Bibliometric Analysis of the Highest Cited Cosmetic Upper Facial Plastic Surgery Articles Over 50 Years

In this bibliometric analysis, the authors analyze the top 100 (T100) most cited articles on cosmetic upper facial plastic surgery. Throughout this study, the objective of the authors is to delineate the trends in cosmetic upper facial surgeries to identify prevailing techniques, emerging trends, and potential areas of future investigation. The articles were indexed from the Web of Science database and were extracted in a double-blinded manner by 2 independent graders. The search phrase used covered a wide range of cosmetic upper facial plastic surgeries, of which a short sample is included: ("cosmetic*" AND "bleph*") OR ("cosmetic*" AND "upper eyelid blepharoplasty") OR ("cosmetic*" AND "lower eyelid blepharoplasty"). In their statistical analysis of the number of citations received in each article in the T100, the authors reveal an average of 55.1 citations (a standard deviation of 38.7). Surgical methods were the most commonly cited unique study area, with 30% of the T100, followed by botulinum toxin and complication management with 29% and 15% of the T100, respectively. The unique study area with the highest average citations received was botulinum toxin, with an average of 64.7 citations. Invasive procedures made up 55% of the T100 articles. The authors found that the late 1990s and 2000s were a burgeoning period of growth in this field and highlight the evolution of many contemporary popular cosmetic procedures over time. Particularly, a growth in minimally invasive procedures was noted, with noted impacts in aesthetics training and research focus.