Background: Thanks to the rapid development of computer-based systems and deep-learning-based algorithms, artificial intelligence (AI) has long been integrated into the healthcare field. AI is also particularly helpful in image recognition, surgical assistance and basic research. Due to the unique nature of dermatology, AI-aided dermatological diagnosis based on image recognition has become a modern focus and future trend. Key scientific concepts of review: The use of 3D imaging systems allows clinicians to screen and label skin pigmented lesions and distributed disorders, which can provide an objective assessment and image documentation of lesion sites. Dermatoscopes combined with intelligent software help the dermatologist to easily correlate each close-up image with the corresponding marked lesion in the 3D body map. In addition, AI in the field of prosthetics can assist in the rehabilitation of patients and help to restore limb function after amputation in patients with skin tumors. The aim of the study: For the benefit of patients, dermatologists have an obligation to explore the opportunities, risks and limitations of AI applications. This study focuses on the application of emerging AI in dermatology to aid clinical diagnosis and treatment, analyzes the current state of the field and summarizes its future trends and prospects so as to help dermatologists realize the impact of new technological innovations on traditional practices so that they can embrace and use AI-based medical approaches more quickly.

Background: The superficial (subcutaneous) facial fat compartments contribute to the signs of facial aging, but a comprehensive anatomical description of their location and their functional behavior during the application of soft-tissue fillers remains elusive. Methods: The authors investigated 30 fresh frozen cephalic specimens from 13 male and 17 female Caucasian body donors (age, 78.3 ± 14.2 years; body mass index, 23.1 ± 5.3 kg/m²). Upright-position, contrast-enhanced computed tomographic scanning, and additional magnetic resonance imaging were performed. Three-dimensional reconstruction–based measures were conducted to evaluate the position of the applied contrast agent in each compartment separately. Successive anatomical dissections were performed to confirm the imaging findings. Results: Positive correlations were detected between the amounts of injected material and the inferior displacement for the superficial nasolabial (r_p = 0.92, p = 0.003), middle cheek (r_p = 0.70, p = 0.05), and jowl (r_p = 0.92, p = 0.03) compartments but not for the medial cheek (r_p = 0.20, p = 0.75), lateral cheek (r_p = 0.15, p = 0.75), or the superior (r_p = −0.32, p = 0.41) or inferior superficial temporal compartment (r_p = −0.52, p = 0.29). Conclusion: This study confirms the presence of distinct subcutaneous fat compartments and provides evidence for an individual behavior when soft-tissue fillers are applied: inferior displacement of the superficial nasolabial, middle cheek, and jowl compartments, in contrast to an increase in volume without displacement (i.e., an increase in projection) of the medial cheek, lateral cheek, and both superficial temporal compartments.

Background: Injection of soft-tissue fillers into the facial fat compartments is frequently performed to ameliorate the signs of facial aging. This study was designed to investigate the functional anatomy of the deep facial fat compartments and to provide information on the effects of injected material in relation to age and gender differences. Methods: Forty fresh frozen cephalic specimens of 17 male and 23 female Caucasian body donors (mean age, 76.9 ± 13.1 years; mean body mass index, 23.6 ± 5.3 kg/m²) were investigated. Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging procedures were carried out using colored contrast-enhanced materials with rheologic properties similar to commercially available soft-tissue fillers. Anatomical dissections were performed to guide conclusions. Results: No statistically significant influences of age or gender were detected in the investigated sample. Increased amounts of injected contrast agent did not correlate with inferior displacement of the material in any of the investigated compartments: deep pyriform, deep medial cheek, deep lateral cheek, deep nasolabial (located within the premaxillary space), and the medial and lateral sub–orbicularis oculi fat. Conclusions: Increasing volume in the deep midfacial fat compartments did not cause inferior displacement of the injected material. This underscores the role of deep soft-tissue filler injections (i.e., in contact with the bone) in providing support for overlying structures and resulting in anterior projection.

Background: Soft-tissue filler injections for the treatment of facial aging can result in different skin surface effects depending on the targeted facial fat compartment and fascial plane. This work investigates the tissue response of defined amounts of soft-tissue filler material injected into superficial and deep facial fat compartments by means of the calculation of the surface-volume coefficient. Methods: Four fresh frozen cephalic specimens obtained from human donors (three female and one male; mean age, 74.96 ± 22.6 years; mean body mass index, 21.82 ± 6.3 kg/m²) were studied. The superficial and deep lateral forehead compartments, deep temporal fat pad, sub–orbicularis oculi fat compartment, and deep medial cheek fat compartment were injected with aliquots of 0.1 cc of contrast-enhanced material and scanned using three-dimensional surface imaging, resulting in a total of 226 injection and scanning procedures. Results: The sub–orbicularis oculi fat compartment revealed the highest correlation coefficient (r _p = 0.992; p < 0.001) and the highest surface-volume coefficient (0.94). The compartment with the lowest tissue response was the deep medial cheek fat compartment (r _p = 0.745; p < 0.001; surface-volume coefficient = 0.29), followed by the deep lateral forehead compartment (r _p = 0.814; p < 0.001; surface-volume coefficient = 0.68), superficial lateral forehead compartment (r _p = 0.824; p < 0.001; surface-volume coefficient = 0.74), and deep temporal fat pad (r _p = 0.947; p < 0.001; overall surface-volume coefficient = 0.64). Conclusions: These results, confirmatory in their nature to current injection strategies, provide evidence for the validity and reliability of the surface-volume coefficient. Injection procedures should be targeted in terms of facial fat compartments and fascial planes for a desired aesthetic outcome, as each fat compartment and fascial plane has unique tissue responses to injected soft-tissue fillers.