Ancillary Procedures to Facelift Surgery: What has Changed?

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Dermatology
• Aesthetic Medicine

Background:

• Facelift surgery is the gold standard for facial rejuvenation.
• Current facelift techniques primarily address mobile facial areas, with limited efficacy on fixed zones like the periorbital and perioral regions.
• Ancillary procedures have been developed to bridge this therapeutic gap in facial rejuvenation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the most effective ancillary procedures used in conjunction with facelifts.
• To describe the evolution of these ancillary techniques in clinical practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on ancillary facial rejuvenation techniques.
• Description of the application and evolution of dermabrasion, lasers, chemical peels, and radiofrequency devices.
• Discussion of patient-specific treatment tailoring based on anatomy and recovery tolerance.

Main Results:

• Facelift surgery is the primary method for facial rejuvenation.
• Ancillary techniques such as dermabrasion, lasers, chemical peels, and radiofrequency devices effectively address limitations of traditional facelifts.
• These ancillary procedures offer demonstrable safety and efficacy for rejuvenating fixed facial zones.

Conclusions:

• Ancillary procedures are essential for comprehensive facial rejuvenation alongside facelifts.
• The choice of ancillary technique should be individualized based on patient anatomy, preferences, and recovery.
• Surgeons should be proficient in offering a range of modalities to tailor treatments effectively.