Intense focused ultrasound tightening in Asian skin: clinical and pathologic results.

BACKGROUND Laxity and wrinkles of the aging face are common cosmetic concerns. Intense focused ultrasound (IFUS), a novel treatment modality for skin laxity, produces thermal effects at various depths while sparing overlying epidermis. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of IFUS in facial skin tightening. METHODS AND MATERIALS Twenty-two Korean patients with facial laxity were analyzed after a single IFUS treatment. Patient assessments were recorded, and two blinded, experienced clinicians who assessed improvement of nasolabial folds and jaw tightening evaluated photographs of patients and rated skin laxity. Skin biopsies were taken from 11 patients before and 2 months after treatment. RESULTS Objectively, nasolabial folds and jaw lines were improved in all patients. Subjectively, 77% of patients reported much improvement of nasolabial folds, and 73% of patients reported much improvement at the jaw line. Histologic evaluation of skin biopsy samples using hematoxylin and eosin and Victoria blue stains showed greater dermal collagen with thickening of the dermis and straightening of elastic fibers in the reticular dermis after treatment. CONCLUSION IFUS is a safe, effective, noninvasive procedure to tighten the facial skin of Asian patients. Improvement is associated with greater production of dermal collagen and straightening of dermal elastic fibers.