Overview
Endoscopic techniques had changed practice in orthopedic, gynecologic and general surgery. The author describes their slower adoption in plastic and aesthetic surgery and their recent use in facial rejuvenation. This is part one of an overview. The abstract is three sentences long and gives no patient data.
Findings
- Endoscopic techniques had a significant effect on traditional techniques in orthopedic, gynecologic and general surgery.
- Their introduction to plastic surgery, especially aesthetic surgery, had been very slow.
- Recent uses: forehead lift, corrugator-procerus resection and breast augmentation.
- The author states these uses open many possibilities in aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.
- The abstract reports no patient numbers, results or complication rates.
What it means for a patient
- Some brow and forehead lifts are done through small incisions with a camera, a method that was new to aesthetic surgery when this paper was written in 1994.
- The same approach can be used to remove the frown muscles between the brows.
- Ask your surgeon whether your brow or upper face procedure will be endoscopic or open, and why.
- This is an overview. The abstract gives no results to compare endoscopic and open methods.
Why this paper matters
It is an early overview of endoscopic techniques in facial rejuvenation, including forehead lift and frown muscle removal. Cited 130 times (NIH iCite, 2026-09-25).
Terms
- Endoscopic surgery: surgery done through small incisions using a thin camera and long instruments.
- Forehead plasty (forehead lift): surgery to raise the brows and smooth the forehead.
- Corrugator muscle: the small muscle between the brows that pulls them together in a frown.
- Procerus muscle: the muscle at the top of the nose that pulls the inner brows down.
- Resection: surgical removal.
- Aesthetic surgery: surgery to improve appearance.
- Reconstructive surgery: surgery to restore form or function after injury, disease or birth defects.