Ancillary Procedures to Facelift Surgery: What has Changed?

The facelift remains the gold standard for rejuvenating the aging face. Many surgical techniques exist in the surgeon's armamentarium that vary based on scar burden, extent of skin undermining, and manipulation of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system. Yet, existing strategies predominantly address the mobile face and have limited effect on fixed zones such as perioral, periorbita, and forehead. Multiple ancillary techniques have therefore been developed to address this therapeutic gap in facial rejuvenation. The most popular techniques today include dermabrasion, lasers, chemical peels, and radiofrequency devices. All have demonstrable safety and efficacy and are chosen based on the patient's unique anatomical presentation, comfort level, and tolerability of recovery time. Surgeons are ideally equipped with the tools and skills to offer all modalities and then tailor their treatment to the specific patient's anatomy. Herein, we review the most effective ancillary procedures of the facelift and describe an evolution of their use in our practice.