Assessing Improvement of Patient Satisfaction Following Facelift Surgery Using the FACE-Q Scales: A Prospective and Multicenter Study.

Abstract

Assessment of patient satisfaction following an aesthetic surgery has shown an increasing trend over the past years. To date, there is no prospective and comprehensive study evaluating this aspect after surgical facial and neck rejuvenation. The aim of the current work was to address patient satisfaction after face and neck lift surgery using a validated questionnaire. We present a prospective and multicenter study (five regional centers) involving all patients undergoing face and neck lift surgery between April 2015 and April 2017 in several French centers for aesthetic surgery. All subjects assessed the FACE-Q scales before the procedure, and furtherly at 3-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Thirty-six patients were included with a median age of 58.5years old [IQR 54.0-66.0]. The FACE-Q outcomes were significantly higher at 3-month follow-up (p < 0.001). Seventy-five percent of the patients underwent an additional surgical procedure associated with face and neck lift. Particularly, a combined blepharoplasty led to a significant increase in the score of global facial appearance. The patients considered themselves a mean of 6years younger in the third month after surgery. These results remained constant at six and twelve postoperative months. A statistically significant improvement of the FACE-Q scores could be highlighted on every scale, with permanent results at 6 and 12months postsurgery. We hereby present the first study with evidence that appearance and quality of life outcomes can be reliably assessed after rhytidectomy. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .