“Open book facial dissection” : an ideal pedagogical approach for learning safe and effective fillers and botulinum toxin injection techniques

Abstract

Knowledge of facial anatomy and ageing is essential for safe fillers and botulinum toxin injection procedures with effective aesthetic results. Open book dissection is a reliable and reproducible method of teaching anatomy. It is a visual pedagogical approach based on the layered anatomy of the face. It combines on one hemiface, a dissection of the skin, the superficial fat compartment, the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system and the deep fat compartment and on the contralateral hemiface, a comparative injection demonstration. The ageing processes and the targets of corrective injection are demonstrated. Clinical applications regarding injection sites, their position with skin markers, depth and risk are justified and better visualized.