Successful Lateral Facial Contour Rejuvenation Using Polycaprolactone-Based Dermal Collagen

Abstract

The facial contour can be divided into the inner and outer contours. The inner
contour focuses on the frontal view of the face, while the outer contour focuses
on the lateral contour. Lateral upper and mid-facial treatments focus on
smoothing the contour of the: 1) upper lateral part of the eyebrow, 2) temporal
area, and 3) lateral submalar area. The purpose of this study is to evaluate
the efficacy of lateral contour augmentation using polycaprolactone (PCL)-based
dermal fillers. A retrospective observational study of 42 patients was performed
at a single center, with the lateral contour treatment done by a single
dermatologist (K.K.H) using PCL-based dermal fillers. The efficacy of the PCL
filler was assessed based on the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS)
by comparing initial, post-treatment, and follow-up photos. Forty-two patients
(41 females, 98%; one male, 2%) with a mean age of 46 years old were
injected. The average injected volume per side was 1.5 cc (range 1–1.5 cc) for
both the temple and the upper lateral part of the eyebrow, and 1 cc (range
0.5–1 cc) for the submalar area. All post-treatment GAIS scores were >1 (indicating
an ‘improved’ outcome), and the mean GAIS was 2.19 at post-treatment
and 2.22 at follow-up. The lateral facial contour is an important area to
cover when rejuvenating the face. PCL fillers can be a good treatment option
for volumizing and re-contouring the aging face due to their longevity, biocompatibility,
ease of manipulation, and high patient satisfaction rate.