Modern Surgery of the Aging Face

As our population ages, increasing numbers of patients will seek rejuvenation procedures in the facial region. At the same time, there is a growing emphasis on interventions that require less downtime, resulting in pressure on the provider to offer less invasive procedures, with the hope that they will be as effective. To quote Keith LaFerriere, “minimally invasive often means minimally effective.” Therefore, proper counseling ensures mutual success.

As the number of novel techniques and trends grows, it is incumbent upon providers to remain current. To do so, one must carefully assess the literature, as well as critically review one's own work and its effectiveness. Proper photodocumentation and unbiased assessment will lead to improvements in the latter. Critical analysis of new techniques will prevent the provision of services that are patient-driven rather than time-tested.

This issue of Facial Plastic Surgery is designed to provide a general overview of options for facial rejuvenation. Although attention must be paid to the face as a whole, for the purpose of discussion, each region of the face will be considered individually. However, it becomes clear that to achieve the best result, adjacent subunits must be addressed appropriately. Clearly, the interplay between forehead, eyebrow, upper eyelid, lower eyelid, midface, cheek, and jowls necessitates comprehensive planning when treating the aging face.

We thank each individual author for his or her contribution to this edition of Facial Plastic Surgery. Although this issue includes a general overview of techniques used for management of the aging face, it is by no means comprehensive in scope. In addition to the many individual texts and articles on these topics, the following articles should serve as useful reviews to both the amateur surgeon as well as those with more experience. We hope you enjoy this compilation as much as we have enjoyed putting it together.