Doctors at Yale University School of Medicine just published a study that evaluates skin-tightening results of both facelift surgery and fractional radiofrequency treatment.
The goal of each treatment is to correct facial skin laxity. To measure the results and compare the two modalities, the doctors designed a randomized, blinded, comparative trial. They mixed photos of patients who underwent both facelift surgery and fractional radiofrequency treatment, then graded them on a 4-point skin laxity scale.
2 findings from the study are especially useful in comparing the two treatments:
- According to the grading, mean skin laxity improvement of the RF treatment was 37 percent of the surgical facelift
- Patients in the RF group returned to normal activities 24 hours after treatment, while those in the facelift group did the same after 7 to 10 days.
Read more about this study on PubMed.gov




1. Dr. Heffernan is a specialist in oculoplastics and offers a comprehensive focus on the eyelids, orbit, periorbital region, and face. As an oculoplastic surgeon, he can diagnose and operate on virtually any functional or cosmetic deformity of the eyelids.
Did you know that healthy patients – with a stable weight, who don’t smoke – are far more likely to have successful surgery outcomes? Persons with unhealthy lifestyles face greater risks and complications when they undergo surgery, so with the majority of those patients, it is wiser for the surgeon to simply forgo the procedure.