Anatomy of the Jawline, Neck, and Perioral Area with Clinical Correlations

ABSTRACT

The dramatic rise in the number of cosmetic procedures performed during the past 5 years reflects a heightened public awareness of and interest in facial rejuvenation. Concomitant with this rise has been the addition of new injectable fillers, lasers, and minimal incision techniques to the surgeon’s armamentarium. Perhaps the greatest applicability of these modalities has been the rejuvenation of the perioral region, neck, and jawline, with reduced “downtime” but visible results. Signs of aging that are clearly visible in the lower third of the face include the loss of elasticity and descent of fat in the jowl region; laxity of the neck skin, muscle, and fat; development of perioral rhytids, deep nasolabial folds, and marionette lines; and the loss of definition of the lips. The purpose of this article is to highlight our approach to rejuvenation of these areas, elucidate the role of newer technologies, and provide special techniques and pearls utilized in rhytidectomy.

KEYWORDS

Rhytidectomy - perioral - lips - neck - fillers - rejuvenation