skin, or eyebrow ptosis. Furthermore, by placing the facial rhytidectomy incision at the sideburn boundary caudally and anteriorly, the sideburn can be preserved, regardless of the amount of skin removed. Patient selection and procedure have been described. Patients who are candidates for this type of surgery include those who have a long forehead, a short forehead, deep wrinkles, or thinner skin, as well as patients with deep frown lines and hyperactive corrugator muscles. The scars are generally minimal but can be camouflaged in one of many ways if they are visible. The most effective method is medical-grade tattooing. There are many advantages to the technique, the most important of which is control of forehead length and preservation of sensory and motor nerves. The results are far superior to most other available techniques in properly selected cases. In today's world of aesthetic surgery finesse, those who have expertise with a variety of approaches are more equipped to best serve the patients, and the techniques described here should be part of the aesthetic surgery armamentarium.