Evaluating Facial Anatomy for Injectable Fillers and Botox

An fantastic discussion of evaluating facial anatomy, especially intrinsic aging of the facial bony structure, and fat pads. The injector in this discussion, Dr. Rebecca Fitzgerald, expert Dermatologist in Los Angeles is truly an artist and has a great ability to evaluate. I don’t entirely agree with everything, but I think that’s the artistry in our craft. But I finished the educational activity knowing that there’s much for me to learn and improve upon in my Botox and Juvederm aesthetic practice in Modesto, CA.

My main take home message: Fat Compartments of the Face

For me, a lot of what was discussed are things that I already do in my practice.  But I enjoyed listening to the topics of the fat compartments of the face.

Fat Compartments of the Face – Anatomy

The discussion here is supplemented with my own notes from:

Rohrich and Pessa, Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 119: 2219, 2007

• Subcutaneous fat of the face is partitioned in distinct anatomical compartments
• Nasolabial fold is a discrete unit with distinct anatomical boundaries
• Malar fat pad is composed of three separate compartments: medial, middle, and lateral temporal cheek fat.
• Orbital fat is located in three compartments determined by septal borders.
• Facial aging is, in part, characterized by how these compartments change with age.

More Notes on Facial Anatomy.  There is much much more to facial anatomy than those very few pictures and descriptions on that webpage which I made a while ago.

Aesthetic Definitions

She talks about Hyaluronic Filler and Neuromodulators.  She uses these terms because they are non-specific, and doesn’t favor one manufacturer over another.

• The Hyaluronic filler which I use the most is Juvederm.  Others are Restylane, Perlane, Belotero.
• The Neuromodulator that I currently use the most is Botox.  Other neuromodulators are Dysport, and Xeomin (incobotulinumtoxinA).

0.75 hours of CME credit earned from www.Medscape.com