Topic: Strategies and Innovations in Facial Skin Tightening

Aesthetic surgery of the face has focused on the concept of skin tightening to create a more youthful appearance. Numerous surgical interventions address different parts areas of the face, including the upper, mid, and lower face, and other procedures have been developed to specifically tighten the skin in specialized facial structures. Non- surgical interventions can either augment or serve as independent procedures to tighten facial skin and include an ever increasing option of lasers and chemical peels. Lastly, medications such as tretinoin may serve as a maintenance medication to prevent facial aging and improve skin tightening without more drastic interventions.

Recent years have seen a tremendous growth in operative technique for many of the facial tightening procedures. Subcutaneous versus deep plane facelifts sparks debate and others discuss whether skin-muscle blepharoplasties are beneficial for all patients or everyone should be offered transconjunctival blepharoplasties instead. Meanwhile, optimal use of type, timing, duration, and intervals of laser therapy are widely contested, as are the extent benefits and risks with each type of chemical peel. Given the proliferation in both operative techniques as well as non-surgical modalities available, a catalogue highlighting new therapies available to optimize the care for our patients is necessary.

Open browlift, endoscopic browlift, subcutaneous facelift, deep plane facelift, necklift, upper blepharoplasty, lower blepharoplasty, lasers, chemical peels, injectables.