Monopolar radiofrequency treatment of the eyelids: A safety evaluation

Background Monopolar radiofrequency (RF) energy has been used to successfully accomplish noninvasive skin tightening of the face, abdomen, and extremities. Owing to concerns about injury to the eye itself, monopolar RF treatment of the eyelids has not been feasible. ObjectiveThe objective was to evaluate the safety of a novel 0.25-cm(2) "shallow" treatment tip for noninvasive tightening of eyelid skin. Methods and materials This was a tripartite study that began with an animal model to evaluate soft tissue effects and temperature change at the ocular surface. Findings were then extrapolated to ex vivo evaluation of human eyelids and ultimately to an in vivo human eyelid safety study. Results The animal studies demonstrated that the 0.25-cm(2) treatment tip could be used safely on eyelids in conjunction with appropriate ocular protection. The ex vivo human eyelid studies confirmed that, at typical treatment settings, the shallow treatment tip did not produce frank eyelid injury. The in vivo human studies confirmed that, at the tested settings, the novel treatment tip did not injure the eyelids or eyes. Conclusion If used properly, the 0.25-cm(2) treatment tip can be safely used on human eyelids.