Background: Although there are various techniques of thread lifting, most of these techniques require anchoring of the threads at the temple area. However, the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery (FBrSTA) is located in the temple area and a detour pathway should be created for thread insertion to avoid vascular complications.
Objectives: We aimed to determine the relationship between the FBrSTA and the hairline using real-time Doppler ultrasound.
Methods: Doppler ultrasound was used to detect the FBrSTA pathway, and the relationship between the hairline and the FBrSTA was analyzed. After confirming the arterial pathway, thread lifting was performed in patients, and complications related to the entry point and insertion of the threads were evaluated. Patient satisfaction was evaluated immediately after the procedure and 3 months later.
Results: This study included 50 patients (45 women and 5 men; age: 51 [range 26-71] years) who underwent thread lifting in a single institution from January to May 2019 after Doppler ultrasound-guided detection of the FBrSTA. No vascular complications were noted in all patients.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Doppler ultrasound can be used to detect the FBrSTA at the temple area to avoid vascular complications during thread lifting.
Keywords: Doppler ultrasound; PDO thread; frontal branch of superficial temporal artery; thread lifting.
© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.