How to best utilize the line of ligaments and the surface volume coefficient in facial soft tissue filler injections

Background: Recent advances in facial anatomy have increased our understanding of facial aging and where to best position facial soft tissue fillers.

Aim: Aim of this study was to investigate a novel injection protocol which makes use of concepts like the line of ligaments or the surface - volume coefficient.

Materials and methods: A total of 306 Caucasian patients (270 females, mean age 45.1 ± 11.4 years; 36 males, mean age 45.9 ± 11.6 years) were retrospectively investigated after the injection following a standardized protocol. This protocol comprised a total of six boluses and one retrograde fanning injections in the infraorbital area utilizing a 22G and a 25G blunt-tip cannula, respectively. Medial midfacial distances were measured using skin surface landmarks and compared after the injection of the partial and the total algorithm.

Results: Distances between the dermal location of the lateral SOOF and the dermal location of the mandibular ligament increased by 0.17 ± 0.11 mm with P < .001, to the corner of the mouth by 0.20 ± 0.09 mm with P < .001 and to the nasal ala by 0.20 ± 0.11 mm with P < .001. The repositioning of the facial soft tissues resulted also in a decrease of the height of the lower eyelid by 0.49 ± 0.13 mm with P < .001.

Conclusion: The results revealed that utilizing these novel anatomic concepts, a mean amount of 0.32 cc high G-prime soft tissue filler injected in the lateral SOOF can change midfacial distances by an average of 0.19 mm.