Rejuvenecimiento mini-invasivo subgaleal del tercio superior facial: informe preliminar

Abstract

The aims of this article are to describe our method for rejuvenation of the upper third of the face, and communicate our initial experience; we describe the subgaleal approach through minimal incisions and our fixation method. A total of 21 patients, 17 women and 4 men between 39 and 62 years old, underwent surgery between February 2008 and April 2010. The minimally invasive subgaleal upper face lift was performed in conjunction with a middle face lift through the same temporal incisions in 17 cases, with blepharoplasty in 15 cases, rhinoplasty in 6 cases, neck liposuction 1 case, and with a full face and neck lift in 9 cases. The lifting technique included 4 or 5 small incisions in the scalp, wide subgaleal elevation, selective myotomies of the depressor muscles, anchoring of the frontalis muscle with percutaneous sutures to a polypropylene mesh covered by frontal periosteum, and suturing of the superficial temporal fascia to the deep temporal fascia. The mean follow-up was 14 months (range from 3 to 26 months). The signs of aging were significantly reduced, and most of the patients expressed a high degree of satisfaction. Complications were minor and transitory. In conclusion, the minimally invasive subgaleal approach of the upper third of the face is a rejuvenation procedure that gives excellent results, with minimal and transitory complications. More studies are necessary to determine long term efficacy.