Surgical treatment of facial cutis verticis gyrata with direct excision.

BACKGROUND: Cutis verticis gyrata (CVG) is a rare deformity of the skin presenting with thick gyrated folds and ridges, involving predominantly parts of the head and the face.

OBJECTIVE: We report on aspects of the surgical treatment of facial CVG based on our experiences with four patients, who had developed a progressive and enormous thickening and an extraordinary strong gyration of the facial skin.

METHODS: A single or staged repeated straightforward surgical treatment with direct excision of abundant and thickened gyriform folds, in one case accomplished by an upper face-lift, was performed.

RESULTS: Direct excision within the lines of tension resulted in a major reduction of the facial skin distortion, a reduced scalp, and facial skin thickening and avoided maceration in all four patients. The quality of life was considerably improved in all patients.

CONCLUSION: Direct excision of gyriform skin is a successful surgical approach to the rare skin deformity of CVG.