Anatomia del volto
Prodotto in pre-order. Disponibile a giugno 2026
Facial Anatomy: Sebastian Cotofana’s Atlas Showing the Face Layer by Layer
Within the field of facial anatomy and aesthetic medicine books, Facial Anatomy – Layer by Layer by Sebastian Cotofana, Karl H. Wesker, and Bernard C. Kolster stands out as an anatomical atlas designed to meet the needs of professionals performing surgical and minimally invasive facial aesthetic treatments.
The volume offers a systematic representation of facial anatomy, analysing the face region by region and moving from the surface towards the deeper planes. Skin, fat compartments, muscles, fasciae, ligaments, periosteum, bony structures, and neurovascular bundles are presented within a three-dimensional and functional framework.
The aim is not simply to describe individual structures, but to help clinicians understand their relationships, anatomical variability, movement, and the changes caused by the ageing process.
Written by Sebastian Cotofana, Karl H. Wesker, and Bernard C. Kolster, the 2026 Italian edition contains 302 pages and 210 images. The title, subtitle, and ISBN of the Italian edition are confirmed within the book.
A Facial Anatomy Atlas for Modern Aesthetic Medicine
Knowledge of facial anatomy is essential in aesthetic medicine, plastic surgery, and all procedures that modify the volume, tension, position, or muscular activity of facial tissues.
However, knowing the name of a muscle or the general course of an artery is not enough. Professionals must understand:
- the anatomical plane in which a structure is located;
- which tissues lie superficially and deeply;
- how the different layers are connected;
- how they vary between individuals;
- how they change during movement;
- how they are affected by ageing;
- which structures must be respected during treatment.
The book was created precisely to provide an organised understanding of these relationships.
In the preface, the authors explain that facial anatomy has evolved into a dynamic discipline that continues to generate new knowledge. Understanding functional anatomy in the fourth dimension is considered especially important for specialists performing surgical and non-surgical facial procedures.
Facial Anatomy should therefore not be regarded as a simple descriptive atlas, but as a tool for connecting anatomy, function, ageing, and clinical practice.
Three-Dimensional and Four-Dimensional Facial Anatomy
One of the distinctive features of the volume is its focus on three-dimensional and four-dimensional anatomical understanding.
A three-dimensional perspective allows each structure to be correctly positioned in space, clarifying depth, relationships, and continuity between the different planes.
The fourth dimension introduces the dynamic factor: the face is not a fixed structure, but a system that changes during:
- facial expression;
- muscular movement;
- opening and closing of the mouth;
- smiling;
- forehead contraction;
- eyelid movement;
- age-related changes.
This perspective is particularly important in facial aesthetic medicine, because the result of a treatment must be assessed not only at rest, but also during expression and function.
The position of a muscle, fat compartment, or ligament may influence the behaviour of the overlying tissues. Similarly, treatment of one region may produce effects in anatomically connected areas.
The Cotofana Dissection Method
The layered illustrations in the book were created from the different stages of dissections performed according to the Cotofana Dissection Method.
This method makes it possible to observe the anatomical planes progressively, moving from the surface towards deeper structures while preserving an understanding of the relationships between them.
Its value lies not only in anatomical accuracy, but also in its ability to transform dissection into a structured educational pathway.
The authors also explain that facial structures display a high degree of variability. For this reason, the illustrations do not represent a single anatomical subject, but a synthesis derived from multiple dissections of the same region, performed on faces belonging to different ethnic groups, sexes, and age categories.
This approach reduces the risk of treating a configuration observed in one individual as universally applicable.
Readers therefore acquire a visual representation that seeks to integrate:
- average anatomy;
- individual variability;
- scientific evidence;
- clinical relevance;
- educational clarity.
A Systematic Approach from Superficial to Deep
The volume is built around a layered interpretation of the face.
The authors do not aim to describe every small identifiable structure, but rather to develop an overall functional understanding of the anatomical planes. Each region is analysed systematically, moving from the superficial layers towards the deeper ones.
In general, the analysis may include:
- skin;
- superficial adipose tissue;
- facial muscles;
- the superficial musculoaponeurotic system;
- fasciae;
- retaining ligaments;
- deep fat compartments;
- periosteum;
- bony structures;
- arteries, veins, and nerves.
Not every region has the same layered organisation. Some planes may be more developed, become thinner, merge, or be known by different names depending on the anatomical area.
Understanding these variations is important because the plane in which a procedure is performed may affect both its effectiveness and safety.
A Consistent Educational Structure for Every Region
One of the most useful aspects of Facial Anatomy is the consistent organisation of its chapters.
The principal facial regions are analysed through five recurring perspectives:
- anatomical overview;
- ageing process;
- biomechanics;
- anatomical layers;
- neurovascular structures.
This structure allows readers to orient themselves quickly and compare different regions using the same method.
The table of contents shows that this approach is applied to the forehead, temples, glabella, supraorbital and infraorbital regions, nose, midface, lips, chin, jawline, and neck.
The professional therefore receives not only a static description, but an integrated analysis connecting anatomy, movement, and age-related change.
Anatomy and the Facial Ageing Process
Facial ageing does not depend on a single structure.
Over time, changes may occur in:
- skin quality and thickness;
- distribution of fat compartments;
- soft-tissue volume;
- ligament tension;
- muscular activity and position;
- bony morphology;
- relationships between anatomical planes.
For this reason, each regional chapter includes a dedicated section on the facial ageing process.
The aim is to help clinicians distinguish superficial changes from transformations originating in deeper planes. A visible depression, fold, or contour change may result from different mechanisms and therefore require different evaluations.
This approach reduces the risk of treating every sign of ageing as a simple superficial loss of volume.
Facial Biomechanics
Biomechanics is another central element of the book.
Facial muscles do not act in isolation. Elevators, depressors, and sphincters work within dynamic balances that influence the position of the eyebrows, eyelids, lips, cheeks, and other tissues.
The skin and fat compartments also participate in movement because they are connected to the underlying muscular and fascial planes.
Understanding biomechanics helps clinicians interpret:
- dynamic wrinkles;
- skin folds;
- eyebrow movement;
- eyelid opening and closure;
- lip movement;
- jawline contour changes;
- muscular compensation;
- functional consequences of treatment.
Anatomy is therefore presented as a system of interacting structures rather than a list of separate components.
Neurovascular Structures and the Safety of Aesthetic Treatments
One of the most important aspects for professionals performing facial aesthetic procedures is knowledge of the neurovascular structures of the face.
Arteries, veins, and nerves may pass through different planes, alter their course, and display individual variation. Clinical risk depends not only on the region being treated, but also on the depth and direction through which it is approached.
For this reason, every chapter includes a dedicated section on neurovascular structures.
The illustrations allow readers to observe the course of neurovascular bundles within the layered anatomy and understand their relationships with:
- muscles;
- fasciae;
- fat compartments;
- septa;
- ligaments;
- periosteum;
- bony structures.
The general illustrations included in the extract progressively separate and superimpose muscles, the vascular system, innervation, and the skeleton, providing an immediate understanding of the principal anatomical relationships of the face.
The volume is not simply an atlas for memorising vessel pathways, but a guide for understanding the anatomical plane in which these structures may be encountered during a procedure.
A Reference for Fillers, Neuromodulators, and Surgical Procedures
Facial Anatomy is intended for professionals who perform surgical and minimally invasive aesthetic treatments.
Knowledge of the anatomical layers may be applied to the assessment preceding procedures such as:
- filler treatments;
- neuromodulator injections;
- facial aesthetic surgery;
- periocular procedures;
- nasal procedures;
- lip treatments;
- chin and jawline contouring;
- neck treatments.
The book does not reduce the face to standardised points assumed to be universally valid. On the contrary, it highlights anatomical variability and the need to understand the underlying structures before planning treatment.
This approach is particularly relevant for facial fillers, since product behaviour and the safety profile may depend on the anatomical plane in which the material is placed.
The same applies to neuromodulators: understanding muscle function, depth, continuity, and anatomical relationships helps predict both the intended effect and possible consequences for adjacent structures.
The Clinical Value of the Supraorbital Region
The attached extract provides a clear example of the book’s method through the chapter devoted to the supraorbital region.
This area is described as particularly complex because of its connections with the forehead, glabella, and upper eyelid.
The text also highlights substantial aesthetic variability between ethnic groups, particularly regarding the medial canthus and the shape, length, and depth of the upper-eyelid fold. These features may influence the assessment and planning of periocular procedures.
The chapter therefore demonstrates that the atlas does not separate anatomy from aesthetic assessment, but uses anatomical knowledge to interpret aesthetic features correctly.
Ageing of the Periocular Region
The section devoted to supraorbital ageing examines the connections between the eyebrow, upper eyelid, orbicularis oculi muscle, fat compartments, and orbital rim.
With ageing, loss of soft-tissue volume and changes in the bony structures may contribute to eyebrow descent and changes in the position of the upper eyelid.
The text also explains that some patients may use the frontalis muscle to compensate for eyebrow or eyelid descent. This behaviour may be observed clinically as forehead contraction and horizontal forehead lines even at rest.
Understanding this compensation is clinically relevant before neuromodulator treatments because reducing frontalis activity may influence the position of both the eyebrow and eyelid.
This example demonstrates how the book connects:
- visible signs;
- deep anatomy;
- muscular function;
- ageing;
- potential treatment risks.
Layered Anatomy of the Supraorbital Region
The layers of the supraorbital region are continuous with those of the forehead and temple.
The chapter proceeds by analysing the skin, superficial fat, muscles, and deeper planes. It explains that the thickness of the superficial fat may vary and that, in certain areas, dermal muscle insertions make it difficult to identify a distinct adipose layer.
The muscular layer includes the continuity between the frontalis, orbicularis oculi, and superficial temporal fascia. Connections with the orbital rim and retaining ligaments are also described.
Deep to the muscular plane, another adipose layer is identified, which assumes different names depending on the region:
- retrofrontal fat in the forehead;
- ROOF, or retro-orbicularis oculi fat, in the supraorbital region;
- preseptal fat in the upper eyelid;
- SOOF in the infraorbital region.
The text also describes the orbital septum as a barrier between intraorbital and extraorbital structures, highlighting its anatomical continuity.
Layered Images for Understanding Anatomical Planes
The educational value of the book is particularly evident in its illustrations.
In the pages included in the extract, the supraorbital region is shown through a progressive sequence:
- bony structures;
- muscles;
- skin and superficial fat;
- connections between muscles;
- deep fat compartments;
- orbital septum;
- vascular network;
- neurovascular bundles.
A cross-sectional illustration shows thirteen structures simultaneously, including the skin, superficial adipose layer, frontalis muscle, orbicularis oculi muscle, retrofrontal fat, ROOF, preseptal fat, preaponeurotic fat, intraorbital fat, and upper-eyelid elevator muscles.
This approach allows readers to move from the external appearance of the face to the deep anatomical planes without losing topographical orientation.
Karl H. Wesker’s illustrations therefore serve more than an aesthetic purpose. They are designed to make structures clearly visible that might be difficult to distinguish in a traditional dissection or clinical photograph.
Sebastian Cotofana’s Contribution
Sebastian Cotofana is an anatomist and researcher whose work is specifically devoted to facial anatomy as applied to surgical and minimally invasive aesthetic treatments.
His work focuses on integrating:
- anatomical dissection;
- scientific research;
- clinical anatomy;
- aesthetic medicine;
- procedural safety;
- professional education.
The Cotofana Dissection Method forms the scientific and methodological basis of the layered illustrations included in the atlas.
The extract also refers to Cotofana Anatomy, a project founded to share knowledge of facial anatomy through courses and videos based on donor dissections, with the aim of increasing professional confidence and improving patient care.
Karl H. Wesker’s Contribution
Karl H. Wesker is an anatomical illustrator specialising in the clear and educational representation of complex subjects.
In the volume, his work transforms anatomical observations and dissection stages into consistent, comparable, and easily interpretable images.
Illustration also makes it possible to:
- remove unnecessary visual elements;
- emphasise a specific structure;
- maintain a consistent viewing angle;
- compare different levels of depth;
- represent an average anatomical configuration;
- assign different colours to different systems.
The result is a uniform visual language particularly suited to the study of layered anatomy.
Bernard C. Kolster’s Contribution
Bernard C. Kolster contributes to the educational and conceptual framework of the work.
His experience in producing illustrated atlases of aesthetic medicine helped develop a structure that integrates text, images, and progressive anatomical sequences.
The book therefore results not only from the collaboration between an anatomist and an illustrator, but also from an editorial project specifically designed to organise knowledge in a way that supports learning.
This integration of research, representation, and educational method is one of the elements that distinguishes Facial Anatomy from a traditional general anatomy textbook.
An Atlas Organised by Clinically Relevant Regions
The volume divides the face into thirteen principal regions or systems:
- forehead;
- temples;
- glabella;
- supraorbital region;
- infraorbital region;
- nose;
- medial midface;
- lateral midface;
- lips;
- chin;
- jawline;
- neck;
- overview.
This division reflects the way professionals assess and treat the face in clinical practice.
The final overview then recombines the individual regions within the broader anatomical systems, preventing region-by-region study from producing a fragmented understanding.
Who Is Facial Anatomy Intended For?
Facial Anatomy – Layer by Layer is primarily intended for:
- aesthetic medicine physicians;
- plastic surgeons;
- maxillofacial surgeons;
- dermatologists;
- dentists practising facial aesthetic medicine;
- professionals performing filler treatments;
- professionals using neuromodulators;
- postgraduate students and trainees;
- anatomists and lecturers;
- professionals interested in the safety of facial procedures.
The volume may be useful both during initial training and as a reference to consult before assessing or planning treatment in a specific anatomical region.
Why Read Facial Anatomy?
Facial Anatomy is not simply a book showing muscles, vessels, and nerves.
It is an atlas that organises the complexity of the face through a layered visual method, linking every structure to function, ageing, and clinical relevance.
Its principal strengths include:
- layer-by-layer representation;
- a method based on anatomical dissections;
- integration of the latest scientific evidence;
- attention to anatomical variability;
- biomechanical analysis;
- study of the ageing process;
- representation of neurovascular structures;
- clinical guidance and safety recommendations;
- clear and consistent illustrations;
- organisation by facial region.
For professionals seeking a facial anatomy atlas for aesthetic medicine that provides a three-dimensional, functional, and clinically relevant understanding of the face, the book by Sebastian Cotofana, Karl H. Wesker, and Bernard C. Kolster represents a comprehensive and visually innovative reference.
Frequently Asked Questions About Facial Anatomy
1. What is the book Facial Anatomy about?
Facial Anatomy – Layer by Layer is an atlas devoted to facial anatomy as applied to aesthetic medicine and facial surgery. It analyses the skin, fat, muscles, fasciae, ligaments, bony structures, arteries, veins, and nerves, moving from superficial to deep planes.
2. Who are the authors of the book?
The authors are Sebastian Cotofana, anatomist and researcher; Karl H. Wesker, anatomical illustrator; and Bernard C. Kolster, physician and developer of educational and visual projects dedicated to aesthetic medicine.
3. What is the Cotofana Dissection Method?
It is the dissection method used as the basis for the layered representation of the face. Structures are observed progressively from the surface towards the deeper planes while preserving an understanding of the relationships between the anatomical layers.
4. Is the book useful for professionals performing facial filler treatments?
Yes. Knowledge of anatomical planes, fat compartments, and neurovascular structures is relevant when planning filler treatments. The book provides an anatomical and scientific foundation, but it should not be considered a substitute for specialist practical training.
5. Does the volume also cover neuromodulators and botulinum toxin?
The book analyses the anatomy and biomechanics of facial muscles, together with the possible clinical implications of neuromodulator treatments. The example of the supraorbital region shows how frontalis activity and eyelid compensation may influence patient assessment.
6. Which facial regions are analysed?
The volume covers the forehead, temples, glabella, supraorbital and infraorbital regions, nose, medial and lateral midface, lips, chin, jawline, and neck. The final chapter provides an overview of the anatomical systems of the face.
7. Does the book analyse facial ageing?
Yes. Every regional chapter includes a section devoted to the ageing process, with particular attention to changes in soft tissues, fat compartments, muscles, and bony structures.
8. Are vascular and nervous structures included?
Yes. Every chapter contains a section on neurovascular structures. The illustrations show the course of arteries, veins, and nerves and their relationships with the different anatomical planes.
9. Who is the book recommended for?
It is recommended for aesthetic medicine physicians, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, maxillofacial surgeons, dentists involved in facial aesthetics, postgraduate students, and professionals interested in clinical facial anatomy.
10. What makes this atlas distinctive?
Its principal distinguishing feature is the systematic layer-by-layer representation of the face. The images are based on multiple dissections and aim to integrate anatomical variability, scientific evidence, biomechanics, and clinical relevance.
Chapters and Topics
- Forehead
- Overview
- Facial ageing process
- Biomechanics
- Anatomical layers
- Neurovascular structures
- Temples
- Overview
- Facial ageing process
- Biomechanics
- Anatomical layers
- Neurovascular structures
- Glabella
- Supraorbital region
- Infraorbital region
- Nose
- Medial midface
- Lateral midface
- Lips
- Chin
- Jawline
- Neck
- Overview
