Daily Cosmetic Research Analysis
Three studies advance cosmetic and aesthetic medicine from safety to diagnostics and surgical outcomes. A biomonitoring study introduces a robust UHPLC–Q-Orbitrap HRMS workflow to reveal human exposure and metabolism of emerging cosmetic preservatives, an imaging study shows high-frequency ultrasound can localize and characterize periorbital dermal fillers and complications, and an oncoplastic surgery study suggests rotation flaps yield superior cosmetic results versus suture scaffolds in lower-
Summary
Three studies advance cosmetic and aesthetic medicine from safety to diagnostics and surgical outcomes. A biomonitoring study introduces a robust UHPLC–Q-Orbitrap HRMS workflow to reveal human exposure and metabolism of emerging cosmetic preservatives, an imaging study shows high-frequency ultrasound can localize and characterize periorbital dermal fillers and complications, and an oncoplastic surgery study suggests rotation flaps yield superior cosmetic results versus suture scaffolds in lower-quadrant breast-conserving therapy.
Research Themes
- Cosmetic chemical exposure and metabolism
- Imaging-based diagnostics in aesthetic medicine
- Oncoplastic surgical techniques and cosmetic outcomes
Selected Articles
1. Nontarget screening and identification of emerging preservatives and their metabolites in human urine.
Using UHPLC–Q-Orbitrap HRMS, the authors established a non-target/suspect workflow that tentatively identified 117 preservative-related features in human urine, including 30 level 2–3 metabolites. Only p-hydroxyacetophenone was detected as a parent compound, and sulfation and amino acid conjugation emerged as dominant metabolic pathways.
Impact: Provides a scalable analytical framework for human biomonitoring of emerging cosmetic preservatives, informing exposure assessment and regulatory science. The metabolite-centric approach advances understanding beyond parent compound detection.
Clinical Implications: Supports risk assessment and safety evaluation of cosmetic preservatives by revealing human metabolic pathways and exposure markers, guiding targeted monitoring and potential restriction of higher-risk compounds.
Key Findings
- Developed a UHPLC–Q-Orbitrap HRMS non-target/suspect screening workflow linking parent m/z with metabolic reactions.
- Identified 117 preservative-related features in human urine, with 30 metabolites at confidence levels 2–3.
- p-Hydroxyacetophenone was the only parent preservative detected; dominant metabolism included sulfation and amino acid conjugation.
- Tentatively identified metabolites also included products of dehydroacetic acid, caprylhydroxamic acid, and methylisothiazolinone.
Methodological Strengths
- High-resolution UHPLC–Q-Orbitrap HRMS enabling sensitive non-target and suspect screening.
- Structured metabolite identification workflow integrating parent m/z with plausible biotransformations and assignment of confidence levels.
Limitations
- Predominantly tentative identifications without confirmatory standards for all metabolites.
- Single-region sampling (Guangzhou) with unspecified sample size limits generalizability and statistical inference.
- No linkage to health outcomes or quantified exposure levels.
Future Directions: Validate metabolite identities with reference standards and quantify concentrations; expand to multi-regional cohorts with defined N; integrate exposure sources and link biomarkers to clinical outcomes and risk assessment.
Preservatives are widely used in cosmetic and personal care products to prevent microbial contamination and prolong products' shelf lives. However, concerns about human exposure to these chemicals are increasing due to their confirmed and/or potential negative effects on human health. In this study, we developed a nontarget and suspect screening strategy to identify 5 emerging preservatives and their metabolites in human urine using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometer (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS). A workflow was established for metabolites identification by integrating m/z values of the parent preservatives with specific metabolic reactions. A total of 117 preservatives and relevant metabolites were tentatively identified in the urine samples collected from a general population of Guangzhou, China. p-hydroxyacetophenone (p-HAP) was the only detected parent preservative. Thirty metabolites with confidence levels (CLs) of 2 and 3 included 19 of p-HAP, 5 of dehydroacetic acid (DHA), 5 of caprylhydroxamic acid (CHA) and 1 of methylisothiazolinone (MIT). Sulfation, amino acid conjugation, and composite reactions were predominant metabolic pathways of the preservatives in human urine. This study presented a robust approach for screening and identifying emerging preservatives and relevant metabolites in human urine for comprehensive investigation of exposure and metabolism of preservative chemicals in human bodies.
2. Application of High-frequency Ultrasound for Detection and Characterization of Dermal Fillers in the Periorbital Region.
In a 191-patient retrospective series, high-frequency ultrasound distinguished periorbital filler types by characteristic sonographic patterns and flagged complications. Blood flow signals within echogenic regions suggested infection, and punctate hyperechoic foci with acoustic shadowing indicated calcification.
Impact: Provides practical, imaging-based criteria to localize and identify periorbital fillers and to detect complications, supporting safer aesthetic interventions.
Clinical Implications: High-frequency ultrasound can guide management of filler-related issues (e.g., targeted hyaluronidase, drainage, or surgical removal) by accurately identifying filler type, depth, and complications in the periorbital region.
Key Findings
- Analyzed 191 periorbital cases: 99 hyaluronic acid, 42 silicone oil, 34 fat, 6 threads, 5 growth factors, 5 polyacrylamide hydrogel.
- Distinct high-frequency ultrasound signatures differentiated filler types across cases.
- Blood flow signals within echogenic regions suggested infection; punctate strong echoes with acoustic shadowing suggested calcification.
Methodological Strengths
- Large single-center series over nine years with standardized imaging acquisition.
- Comprehensive cataloging of sonographic features across multiple filler materials and complications.
Limitations
- Retrospective, single-center design with potential selection and information bias.
- Lack of interobserver reliability metrics and diagnostic accuracy measures versus gold standards.
- Limited linkage between ultrasound findings and subsequent clinical outcomes.
Future Directions: Prospective multicenter validation with interobserver agreement, standardized reporting, and evaluation of management impact; development of training datasets and AI-assisted classification.
BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the location and depth of multiple dermal fillers used for periorbital rejuvenation using high-frequency ultrasound and to access the resulting complications. METHODS: Data of patients who underwent periorbital high-frequency ultrasound from March 2015 to April 2024 at our hospital were collected, and all ultrasound images were counted and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 191 patients were included, comprising 7 men and 184 women. The mean age was 40 ± 1 (18-68) years; among them, there were a total of 99 cases of hyaluronic acid, 42 cases of silicone oil, 34 cases of fat, 6 cases of thread sculpture, 5 cases of growth factors, and 5 cases of polyacrylamide hydrogel. Different dermal fillers have different ultrasound characteristics under high-frequency ultrasound, and the ultrasound characteristics of all fillers are demonstrated in the tables. In addition, the presence of blood flow signal within the echogenic region suggests filler infection, and the presence of punctate strong echoes with acoustic shadows suggests calcification. CONCLUSIONS: High-frequency ultrasound accurately localizes and characterizes dermal fillers in the periorbital region. The distinct imaging features facilitate precise identification of filler types, providing valuable clinical usage in aesthetic assessments.
3. Cosmetic outcomes of rotation flap and suture scaffold for breast-conserving therapy in the lower quadrants.
In a single-center retrospective cohort of 25 lower-quadrant BCT patients, rotation flap reconstruction yielded 81% excellent/good cosmetic ratings with no poor results, whereas suture scaffold achieved 56% excellent/good with 22% poor. Inter-rater agreement was high for both techniques.
Impact: Addresses a challenging anatomic site for oncoplastic surgery and provides comparative cosmetic outcomes that can guide technique selection.
Clinical Implications: Rotation flap may be preferred over suture scaffold for lower-quadrant defects in breast-conserving therapy when cosmetic outcome is prioritized, with low complication rates observed.
Key Findings
- Rotation flap achieved 81% excellent/good and 0% poor cosmetic outcomes; suture scaffold achieved 56% excellent/good and 22% poor.
- High inter-rater reliability for cosmetic ratings: RF κw=0.897 (p=0.000331); SS κw=0.838 (p=0.0109).
- No significant heterogeneity between kappa coefficients (p=0.886); complications were infrequent (RF 6%, SS 0%).
Methodological Strengths
- Use of a standardized cosmetic assessment (Harvard Breast Cosmesis Scale) by two independent reviewers.
- Assessment of inter-rater reliability with quadratically weighted Cohen’s kappa.
Limitations
- Small sample size, especially in the suture scaffold group (n=9), limiting statistical power.
- Single-center, retrospective design without randomization; potential selection bias.
- Short follow-up (6–12 months) and lack of patient-reported outcome measures.
Future Directions: Conduct prospective, multicenter comparative studies with larger samples, longer follow-up, and inclusion of patient-reported outcomes and volumetric/3D imaging-based cosmesis.
BACKGROUND: Achieving good cosmetic outcomes after breast-conserving therapy (BCT) is crucial, particularly for tumors in the lower quadrant (BD region). This study evaluated the cosmetic outcomes of two oncoplastic techniques in patients with breast cancer in the BD region: rotation flap (RF) and suture scaffold (SS). METHODS: This retrospective cohort study, conducted at a single institution, initially identified 45 consecutive female patients with primary unilateral breast cancer who underwent breast-conserving therapy using the RF (n = 22) or SS (n = 23) methods. After excluding those with tumors located outside the BD region and one patient lost to follow-up from each group, 25 patients (RF, n = 16; SS, n = 9) were included in the analysis. The cosmetic outcome at 6-12 months postoperatively was evaluated by two independent reviewers using the Harvard Breast Cosmesis Scale. Inter-rater agreement was quantified using quadratically weighted Cohen's κ values. RESULTS: RF (n = 16) resulted in favorable cosmesis (81% excellent/good and 0% poor), while SS (n = 9) showed 56% excellent/good and 22% poor. The weighted kappa (κw) indicated a high inter-rater agreement for both RF (n = 16; κw = 0.897, p = 0.000331) and SS (n = 9; κw = 0.838, p = 0.0109). A comparison of these kappa coefficients revealed no statistically significant heterogeneity (p = 0.886; 95% CI for difference: -0.750-0.868). Complications were infrequent (RF, 6%; SS, 0%). CONCLUSION: In this single-center study, RF generally provided favorable cosmetic outcomes for BCT in the BD region. SS application resulted in more variable cosmetic results. RF may be a promising option for achieving good cosmesis at this anatomical location.