Aesthetic Surgery Journal

11/15/2025

And that’s a wrap! Thank you for your generous hospitality and new opportunities to collaborate. We can’t wait to engage more. Special congrats to First Vice President Ronoldo Righesso on the publication of his new book “ All about Fat”! SBCP residents: if you didn’t visit us at the booth please DM your name & email address to become a free international resident member (with access to ASJ included gratis)! Multi obrigado!! #

11/15/2025

Staying current with thousands of publications in aesthetic surgery is no small task. Enter AURA (Aesthetic Surgery Using Retrieval Augmentation)—the first AI clinical decision support system tailored specifically for aesthetic surgery.

AURA combines 6,546 full-text open-access papers with advanced retrieval-augmented AI to deliver relevant, accurate, and evidence-based guidance across facial, breast, body, and general aesthetic procedures.

In rigorous testing across 14 complex clinical scenarios, AURA consistently demonstrated:
✔️ High fidelity to source literature (0.94)
✔️ Strong answer relevance (0.86)
✔️ Reliable factual correctness (0.77)

Its performance was especially strong for well-established techniques and safety considerations, providing surgeons with fast, trustworthy insights to support clinical decisions.

This innovative system represents a new frontier in evidence-based aesthetic surgery, streamlining literature review while complementing surgical expertise. Future work will expand data sources and validate AURA prospectively in clinical settings.

Read the full study here:
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf120

11/15/2025

Meetings and dinners and education….oh my!

11/14/2025

📄 Advancing research in aesthetic surgery: new insights on vascular complications and implant safety

Two recent Aesthetic Surgery Journal studies explore critical aspects of patient safety—from preventing vision loss after filler injection to minimizing capsular contracture in implant surgery.

In the first study, researchers established a nonhuman primate model to test intra-arterial thrombolysis with hyaluronidase for ophthalmic artery embolism caused by hyaluronic acid filler. Even when administered several hours after embolization, treatment helped restore retinal blood flow and visual function, offering a valuable framework for understanding retinal ischemia and reperfusion injury.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf132

The second investigation focused on how suture choice influences capsule formation in a rat model of silicone implants. Among five materials tested, Glycomer 631 sutures produced the thinnest capsules, mildest inflammation, and fewest foreign body giant cells—suggesting a potential role in reducing capsular contracture and improving long-term implant outcomes.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf140

Together, these preclinical findings expand our understanding of both complication management and biomaterial performance, reinforcing the value of translational research in advancing safe, evidence-based aesthetic surgery.

11/13/2025

💋 RHA® 3 demonstrates lasting, natural-looking lip enhancement in U.S. patients

A new randomized, controlled, double-blind, multicenter study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of RHA® 3 compared with an active comparator for lip augmentation.

◽ Design: 202 patients, assessed over 52 weeks using validated measures including the Teoxane Lip Fullness Scale (TLFS) and Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS).
◽ Results: RHA 3 was statistically noninferior to the comparator at 12 weeks and showed sustained lip volume enhancement, high satisfaction, and a natural look and feel maintained throughout the study.
◽ Safety: Most adverse events were mild to moderate, with no late-onset reactions or angioedema reported.

✨ These findings support RHA® 3 as a dynamic, flexible option for achieving natural, aesthetically balanced lip augmentation with long-lasting results.

Read the full study in Aesthetic Surgery Journal:
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf135

11/12/2025

It was a very busy Day 1 here in signing up residents and new members of during 🇧🇷

11/12/2025

Aesthetic Breast Surgery: Insights from the Newest Issue of ASJ

The Aesthetic Surgery Journal presents three new studies advancing our understanding of materials, techniques, and patient psychology in breast surgery.

💠 Systematic Review of Poly-4-Hydroxybutyrate (P4HB)
A comprehensive review of 16 studies found P4HB to be a safe and effective adjunct in both reconstructive and aesthetic breast surgery. High rates of scaffold incorporation and patient satisfaction were reported, with low complication rates.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf099

💠 Histomorphologic Outcomes of GalaFLEX Scaffold
This clinical follow-up (6 weeks–63 months) examined tissue responses to the GalaFLEX Scaffold and found robust vascularization, gradual scaffold resorption, and constructive tissue remodeling without chronic inflammation or foreign body reaction.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf100

💠 Systemic Symptoms Associated With Breast Implants
In a cohort of 304 patients, 34.5% of those with systemic symptoms met criteria for somatic symptom disorder—far higher than control groups. Findings highlight the need to consider psychological factors in managing SSBI.
🔗 https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf125

11/12/2025

11/11/2025

Sutureless MMCR: A Safe and Effective Approach to Ptosis Correction

A new study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal evaluated sutureless Müller muscle–conjunctival resection (MMCR) for moderate to severe ptosis and found impressive results.

🔬 Conducted as a retrospective, single-center cohort study of 147 patients (252 eyes), all with MRD1 between 0–2 mm, this technique was performed by a single surgeon with follow-up at 1 and 8 weeks.

📈 Results at a glance:
✅ 88.5% surgical success rate (postoperative MRD1 ≥3 mm or within ±0.5 mm of phenylephrine test)
✅ 93.3% eyelid symmetry in bilateral cases
✅ Low complication rate—wound dehiscence in only 1.19% of eyes
✅ Higher success among female patients

💡 Takeaway:
Sutureless MMCR delivers high success and symmetry with minimal complications, offering surgeons a reliable and minimally invasive alternative for ptosis correction.

Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf115

11/10/2025

Regenerative therapy offers a new treatment avenue for vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS).

VLS is a chronic inflammatory condition that can significantly impact quality of life and often shows limited response to corticosteroids.

In this prospective, open-label study, 18 women (ages 24–81) with moderate-to-severe VLS received a single intra- and subdermal injection of nanofat (40 cc) and stromal vascular fraction (2–3 cc) into vulvar and perianal regions. Follow-up occurred at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, assessing symptoms, itching, quality of life, and sexual function using validated scales.

At 12 months, patients experienced significant improvement in symptoms and signs of VLS. Itching decreased and quality of life improved. Histology confirmed reduced stromal hyalinization, decreased T-cell infiltration, and increased microvascular density. No serious adverse events were reported.

These results suggest that the Lichen-SVF protocol is a safe and effective regenerative option that complements conventional corticosteroid therapy, offering long-term symptom relief and tissue regeneration.

🔗 Read the full article in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal: https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf148

11/07/2025

Shifting Trends in Aesthetic Surgery: GLP-1 RA vs. Post-Bariatric Patients

A recent study analyzed aesthetic surgery utilization and complication rates in patients after bariatric surgery versus those using GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA).

Study Design:
📊 Data from TriNetX (2016–2024)
💉 Patients stratified by prior bariatric surgery or GLP-1 RA use
📈 Growth rates of aesthetic procedures and 90-day postoperative complications were analyzed, including hematoma, infection, wound issues, ED utilization, and readmissions

Key Findings:
📈 Between 2016–2021, GLP-1 RA users had a 36.1% annual growth rate in aesthetic procedures vs. 27.1% for post-bariatric patients (P = .0026)
🚀 After 2021, growth in GLP-1 RA patients jumped to 53.8%, while post-bariatric patients declined by −4%
⚠️ Post-bariatric patients had higher risk of hematoma (RR 1.99), infection (RR 1.37), and ED visits (RR 1.54)

Clinical Implications:
These trends suggest a growing demand for aesthetic procedures in GLP-1 RA users, while post-bariatric patients remain at higher risk for complications. Surgeons should consider individualized perioperative planning and risk management for these populations. 💉👩‍⚕️

Read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf131

11/06/2025

Breast implant illness (BII) is a spectrum of symptoms some people attribute to breast implants. Although causality remains unproven, patient interest has grown significantly. Understanding patient perceptions of BII on social media is crucial because these platforms increasingly influence healthcare decisions.⁠
The purpose of this study is to analyze patient perceptions and emotional responses to BII on social media using Robust optimizing Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers, a natural processing model trained on 124 million X posts.⁠
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Read now: https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjaf047