SAN DIEGO – Combining radiofrequency and targeted ultrasound demonstrated significantly better improvements in the quality of wrinkles and skin laxity in the facial region compared with radiofrequency alone at 3 months, results from a multicenter blinded trial showed.
"We've done a lot of work with radiofrequency, and we've done a lot of work with ultrasound," Suneel Chilukuri, MD, said in an interview in advance of a clinical abstract session at the annual conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. "The question becomes, is there truly a difference if we're combining them together?"
To find out, Chilukuri, a dermatologist who practices in Houston, Tex., and colleagues conducted an IRB-approved trial of a new device that allows for the delivery of radiofrequency (RF) and targeted ultrasound (TUS) in a single applicator. The device, which is not yet named, has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and is expected to be available in the fourth quarter of 2022.
In a single‐blinded study, 21 adults were randomized to receive RF and TUS (group A), while 20 received RF alone (group B). The mean age of patients was 57 years and 38 were women. Patients in each group received four full‐face treatments delivered once per week.
