Patterns of contraction of the frontalis muscle: a pilot study

Introduction: Diverse anatomical characteristics and varied kinetic spectra determine the specific contraction patterns of individuals' frontal facial musculature. Objective: To identify and classify the frontal facial musculature contraction patterns in patients who sought care for treating frontal facial wrinkles. Methods: Retrospective analysis of pictures taken from 83 patients.The muscular contraction pattern was classified according to the predominant hyperkinetic area that was observed in the picture in the frontal muscle's maximum contraction. Results:Three contraction patterns were identified: total, medial and lateral. In 50.6% of cases, the total pattern was observed: the horizontal rhytids present in the center of the forehead extend laterally beyond the mediopupillary line, up to the end of the brows.The medial pattern was observed in 25.3% of cases: the horizontal rhytids are concentrated in the central region of the forehead, predominantly contained between the mediopupillary lines.The lateral pattern was observed in 24% of the cases: the horizontal rhytids prevail on the sides of the forehead, mainly occurring laterallyto the mediopupillary line. Conclusions: The identification and classification of Frontalis muscle contraction patterns provides an individualized approach for each patient, which is one of the most important pillars of a successful treatment plan.