Overview
The authors describe a technique for patients aged 35 to 50 with moderate skin sagging and excess who want natural results and little scarring. It combines a short-scar facelift with forehead and midface lift, and works on the platysma and all major retaining ligaments. They evaluated 74 female patients with midface area measurements and the Brow Positioning Grading Scale before and after surgery.
Findings
- 74 patients, all female.
- Components: short-scar facelift, forehead lift, midface lift, and work on the platysma and all major retaining ligaments.
- The ratio of upper midface area (P1) to lower midface area (P2) increased significantly after surgery (p < 0.05).
- Brow Positioning Grading Scale scores decreased significantly (p < 0.05), reflecting a younger brow height and position.
- The authors report that a square face appearance was replaced by a V-shaped face.
- Level of evidence: IV.
What it means for a patient
- This combined lift targets the brow, midface and jawline through short scars, for people aged 35 to 50 with moderate sagging.
- Measured brow position and midface proportions improved after surgery.
- The authors state it suits patients who also want some neck and jawline improvement.
- Limits: women only, no comparison group, and the abstract gives no complication rates, follow-up length or patient satisfaction data.
Why this paper matters
It describes a combined temporal, forehead and midface lift with a short-scar facelift for younger patients, and reports measured changes in midface proportion and brow position.
Terms
- Short-scar facelift: a facelift with shorter incisions than a standard facelift.
- Midface lift: surgery that raises the cheek tissue below the eye.
- Forehead lift: surgery that raises the brow and forehead.
- Platysma: the thin muscle sheet of the neck.
- Retaining ligaments: fibrous bands that anchor facial soft tissue to deeper structures.
- Brow Positioning Grading Scale (BPGS): a scale that grades eyebrow height and position.
- Temporal: relating to the temple.