Facetite - Safety of Subdermal Wand?

The makers of FaceTite have produced a device that measures the amount of energy applied to the subdermal and fat layer as well as the temperature continuously and in real time.  There is never a moment in which your surgeon has to unsure about how the device is heating the tissue.  In the face and neck, we focus on keeping the device above the muscle and in the subcutaneous fat and in the subdermal plane.  If the device is truly kept in that layer in the capable hands of a well trained surgeon, then there should be little if any risk to a facial nerve branch.  We use the device primarily in the neck as that is the area of greatest need and improvement from what we have seen.  We have yet to have suffered complications with the use of the device.  Since we often combine the use of the FaceTite with liposuction, we are removing fat at the time of the surgery.  Your result should be fairly clear and stable by 3-6 months after surgery in this area of the body (can take longer, as long as 6-12 months after a larger body area such as the abdomen).  Having said this, our skin and fat can change as we age and with body weight and hormonal fluctuations.

Your concerns are entirely reasonable, and yes there is risk with any procedure. There is risk of temporary facial nerve injury, and I have not heard of a permanent injury reported yet. The fat layers can respond differently in different areas and depending the technical skill with which the procedure is performed. If this device is in the hands of an experienced surgeon, who is accustomed to passing cannulas under the skin, all these risks are minimized. InMode (the founding company) for this reason has limited the high powered (40watt) devices to Plastic Surgeon use only. 

Facetite was first used with IRB studies around 2007 in the US.  Since then the product has cleared the way for other subdermal RFdevices such as Thermi to be made available.  These devices are new in concept in that the devices work under the subcutaneous skin, dermal matrix, and fat to attempt to contract fat and skin.  Answers to your specific questions:Is it possible that as this device is moved *under* skin, a facial nerve will be damaged?  Any procedure including Facetite, Thermi or Kybella has the potential to injure a facial nerve.  The safety in Facetite is that the radiofrequency energy is directed between the probe and the external sensors making the energy unidirectional.  Thermi is omnidirectional which means it theoretically is harder to utilize in the face.  I have used Facetite since October 2016 and have not had any nerve injuries to date.Loss of facial fat with RF activity?  The device can be used in several layers of the face including the subdermal matrix or the subcutaneous fat.  In the face, typically the device is used along the subdermal scaffolding for the tightening effect rather than to remove facial volume.  It can be used to reduce the appearance of jowl fat with a deeper application.  The device has been used worldwide and studies do not suggest continual loss of fat.