I am always trying to improve. This was a study in October 2023 Aesthetic Surgery Journal on using Renuvion (a minimally invasive device which uses heat to the subcutaneous tissue to cause it to tighten.) This was looking at the “Safey and Efficacy of Renuvion Helium Plasma to Improve the Appearance of Loose Skin the Neck and Submental Region.” In English? this is trying to tighten the jawline and neck (what is addressed by a facelift or neck lift) without the big surgery. This study resulted in the FDA clearance in July 2022 to expand indications to include subcutaneous dermatology and aesthetic procedures to improve the appearance of loose skin the neck and submental region.
Study:
- Patients had helium plasma device in the neck and submentum
- There were seen 6 months after the procedure
- The effectiveness endpoint was determined by 3 blinded photographic reviewers. Safety endpoint was the level of pain after treatment
- Findings? 82% showed improvement at day 180.
- 97% had safety endpoint met by Day 7. There were no adverse events.
My thoughts?
HOW I WANT A NONINVASIVE TREATMENT TO FIX THE NECK AND JAWLINE. I do. The results for some of these patients were great. But.
What I want to see is multiple photos of these patients from all directions. I want to see when they move what the laxity looks like. And the most important thing? I want to see them farther than 6 months out. What does it look like at one year? two years? And does it make the neck SKIN LOOK WORSE down the road because of the subcutaneous fat loss? This is my biggest issue with all of these “tightening” techniques which are getting rid of subcutaneous fat FOREVER. This is the fat which nourishes the skin. I spend my life trying to get fat back into areas. If the tightening lasted forever, maybe it would be worth it. But in the majority of these, the skin “loosens” back after 6 months or a year or two.
So down the road I see these patients and the skin is loose again, but now it is worse because the skin is thinner from the loss of fat, so the wrinkling is worse.
In my opinion, Thermi, Ulthera, Renuvion, Coolsculpt- all rid your face of the highest layer of fat just under the skin.
As for the FDA clearance, read my blog on that HERE. The FDA is most concerned about not causing harm, not that it does what it says it does. So seeing something is FDA approved doesn’t mean it is great to do.