Importance of recognizing aesthetic units when designing local flaps in facial lesions
Kong Chee Kwan
University of Malaya, Malaysia
: J Aging Geriatr Med
Abstract
The principle of facial aesthetic units is important in designing local flaps for facial reconstruction. Local flaps are routinely utilized for skin lesions that are too big to be closed primarily. The ideal local flap for reconstruction is the one that can be designed within the same aesthetic unit as that containing the lesion. Scars are best concealed by placing incisions along aesthetic margins. When a defect involves two or more aesthetic units, it is better to compartmentalize the reconstruction. Each skin flaps are planned to reconstruct the separate components of the defect that are located within separate aesthetic units. This may provide similarity of skin quality but, more essentially, places scars in the aesthetic margins. It is often beneficial to extend the primary defect by increasing the defect to an aesthetic margin or even to extend the defect to occupy an entire aesthetic unit. Reconstruction of the defect with a local flap will then position a border of the flap in an aesthetic unit for improved scar concealment.
Biography
Kong Chee Kwan has double is a General and Plastic Surgeon. He started his career in general surgery in 2004. He served as a General Surgeon at the Ministry of Health Hospitals before underwent sub-specialist training and board certified as a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. Consequently, University Malaya appointed him as a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Specialist in the Department of Surgery. He has trained many general surgeons as well as plastic surgeons. He has published numerous papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of Malaysia Medical Journal.
E-mail: kcheekwan@yahoo.com
