ABSTRACT
Background: The elevation of the temporal hairline - the sideburn - is one of the most frequent stigmas of a rhytidoplasty. This displacement is intrinsic to the surgery, and is due either to the upper and lateral traction of the flap, or secondary to the superficial undermining of the flap leading to permanent damage of the hair follicle. The intention of this study is to analyze the reconstruction of the temporal hairline after a face lifting through transplantation of hair grafts. Method: The authors follow up the patients who were submitted to a hair graft surgery to correct the elevation of the sideburn after the face lifting that was done in the Plastic Surgery Service of Professor Ivo Pitanguy, between January 2003 and October 2004. The aesthetic result was evaluated, as well as the rate of complications and the satisfaction of the patients. Results: Twenty five patients were evaluated. In the follow up of six and twelve months all patients had an important improvement in aesthetic appearance. The complications were the widening of the donor area scar (4%) and telogen efluvium (28%). Only 8% of the patients were submitted to a second stage of hair transplantation to increase capillary density. Conclusions: The authors conclude that transplantation of follicular grafts is an efficient and safe alternative to correct the elevation of the sideburn after a face lifting, bringing good aesthetic results.
Keywords: Hair, transplantation. Face, surgery. Rhytidoplasty, adverse effects