Aesthetic Reconstruction of a Superficial Defect of the Upper Lip Using a Hairy Preauricular Free Flap

Abstract

Reconstruction of the upper lip requires symmetrical reconstruction of hairy male skin according to the aesthetic principle. A moderate defect of the upper lip had nonhairy skin on the upper one-third and hairy skin on the lower two-thirds in a Korean man. A hairy preauricular free flap is useful for correcting superficial-thickness skin defects of the upper lip, when local and regional flaps are not applicable. This flap was harvested from hairy posterior sideburn skin of the preauricular area including a vascular pedicle of superficial temporal artery and vein. The superficial temporal artery and vein were anastomosed with the facial artery and vein in the nasolabial fold area. The trapdoor marginal scar of this free flap required marginal scar revision and debulking twice during the postoperative course. A moderate partial-thickness defect of the upper lip in the male patient can be aesthetically restored using this free flap.

A Strategy for Integrative Reconstruction of Midface Defects Using an Extended Forehead Flap

“…18 Skin flaps from close areas are another widely used solution for restoring lip defects. 19 Perioral hair follicles, which include the mustache and beard in males, are very important to a normal male appearance, and the absence of perioral follicles in male patients can cause both cosmetic and psychological problems. To enhance the outcome of central facial reconstruction, follicle reconstruction must be considered as a part of integral treatment.…”

Surgical treatment algorithms for post-burn contractures

“…In that case, sufficient skin and soft tissue are needed by transplant to the lip and chin area. A lot of reconstructive methods for burn deformities and defects of the lips have been developed [ 46 – 51 ]. The effective technique Saadeldeen WM [ 46 ] introduced for cheiloplasty in burn scar management creates natural lip lines and natural lip red substance without any aggressive undermining or adding any more scars.…”

“…Then, they adhered the dermis of the defatted flap to the lower lip muscle to produce an acceptable sulcus. Oh SJ [ 51 ] described a hairy preauricular free flap to correct a moderate defect of the upper lip for male. The flap was harvested from hairy posterior sideburn skin of preauricular area including superficial temporal vessels.…”

Repair of cutaneous and mucosal upper lip defects using double V‐Y advancement flaps

“…The repair of upper lip defects has always been a great challenge to plastic surgeons . Commonly used approaches for the repair of upper lip defects include nasolabial subcutaneous pedicle flap, nasolabial subcutaneous rotation flap, hatchet flap, V‐Y advancement flap, alternative local flap, skin graft, free flap, and healing by secondary intention . The optimal technique for upper lip reconstruction should be determined according to defect size, site, depth, and the surrounding tissues.…”

“…nasolabial subcutaneous rotation flap, hatchet flap, V-Y advancement flap, alternative local flap, skin graft, free flap, and healing by secondary intention. [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The optimal technique for upper lip reconstruction should be determined according to defect size, site, depth, and the surrounding tissues. In particular, young patients have demanding requirements for aesthetic outcomes, especially the circumvention of scars.…”