Anatomical Structures and the Mechanism of Facial Aging

 

Fourth, knowledge about anatomical structures and the process of facial aging are necessary to carry out the above mentioned procedures without side effects. In the past, dermal fillers were mainly injected in shallow depth and the risk of severe complications was low. However, hard dermal fillers used these days for facial volumizing are injected in deeper layers close to the course of important arteries or facial nerve. Therefore, close familiarity with the location and course of important blood vessels and facial nerves is a must (Fig 3).

Among the five facial planes where the dermal filler is injected into, one should be familiar with the location and function of the retaining ligaments that maintain the structure of the subcutaneous fat and soft tissues (Fig 4). Depending on the facial area, the fat layer consists only of superficial fat compartment or superficial fat and deep fat compartments (Fig 5). Therefore, the right injection depth should be determined considering the difference in fat layer. Moreover, retaining ligaments that support and maintain the shape of soft tissues should be considered to restore the desired volume and fill the indented areas.

 

HELIOSⅡ/LOTUSⅡ/HYPERION – Manufacturer: LASEROPTEK(www.laseroptek.com)

 

Besides the soft tissues, the bone structure is also important in creating a youthful appearance of the face. With age, bone resorption of mid face structures, such as frontal cheekbones and maxilla, occurs, making the mid face appear concave. Koreans tend to have a congenitally smaller chin and protruding mouth. With age, the mid face and the chin weaken further. Rather than directly tackling the bone structure, the current trends of corrective procedures favor combining dermal fillers with other minimally invasive modalities to address age-related changes of the soft tissues, especially its location and composition. Therefore, it is important to evaluate all factors affecting the age-related volume change and take a comprehensive approach. 

 

-To be continued-