Color Analysis of Forehead Flap and Full Thickness Skin Graft in Facial Reconstruction.

Cho, Sung Hoo; Yoo, Sung In; Noh, Bok Kyun; Kim, Eui Sik; Hwang, Jae Ha; Kim, Kwang Seog; Lee, Sam Yong

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Original Article

Journal of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons 2008;35(1):35-40.
Published online January 1, 2008.

Color Analysis of Forehead Flap and Full Thickness Skin Graft in Facial Reconstruction.

Sung Hoo Cho, Sung In Yoo, Bok Kyun Noh, Eui Sik Kim, Jae Ha Hwang, Kwang Seog Kim, Sam Yong Lee

Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. sylee@chonnam.ac.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE
For facial reconstruction, skin color match is crucial to achieve great aesthetic result. Forehead flap and full thickness skin graft have been used for many years to reconstruct facial defect. Their results are aesthetically valuable with remarkable resemblance and harmony of the skin color between donor and recipient sites. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the aesthetic outcome of the two methods as the analysis of skin color match. METHODS: From January 1995 to December 2005, ten forehead flaps and ten full thickness skin grafts were performed. The reconstructed areas of forehead flaps were five noses and five eyelids. Recipient sites of full thickness skin grafts were seven eyelids, two noses and one forehead. In order to obtain the objective validity, the skin color of flap(or graft) and the recipient sites were measured by chromameter. The skin colors were quantified according to a three-dimensional coordinate system used in chromameter, L*(brightness), a*(redness), and b*(yellowness).
RESULTS
There was no significant color difference between forehead flap site and adjacent skin in all color values. On the other hand, the L* and b* values of graft sites were significantly lower than those of the adjacent skins. The a* values of graft sites were higher than those of the adjacent skins.
CONCLUSION
This study reveals that skin color match of forehead flap is greater than that of full thickness skin graft. As forehead flap has adequate volume and great color match, it can be useful to reconstruct deep facial defect such as nasal defect. On the other hand, full thickness skin graft can be used for superficial defect like partial eyelid defect.

Keywords: Forehead flap; Full thickness skin graft; Facial reconstruction; Color analysis

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