The Facelift Incision: Pretragal, Post tragal, smokers, non smokers
This is to help our Seattle, Bellevue Clients understand the facelift incision and when we us the pretragal versus posttragal incision. Below is a picture of the facelift incision. Click here if you want to learn more about Facelifts for our Seattle Bellevue Clients:
If you look carefully the incision goes behind the tragus. The tragus is the cartilage skin composite tissue that sits in front of the ear canal. You can take the incision either in front or behind that piece of tissue. Below is a close up of the incision. 
So when do you use the pretragal or in front of the tragus and do you go behind the tragus? The incision behind the tragus can be done for non-smokers and patients without peripheral vascular disease or diabetes. It should be reserved for the healthy patient with less chance of small vessel disease. The thought is that the tragus is an added distance from the blood flow and would be put at risk for skin death there if you were to put the incision behind the tragus. People with more chance of small vessel disease, we like to place the incision in the pretragal location or in front of the tragus. We like to find a wrinkle that is obvious or would be a good location for the incision. Many times, especially in men, there is a wrinkle in front of the ear that can serve as an obvious place to place the incision.
Below are some incisions of patients who had the same incision including the solid and dotted green lines that are shown above. Notice how these incisions hide very well for patients. You can learn more about facelifts in our Facelift Frequently Asked Questions Section of our website:
