Table 1.
Characteristics of studies selected for research
| Author/ year | Objective | Sample / Groups | Endpoint variable | |
| 1. | Shapiro et al., 201216 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles. | 37 subjects/ women/ 36 a 65 years. (No control group) | Wrinkles. |
| 2. | Abrahan et al. , 200417 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles and laxity. | 35 subjects/ 28 women and 7 men/ 35 to 65 years.(no control group) | Wrinkles and laxity. |
| 3. | Rusciani et al. , 200718 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 93 subjects/ 83 women and 10 men/ mean 53,3 years.(no control group) | Laxity. |
| 4. | Hsu et al.,200319 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 16 subjects/ 15 women and 1 men/ 43 to 73 years(no control group) | Laxity. |
| 5. | Harth et al., 201012 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 30 subjects/ gender not mentioned/ age not mentioned (no control group) | Laxity. |
| 6. | Bassichis et al., 200420 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 36 subjects/ experimental group: 24 (23 women and 1 men; control group: 12 (gender not mentioned)/ age not mentioned | Forehead height . |
| 7. | Lee et al., 20116 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF signals in photoaging (wrinkles, pigmentation, telangiectasia, laxity) | 26 subjects/ 26 women/ mean 56 years(No control group) | Laxity, brightness and degree of elasticity. |
| 8. | El-Domyati et al., 201121 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles. | 6 subjects/ 6 women/ 47 to 62 years (No control group) | Wrinkles. Elastin and collagen quantity. |
| 9. | Javate et al., 201122 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles. | 32 subjectsa/ 28 women and 4 men/ 29 to 71 years (no control group) | Wrinkles. Collagen quantity. |
| 10. | Friedman et al., 200723 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles and laxity. | 16 subjects/ 16 women/ 29 to 66 years (No control group) | Wrinkles and laxity. |
| 11. | Fitzpatrick et al. , 200324 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles and laxity. | 86 subjects/ 79 women and 7 men/ 35 to 70 years (no control group) | Wrinkles and laxity. |
| 12. | Alster et al. , 200425 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of wrinkles and laxity. | 50 subjects/ gender not mentioned/ mean 53,3 years(No control group) | Wrinkles and laxity. |
| 13. | Carruthers and Carru-thers, 200726 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 20 subjects /17 women and 3 men/ age not mentioned (No control group) | Laxity. |
| 14. | Finzi and Spangler, 200527 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity and wrinkles. | 25 subjects/ 24 women and 1 men/ 33 to 68 years (no control group) | Laxity and wrinkles. |
| 15. | Kushikata et al. , 200528 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 85 subjects/ 85 women/ 31 to 68 years (no control group) | Laxity. |
| Levenberg, 201029 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity, wrinkles and fat. | 37 subjects/ women/ 23 to 82 years (No control group) | Wrinkles, Laxity and localized fat. | |
| Instrument | Result | Justification | PEDro/ Level of evidence | |
| 1. | Pictures. | Decrease in wrinkles. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 2. | Objective measurement of forehead height. Satisfaction questionnaire. Pictures. | Decrease in wrinkles and laxity. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 3. | Pictures. | Decrease in skin laxity. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 4. | Pictures. Satisfaction questionnaire. | No significant change. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 5. | Pictures. Fitzpatrick scale. | Decrease in skin laxity. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 6. | Satisfaction questionnaire. Pictures. Brow's measurement. | Forehead height reduction. Positive statistical difference. Client dissatisfaction. | Thermal injury leads to the production of collagen . | 4/ Limitada evidencia. |
| 7. | Pictures. Medical evaluation. Scale of subjective improvement. Patient satisfaction . | Decrease in laxity, increased brightness and skin elasticity. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal injury . | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 8. | Pictures. Skin biopsy. | Decrease in wrinkles and increased collagen. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 9. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. Histological analysis. Fitzpatrick scale | Decrease in wrinkles. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 10. | Pictures. | Decrease in wrinkles and laxity. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 11. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. Fitzpatrick scale. | Decrease in wrinkles and laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 4/ Limitada evidencia. |
| 12. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. | Decrease in wrinkles laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 13.. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction | Decrease in laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 4/ Limitada evidencia. |
| 14. | Pictures. | Decrease in wrinkles and laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 15. | Pictures. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | ||
| Pictures. Circumference measurements | Decreased laxity, wrinkles and localized fat. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. | |
| Author/ year | Objective | Sample / Groups | Endpoint variable | |
| 17. | Montesi et al., 200730 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 30 subjects/ 26 women and 4 men/ 18 to 70 years (no control group) | Laxity and wrinkles and collagen quantity. |
| 18. | Nahm et al., 200431 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 10 subjects/ 9 women and 1 men/ 39 to 62 years(no control group) | Laxity. |
| 19. | Narins and Narins, 200332 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 17 subjects/ 17 women/ 42 to 60 years (No control group) | Laxity. |
| 20. | Ruiz-Esparza and Gomez, 200333 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 15 subjects/ 15 women/ 41 to 68 years (No control group) | Laxity. |
| 21. | Uwe Wollina, 201134 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 20 subjects/ 20 women/ 34 to 73 years (No control group) | Laxity. |
| 22. | Bogle et al., 200735 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 66 subjects/ 66 women/ mean 35 years. (No control group) | Laxity. |
| 23. | Fritz et al., 200436 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 20 subjects/ 20 women/ 40 to 63 years. (No control group) | Laxity. |
| 24. | Esparza et al. , 200437 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity and wrinkles. | 20 subjects/ 20 women/ 42 to 67 years. (No control group) | Laxity and wrinkles. |
| 25. | Kaplan et al. , 200938 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF in fat reduction and collagen regeneration. | 12 subjects/ 12 women/ 34 to 65 years. (No control group) | Laxity, localized fat and collagen quantity. |
| 26. | Chipps et al., 201339 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity and wrinkles. | 49 subjects/ 45 women and 4 men/ 30 to 70 years.(no control group) | Laxity and wrinkles. |
| 27. | Edwards et al., 201340 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 64 subjects(no control group) | Laxity. |
| 28. | Suh et al.,201341 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity and wrinkles | 8 subjects/7 women and 1 men (No control group) | Laxity and wrinkles. |
| 29. | Taub et al., 201242 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity and wrinkles. | 17 subjects/ gender not mentioned/ age not mentioned. (No control group) | Laxity and wrinkles. |
| 30. | Tay and Kwok, 200943 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity and wrinkles. | 6 subjects/ 6 women/ 30 to 60 years. (No control group) | Laxity and wrinkles. |
| Vega et al., 201344 | To evaluate the effectiveness of RF for the treatment of laxity. | 31subjects/ 31 women/ 40 to 65 years (No control group) | Laxity. | |
| Instrument | Result | Justification | PEDro/ Level of evidence | |
| 17. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. Biopsy. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 18. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. | Decreased laxity. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 19. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 20. | Pictures. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 21. | Picture. Patient satisfaction. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 22. | Pictures. Laxity rating. BTC2000 device (skin rigidity and energy absorption). | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 23. | Pictures. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 24. | Patient satisfaction. Quality of life questionnaires. | Decreased laxity and wrinkles. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 25. | Pictures. | Decreased laxity, localized fat and increased collagen No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence. |
| 26. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction. Quality of life questionnaires. | Decreased laxity and das wrinkles. Positive statistical difference. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence |
| 27. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction questionnaire. | Decreased laxity. Positive statistical difference | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence |
| 28.. | Picture. Pictures. Satisfaction questionnaire. Glogau classification | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence |
| 29. | Pictures. Satisfaction scale. | Decreased laxity and wrinkles. Positive statistical difference | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 3/ Insufficient evidence |
| 30.. | Pictures. Patient satisfaction | Decreased laxity and wrinkles. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence |
| Pictures. Global esthetic improvement. | Decreased laxity. No statistical analysis. | Thermal effect leads to production of collagen. | 2/ Insufficient evidence |