Patient-reported satisfaction and experience of a novel 40.68 MHz radiofrequency therapy: a retrospective real-world study

Radiofrequency (RF) therapy is a well-established non-invasive approach for skin rejuvenation. However, patient-reported outcomes (PROs)— including satisfaction, treatment experience, and tolerability—remain underreported in newer RF devices. This retrospective real-world study aimed to evaluate patient-reported outcomes (PROs) following a single treatment with a novel 40.68 MHz monopolar RF device for facial skin tightening and contouring. We specifically assessed treatment experience, satisfaction drivers, patient-perceived improvement, and tolerability from the patient’s perspective. 76 patients who received a single full-face treatment were enrolled in this retrospective, cross-sectional survey study. A structured questionnaire was administered at the 3-month follow-up to assess global aesthetic improvement, domain-specific satisfaction, treatment experience, and tolerability. Physician assessment of standardized photographs at 3 months was also performed as a supportive measure. High overall satisfaction was reported, with 86.84% (95% CI: 77.5% to 92.7%) of patients being “satisfied” or “very satisfied.” The greatest improvements were observed in skin tightening/lifting and facial contour, particularly in the jawline (50% (38/76) identified it as the most improved area). The procedure was well-tolerated: 88.16% (67/76, 95% CI: 79.2% to 93.6%) reported intraoperative pain ≤ 3 on a 10-point VAS, 94.74% (72/76, 95% CI: 87.6% to 97.8%) experienced no significant side effects, and 80.26% (61/76) had no or less than 1 day of downtime. Notably, 98.68% (75/76, 95% CI: 93.5% to 99.8%) expressed willingness to undergo repeat treatment. Physician assessment at 3 months also showed improvement in 92.11% (70/76, 95% CI: 83.6% to 96.3%) of patients, similar to the patient-reported improvement rate of 94.74% (72/76). Patients in this real-world study reported high satisfaction, perceived improvement, and good tolerability with the novel 40.68 MHz RF treatment, along with minimal downtime and a strong willingness to repeat treatment. No device-related adverse events were reported by patients in the survey.