Micro-Focused Ultrasound Shows Mid-to-Lower Face Tightening in Pilot Study

Key Takeaways

• Single-session MFUS improved midface and lower-face laxity in 20 Chinese patients.
• Blinded evaluators rated 100% of patients improved at 3 and 6 months.
• No major complications occurred; transient muscle pain was common.

Micro-focused ultrasound (MFUS) may improve middle and lower facial laxity with a favorable short-term safety profile, according to a prospective pilot study published in Lasers in Medical Science.

The single-arm interventional study enrolled 20 Chinese patients with facial laxity. Each participant received 1 treatment session with the Peninsula MFUS device. Efficacy was assessed by 2 independent, blinded dermatologists using paired standardized photographs and the 5-point Investigator Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale. Investigators also used a quantitative measure, defined as reduction in a mandibular area from standardized lateral photographs, to evaluate objective tissue lift.

All patients completed 6 months of follow-up. Based on pooled investigator scores, 100% of participants showed improvement at both 3 and 6 months. Response appeared strongest at 3 months, when 32.5% of ratings were “very much improved” and 57.5% were “much improved.”

The quantitative mandibular area measure decreased significantly from baseline at 1 month (P < .0001) and 3 months (P = .0116), suggesting measurable mandibular lift. Patient-reported satisfaction was also high, with 100% of participants reporting satisfaction at 3 months.

No major complications were reported. The most common treatment-related adverse event was transient mild-to-moderate muscle pain, reported by 90% of participants, with a median duration of 6 days. The study was limited by its small sample size, single-arm design, and short follow-up.

“In this prospective pilot study, MFUS treatment was effective and well-tolerated for tightening the middle and lower face in Chinese patients, providing both subjective improvement and objective evidence of mandibular lift,” the authors wrote. “The treatment demonstrated a favorable safety profile.”