Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
High-intensity focused ultrasound for facial and body treatment
By Kumar N et al.·2026·View original on Europe PMC →
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Original publication title: High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Facial Rejuvenation and Body Contouring: A Bibliometric Analysis of Efficacy and Safety Studies.
- Species:
- bird
Plain-English summary
This study looked at research on a treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which is used for improving the appearance of the face and body. The researchers reviewed 27 articles published between 2007 and 2025, focusing on how effective and safe this treatment is. They found that while there has been a steady increase in studies, most of the research comes from the United States and South Korea, with other countries contributing less but still growing. The main topics of interest were related to reducing fat and shaping the body, especially around the waist. Although the initial results for safety and effectiveness are promising, there are still many unanswered questions about how well it works in the long term and how patients feel about the treatment.
Abstract
Bibliometric analysis of published literature helps to characterize scientific productivity, collaboration networks, key research themes, and the life cycle of scientific production and helps in defining the future research agenda. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus for English-language studies involving high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for facial rejuvenation and body contouring with particular attention to efficacy, safety, and patient-centered outcomes. Bibliometric data were exported to RStudio and analyzed using the bibliometrix package and Biblioshiny. The 27 manuscripts (2007-2025) originated from 11 journals and 144 authors, with a mean of 6.07 coauthors per article and an international collaboration rate of 18.52%, were included in the analysis. The average annual growth rate in publications was 9.35%, and the mean citation count was 21.44 per document. The United States and South Korea dominated both productivity and citations, whereas Brazil, Thailand, Canada, Australia, Turkey, and China contributed smaller but growing outputs. Major themes centered on "subcutaneous fat," "body contouring," and "waist circumference," indicating a strong focus on abdominal and body shaping along with facial rejuvenation. Research on HIFU-based noninvasive body contouring and rejuvenation is still in an early but rapidly expanding stage, driven by a small number of highly collaborative expert centers and concentrated in a few dermatology and aesthetic surgery journals. Although short-term efficacy and safety appear favorable, gaps remain regarding long-term outcomes, standardized treatment parameters, and patient-reported measures. <b>Level of Evidence:</b> 5 (Therapeutic).
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Search related cases →Original publication on Europe PMC: https://europepmc.org/article/MED/41737891