An historical glimpse of the evolution of rhytidectomy.

Much of the progress in aesthetic surgery in this century is driven by the popularization of the facelift operation, which traditionally has been the most common cosmetic procedure associated with the plastic surgeon. The evolution of this operation has been expanding dramatically during the last two decades-primarily fueled by clinical and, to a lesser degree, cadaveric and histologic studies of the facial tissues. By means of an historical narrative, this article provides a foundation for orientation of the literature on this subject