Photographical Analysis of Crow's Feet Pattern According to Sex and Age in Korean

Lee, Hae Min; Kim, Jeong Tae

Abstract

It is well known that crow's feet are caused by hyperkinetic facial muscles. Recently, rejuvenation in this area has been improved enormously by radical approach and various combined adjuvant surgery. And many articles regarding with the various applicable treatment modalities are published every year. Actually, there are various types of crow's feet, but treatment method of crow's feet doesn't have to be different according to their types. Therefore, we tried to analyze the pattern of crow's feet among Korean people and classified them by age and sex. Total of 256 volunteer people were inspected and photographed. We took pictures of oblique view of periorbital area showing primary gaze and smiling feature. Pictures which show poor quality or any disagreement of opinions from three plastic surgeons were excluded. Finally, 160 pictures were collected and classified. The crow's feet lines were classified as four patterns; i.e., central upper, central, central lower and combined pattern. The "central upper pattern" is shown among those with wrinkle lines only in the upper eyelid skin down to the lateral canthus. The "central pattern" is categorized in those who exibit wrinkles only in the lateral canthal area, and the "central-lower pattern" is recognized to have wrinkling on the lower lid and upper cheek area. The "combined pattern" is defined as patients exhibiting crinkling of their lateral canthal skin from the lower lateral brow across the upper eyelid, through the lateral canthus, and across the lower eyelid, upper cheek junction with horizontal and perpendicular wrinkles crossing over. In this study, the most common pattern of the wrinkle pattern was the combined type. In thirties and fourties, central- lower pattern was more common in men. In women, the type of central and central-upper pattern showed nearly equal frequency. However, over the age of 50-year's, combined pattern was common in both sex. For maintenance of a long-lasting and natural outcome we should recognize the diversity of facial expression among indivisuals and render the treatment accordingly. This observations could also be applied to the injection technique of botulinum toxin for the facial rejuvenation.