Nonsurgical Treatment of Postpartum Lower Abdominal Skin and Soft-Tissue Laxity Using Microfocused Ultrasound With Visualization

BACKGROUND Microfocused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V) is a well-established treatment modality for skin tightening. There is a paucity of evidence for its use in body treatments, such as the lower abdomen. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effectiveness and safety of MFU-V in treating lower abdominal skin and soft-tissue laxity in postpartum women. METHODS The lower abdomen of 20 female patients between 6 and 24 months postpartum are treated with MFU-V using 1.5-, 3.0-, and 4.5-mm transducers. Data are prospectively collected and analyzed at 3 and 6 months using subject-reported and investigator-reported outcome measures. One additional patient underwent planned abdominoplasty 6 weeks after MFU-V treatment with tissue assessed intraoperatively and histologically. RESULTS There was a mean improvement of 1.0 and 1.3 grades at 6 months using the investigator-reported and patient-reported skin laxity scale, respectively ( p < .001). Patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction survey showed consistent improvement at 6 months. Histological examination of pretreated tissue showed increased total collagen, increased number and thickness of fibrous septae, and no change in fat cells within pretreated tissue compared with the control. No significant adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSION MFU-V is an effective and safe treatment modality for lower abdominal skin laxity in postpartum patients.