Facial aging is caused by several aspects involving skin, its deep soft tissue (fat, muscles, fascia ligaments, etc), and bones. The skin presents deepen wrinkles, darker, drying, and roughness. Volume loss and sag caused by gravity can be seen in deep soft tissue. And selective absorption can be seen in bones. At present, to combat facial aging caused by different causes, we have adopted comprehensive treatment methods such as facial rhytidectomy, embedded wire ascension, autogenous fat graft, hyaluronic acid or botulinum toxin injection, and optoelectronic techniques, etc.

OBJECTIVETo explore a new method for enlarging the rotation range of the nasolabial fold flap.

METHODSWe designed a retrograde nasolabial fold island flap pedicled with the upper lip artery for repairing facial defects. The anatomy of the upper lip and the vascular supply to the nasolabial skin were observed.

RESULTSAll the flaps in 7 cases survived completely with satisfactory results.

CONCLUSIONThe retrograde nasolabial fold island flap pedicled with the upper lip artery enlarged the rotating range of the nasolabial fold flap. The flap is recommendable for its consistent pedicle and abundant vascular supply.

Arteries ; Female ; Humans ; Lip ; blood supply ; Male ; Nose ; Surgical Flaps

OBJECTIVETo investigate the biocompatibility and degradation rate of crosslinking sodium hyaluronate gel with different ratio of molecular weight, so as to choose the effective, safe and totally degraded hyaluronate gel for aesthetic injection.

METHODS(1) Compound colloid was formed by cross-linking the divinyl sulphone and sodium hyaluronate with different molecular weight (4 x 10(5), 8 x 10(5), 10 x 10(5), 12 x 10(5)). (2) Healthy level KM mice was randomly divided into two groups to receive hyaluronic acid gel or liquid injection. Each group was subdivided into three subgroup to receive hyaluronic acid with different molecular weight. The biocompatibility and degradation rate, of hyaluronate were observed at 7, 90, 180 days after injection. At the same time, different molecular weight of sodium hyaluronate gel is sealed or exposed respectively under the low temperature preservation to observe its natural degradation rate. (3) The most stable colloid was selected as aesthetic injector for volunteers to observe the aesthetic effect.

RESULTSThe sodium hyaluronate gel with molecular of 4 x 10(5) was completely degraded 90 days later. The sodium hyaluronate gel with molecular of 8 x 10(5) was completely degraded 180 days later. The sodium hyaluronate gel with molecular of 10 x 10(5) was degraded to 90.0% after 180 days. The sodium hyaluronate liquid can be degraded completely within 7 days. The colloid could be kept for at least 12 months when sealed under low temperature, but was totally degraded when exposed for I d. Sodium hyaluronate gel with molecular 10 x 10(5) was confirmed to be kept for at least 6 months in animal experiment and clinical trials.

CONCLUSIONSUnder the same condition of material ratio, the higher the molecular weight is, the lower the degradation rate is. But the liquidity of gel is not good for injection when molecular weight is too large. It suggests that Sodium hyaluronate gel with molecular 10 x 10(5) maybe the best choice in cosmetic injections.

Animals ; Cross-Linking Reagents ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Hyaluronic Acid ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Injections, Subcutaneous ; Mice ; Molecular Weight ; Random Allocation