title: Superficial Head and Neck Anatomy for Dermatologic Surgery: Critical Concepts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thorough understanding of head and neck anatomy is useful and necessary for dermatologic surgery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To highlight pertinent head and neck anatomic structures that are encountered during dermatologic surgery and correlate these with common surgical problems.
  
  
  METHODS
  Important anatomic structures and regional cutaneous anatomy are discussed and illustrated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several important anatomic structures exist within the head and neck that can influence surgical outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anatomic knowledge is helpful to the dermatologic surgeon to optimize reconstructive outcomes.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Dermatology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California; †Department of Medicine (Dermatology), University of California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D062109:Dermatologic Surgical Procedures; D005152:Facial Muscles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D015580:Mohs Surgery; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D013524:Surgical Flaps