{
  "abstract": "High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is widely used for facial rejuvenation, but standardized depth settings may not adequately account for age-related variation in facial soft tissue architecture in women aged 60 years and older. In this exploratory pilot study, 20 women underwent three HIFU sessions at 4-week intervals (Weeks 0, 4, and 8) and were evaluated at Week 16 (8 weeks after the final session). Participants received either a conventional protocol or an anatomy-guided protocol individualized using high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) measurements. HFUS assessed superficial fat thickness, deep fat thickness, and skin-to-SMAS distance at baseline and Week 16. Both protocols produced reductions in lower-face and submental tissue thicknesses. Across all HFUS endpoints, the anatomy-guided protocol showed larger mean reductions than the conventional protocol. In this exploratory analysis, nominal, unadjusted between-group differences were observed for lower-face skin-to-SMAS distance (difference in change, − 0.19 mm; 95% CI, − 0.38 to − 0.02; p = 0.035), submental superficial fat thickness (− 0.20 mm; 95% CI, − 0.39 to − 0.02; p = 0.032), and submental skin-to-SMAS distance (− 0.19 mm; 95% CI, − 0.38 to − 0.02; p = 0.035). These differences were small in absolute magnitude and should be interpreted cautiously in relation to ultrasound measurement precision. Investigator-rated improvement of “much improved” or better occurred in 40% of the conventional group and 60% of the anatomy-guided group. These preliminary findings suggest that anatomy-informed HIFU may be associated with small, layer-specific ultrasound-measured soft-tissue thickness changes in older women; however, the submillimeter magnitude of the differences, small sample size, parallel-group design, and short follow-up warrant cautious interpretation.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Medical Research Inc",
    "Pixelab plastic surgery clinic",
    "You and I Clinic",
    "Centre Médical Saint Jean",
    "Cabinet Médical"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kyu-Ho Yi"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Yerin Park"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jong-Keun Song"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Chang-Il Yoon"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Kyu-Eun Lee"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Hugues Cartier"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Sebastien Garson"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Jin-Hyun Kim"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dx6gbrnd59mjc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1038/s41598-026-61092-7",
  "fulltext_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61092-7",
  "id": "dx6gbrnd59mjc",
  "issns": [
    "2045-2322"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61092-7",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "Q"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "R"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2708|Facial Rejuvenation and Surgery Techniques"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7169608437",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-61092-7_reference.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-07-01",
  "publisher": "Nature Portfolio",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dx6gbrnd59mjc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T13:45:53Z",
      "native_id": "682df4d00a2245a39b061606f0fb5490",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-61092-7"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2708|Facial Rejuvenation and Surgery Techniques",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Individualized HIFU in women over 60: ultrasound assessment of layer-specific facial soft-tissue thickness changes",
  "title_text": "Individualized HIFU in women over 60: ultrasound assessment of layer-specific facial soft-tissue thickness changes",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T13:45:53Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dx6gbrnd59mjc",
  "venue": "Scientific Reports",
  "versions": []
}