Superficial Fascia of the Cheek Shown in P45 Sheet Plastination

In this paper, the authors attempted to determine the extent of the superficial fascia of the cheek using P45 sheet plastination.Three head and neck specimens were sliced in horizontal (46 slices), coronal (30 slices), and sagittal (29 slices) sections using P45 sheet plastination (special polyester resin corrosion-resistant method designed to preserve biological sectional specimens in situ). Through slicing, bleaching, dehydration, casting, forced impregnation, curing, cutting, and sanding the molds, P45 plastination sheets provided good light transmission, allowing the internal structures within the sheet to reveal clearly in their intact form.P45 sheet plastination revealed that the superficial fascia in the cheek area is generally composed of 3 layers: a superficial fatty layer, a membranous layer, and a deep fatty layer. Anteriorly, the membranous layer of superficial fascia (MSF) extended to the posterior border of the zygomaticus major muscle, enveloping this muscle, and then to the lateral border of the orbicularis oculi muscle. Posteriorly, the MSF extended to the anterior border of the parotid gland, and then was continuous with the parotid fascia. Superiorly, the MSF extended to the line from the tragus to the alar base. Inferiorly, the MSF extended to the line from the mandibular angle to the mouth corner. Below this line, the SMAS continued to the upper border of the platysma muscle.Our results using P45 plastination concorded well with Mitz's original drawing. We suggest that the results of the present study may be helpful for practicing surgeons to apply in subcutaneous dissection or sub-SMAS dissection in facelift procedures.