Anthony Youn
Anthony Youn is a plastic surgeon who focuses on cosmetic procedures and facial aging. His published research addresses both surgical and nonsurgical facial rejuvenation techniques, including volumetric facelifts, brow lift fixation, and minimally invasive facial reshaping. He has also authored commentaries on public interest and social media trends related to aesthetic surgery.
21 claims checked on air: 1 contradicted 18 supported 2 unverified
What they said on air - supported
Patients who are significantly overweight have a higher risk of surgical healing complications, including abscesses, wound necrosis, and infection.
"the studies are pretty straightforward that, you know, if you are significantly overweight, you're going to have a higher risk of healing complications, you know, higher risk of of abscesses, higher risk of, uh, necrosis of your wounds, infection. All of that increases." (said at 0:04:41)
The evidence supports the claim that significantly overweight and obese individuals (typically defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) have a significantly increased risk of surgical wound healing complications. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses across plastic surgery, body contouring, and broader surgical populations show that obesity is associated with higher rates of surgical site occurrences, wound infections, dehiscence, seromas, and fluid collections compared to normal-weight individuals.
- supports: Complications of Body Contouring Surgery in Postbariatric Patients: A Systematic Review an… (Aesthetic plastic surgery 2021) · cited 67x in the literature
"Regarding risk factors, analysis indicated that a BMI < 30 kg/m 2 and low mean weight of resected tissue were associated with fewer complications... In body contouring after bariatric surgery, there is a 37% increased risk of developing complications if the BMI is ≥ 30 kg/m2 before body contouring." (abstract, results)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: Obesity as a Risk Factor in Cosmetic Abdominal Body Contouring: A Systematic Review and Me… (Aesthetic plastic surgery 2024) · cited 9x in the literature
"Meta-analysis demonstrated that obesity was associated with more seromas (OR 1.45, 1.06-1.98, p = 0.02), hematomas (OR 2.21, 1.07-4.57, p = 0.03), and total surgical site occurrences (OR 1.99, 1.30-3.04, p = 0.0016)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: Metabolic syndrome and surgical complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 13… (International journal of surgery (London, England) 2024) · cited 38x in the literature
"Compared to individuals without the condition, individuals with MetS were at an increased risk of mortality (OR 1.75 95% CI: 1.36-2.24; P <0.01); all surgical site infection types as well as dehiscence (OR 1.64 95% CI: 1.52-1.77; P <0.01)" (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Aging naturally leads to facial volume loss through fat loss, muscle atrophy, and bony atrophy and shrinkage of the skull and facial bones.
"And when you get older, just aging in and of itself causes you to lose fat in the face, but also causes the muscles to actually atrophy a little bit and the bones to actually atrophy. Our actual bony shape of our skull and of our facial bones actually shrinks as we get older." (said at 0:09:53)
Published anatomical and aesthetic reviews confirm that intrinsic facial aging involves multi-layered volume loss and structural changes across all tissue layers: atrophy of deep and superficial fat compartments, muscle atrophy and tone alterations, and localized bone resorption and remodeling of the facial skeleton (such as the maxilla, pyriform aperture, orbits, and mandible).
- supports: [Skin ageing-General features of facial ageing and therapeutic choices]. (Annales de dermatologie et de venereologie 2019) · cited 14x in the literature
"Indeed, ageing is obviously not restricted to skin but also concerns underlying tissue such as muscle, fat tissue and supporting bone. In this article, we provide a clinical and physiopathological analysis of the ageing of skin and of the various types of ageing... Next we describe the general modes of facial ageing for the subcutaneous structures, first those of the skin muscles, which compensate for their atrophy by means of permanent hypercontraction that result in dynamic wrinkles, then those of fat tissue in which ptosis can occur, coupled in some cases with atrophy and loss of the fullness and harmonious facial curves of youth, and those of supporting bone structures and preferential areas of resorption" (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: Rejuvenation of the ageing face and the role of orthodontics: Guidelines for management. (Journal of orthodontics 2022) · cited 4x in the literature
"Resorption below the mental foramen, reduction in alveolar height, loss of bone at the chin region, and relative increase in size and shape are signs of an aged mandible. Epidermal thinning and decrease in collagen in combination with the effect of gravity and various external factors contribute to the ageing of the skin. Atrophy of the superficial and deep fat, changes in ligamentous tissues and changes in muscle structure, position and tone, all contribute to the stigmata of the aged face." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Weight loss causes facial fat cells to shrink rather than disappear, allowing them to expand again with subsequent weight gain unless surgically removed or destroyed non-invasively.
"fat in and of itself, unless it's actually removed or it's killed off, it shrinks, but it does not necessarily just disappear. So you should be able to with weight gain that fat should be able to come back. The only time it doesn't, like I said, is if, let's say, you remove it via liposuction, or there are now treatments that we have that can actually destroy fat cells non-invasively." (said at 0:12:56)
The speaker's statement accurately reflects adipocyte biology and adipose tissue dynamics. Landmark human studies demonstrate that total adipocyte number remains remarkably constant in adulthood, even after substantial weight loss, because reduction in fat mass occurs primarily through decreased adipocyte volume (cell shrinking) rather than cell loss. Consequently, subsequent weight gain allows existing adipocytes to re-expand unless the cells are permanently eliminated through surgical excision (such as liposuction) or non-invasive fat-reduction technologies (such as cryolipolysis or focused ultrasound, which induce adipocyte apoptosis/necrosis).
- supports: Dynamics of fat cell turnover in humans. (Nature 2008) · cited 2269x in the literature
"However, the number of fat cells stays constant in adulthood in lean and obese individuals, even after marked weight loss, indicating that the number of adipocytes is set during childhood and adolescence." (abstract, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: Application of cryolipolysis in adipose tissue: A systematic review. (Journal of cosmetic dermatology 2022) · cited 10x in the literature
"Cryolipolysis is characterized by localized and controlled cooling of the subcutaneous adipose tissue, in a non-invasive way, causing a localized panniculitis, followed by adipocyte death by apoptosis and, consequently, a decrease in adipose tissue in the treated area." (abstract, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Repeated dynamic facial expressions cause inset facial wrinkles, which is why paralyzing movement with Botox prevents wrinkle formation.
"the wrinkles that you create, you know, and people who have really dynamic faces, you know, like a Jim Carrey-type person where they're making all these extreme facial expressions, creating a lot of wrinkles at the time, if you are like that, then those lines can get inset... if you're not moving your eyebrows, you're not going to create wrinkles there. That's how Botox works." (said at 0:13:40)
The literature supports the claim that repetitive dynamic facial muscle contractions create skin creasing that gradually imprints over time into static, inset facial wrinkles. Botulinum toxin (Botox) works by relaxing or immobilizing these target facial muscles, reducing repetitive mechanical strain on the dermis and thereby preventing dynamic lines from transitioning into permanent static wrinkles at rest.
No studies have demonstrated that deep plane facelifts produce better scarring outcomes than SMAS facelifts.
"The reason why some people are proponents of the deep plane facelift is they claim that the results last longer, that maybe it scars better because you're not pulling the skin as much cuz you're pulling everything kind of all in one big piece. Um but neither of them have actually been neither of those claims have ever been conclusively proven. It's just what they say. It's like, 'Oh, you know, I get uh better scars.' Well, no study's ever shown that." (said at 0:17:30)
Published comparative studies, randomized trials, and meta-analyses evaluating deep plane versus superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) facelifts have primarily assessed general aesthetic correction, patient satisfaction, longevity/revision rates, and complication risks (such as hematoma or nerve injury). Systematic reviews comparing these techniques demonstrate comparable safety and outcome profiles, with no controlled evidence establishing that deep plane facelifts yield superior scar quality or better scarring outcomes compared to SMAS facelifts.
Studies comparing SMAS facelifts and deep plane facelifts show that both techniques have similar longevity of surgical results.
"'I get better longevity.' Well, actually there are studies that have compared them and found to have similar longevity." (said at 0:17:50)
Systematic reviews and comparative studies evaluating SMAS and deep plane facelift techniques indicate that both approaches provide durable, long-term aesthetic outcomes with high patient satisfaction, and deep plane techniques have not demonstrated superior longevity compared to traditional SMAS approaches.
The American Board of Cosmetic Surgery is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).
"There's actually American Board of Cosmetic Surgery as well. This is not recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties, so it's kind of its own board" (said at 0:22:54)
The claim is accurate. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) does not recognize or include the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery (ABCS) as a member board. The American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) is the sole ABMS-recognized board for plastic surgery.
Radiofrequency microneedling heats the deep skin layers to denature collagen, leading to tighter tissue as it heals.
"I do something called Morpheus8. It's radio frequency microneedling. So essentially what it is is heating up the deep skin to create that collagen that kind of denature and as it heals it heals in a tighter fashion." (said at 0:31:10)
Radiofrequency microneedling works by delivering thermal energy directly into the deep dermal layers through microneedles. Histological studies in humans confirm that this induces localized collagen denaturation and immediate thermal tissue contraction, which triggers a wound healing cascade characterized by heat shock protein activation, neocollagenesis, and neoelastogenesis, leading to clinical improvement in skin laxity and tightness.
Women lose 30% of their skin's collagen thickness in the first 5 years following menopause.
"Well, and studies are also showing that in the first 5 years after menopause women lose 30% of the thickness of the collagen in their skin. 5 years, 30% loss." (said at 0:33:20)
Published cross-sectional and observational studies examining skin connective tissue in postmenopausal women demonstrate that estrogen deficiency leads to a rapid loss of skin collagen content and dermal thickness following menopause. Landmark studies measuring skin collagen content (notably by Brincat and colleagues) found that approximately 30% of dermal collagen is lost within the initial 5 years after menopause, followed by a subsequent decline of approximately 1% to 2% per year. The certainty of the evidence is low because it relies predominantly on cross-sectional biopsy studies and observational cohorts with small sample sizes.
- supports: The effect of menopause on the skin and other connective tissues. (Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology 2012) · cited 69x in the literature
"Collagen atrophy is a major factor in skin ageing. There is a strong correlation between skin collagen loss and oestrogen deficiency due to the menopause... Oestrogen use after the menopause increases collagen content, dermal thickness and elasticity" (abstract)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: A study of the decrease of skin collagen content, skin thickness, and bone mass in the pos… (Obstetrics and gynecology 1987) · cited 183x in the literature
"The skin collagen content, skin thickness, metacarpal index, and forearm bone mineral content in postmenopausal women showed a similar decline of between 1-2% per year after the menopause. All four parameters showed a decline that was significant when compared with the years from the menopause." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed - supports: Decline in skin collagen content and metacarpal index after the menopause and its preventi… (British journal of obstetrics and gynaecology 1987) · cited 115x in the literature
"In the untreated group, there was a statistically significant decrease both in the thigh skin collagen content and in the metacarpal index with the years since the menopause." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Hormone replacement therapy helps mitigate and reduce postmenopausal skin collagen loss.
"And so, going on hormone replacement therapy can mitigate some of that and there are some studies that do show that HRT helps to reduce that that collagen loss." (said at 0:33:35)
Menopause and the associated drop in estrogen are well established to accelerate the loss of dermal collagen, skin elasticity, and dermal thickness. Clinical studies and meta-analyses demonstrate that hormone replacement therapy (systemic or topical estrogen) helps prevent and mitigate this postmenopausal decline by stimulating collagen synthesis and preserving dermal collagen content.
- supports: Postmenopausal skin and estrogen. (Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology 2012) · cited 71x in the literature
"Skin is estrogen responsive, and several studies now exist to support the antiaging properties of estrogen replacement therapies in postmenopausal women. Both systemic and topical estrogens appear to have positive effects on hormonal aging, increasing skin collagen content, thickness, elasticity and hydration." (abstract, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: Skin Rejuvenation in Women using Menopausal Hormone Therapy: A Systematic Review and Meta-… (Journal of menopausal medicine 2023) · cited 15x in the literature
"Our meta-analysis aimed to compare skin elasticity (standard [Std] mean difference = 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03-0.54; P = 0.03), skin thickness (Std. mean difference = 1.27; 95% CI, 0.88-1.66; P < 0.00001), collagen content (Std. mean difference = 2.01; 95% CI, 1.42-2.61; P < 0.00001), and skin dryness (Std. mean difference = 0.15; 95% CI, -0.05 to 0.35; P = 0.14). MHT increases elasticity and collagen content in the skin, thereby reducing the severity of wrinkles and increasing skin thickness." (abstract, results and conclusions, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Men lose approximately 1% of their skin collagen thickness per year starting in their mid-20s.
"Cuz men, we lose 1% of the thickness of collagen every year starting about in our mid-20s, but we don't get that menopause thing where things just ramp up" (said at 0:34:05)
The speaker's claim reflects established dermatological literature on sex differences in skin aging. Classic cross-sectional investigations (such as Shuster et al., 1975) established that dermal collagen content and skin thickness decline in men at a steady, roughly linear rate of approximately 1% per year starting in early adulthood (around the mid-20s). In contrast, women maintain relatively stable skin thickness until menopause, when estrogen deficiency triggers an accelerated phase of dermal collagen degradation.
After the first 5 years of menopause, women lose skin collagen at a rate of 2% per year.
"cuz so for women it's 30% in the first 5 years and then 2% thereafter and that's why women get such thin skin as they get older." (said at 0:34:15)
The statement reflects classic observational findings on postmenopausal skin aging. Studies evaluating dermal collagen content via skin biopsies and skin thickness measurements in postmenopausal women (such as those by Brincat and colleagues) identified a rapid loss of skin collagen in the initial years after menopause (often cited as up to ~30% within the first five years), followed by a steady rate of decline of approximately 1% to 2% per year thereafter in untreated women. Because these estimates originate from observational and cross-sectional biopsy studies with modest sample sizes, the overall certainty of evidence is low.
Applying a gentle moisturizer before and after retinol ('retinol sandwich') slows retinol absorption to reduce skin irritation.
"You apply a gentle, uh, moisturizer first, then you apply the retinol, and then a gentle moisturizer afterwards. By doing this retinol sandwich where the retinol essentially is the meat or the the filling inside the sandwich, you're going to allow slower, um, absorption of that retinol and it really helps to mitigate some of the irritation of it." (said at 0:39:20)
Applying a moisturizer alongside topical retinoids (such as retinol or tretinoin), often referred to clinically as buffering or the sandwich technique, is a well-established dermatological strategy to reduce cutaneous irritation (erythema, dryness, flaking) and improve tolerability. Layering an emollient or moisturizer reinforces the stratum corneum barrier and slows topical penetration/absorption. Randomized controlled and split-face trials have confirmed that adjunctive moisturizer application significantly decreases retinoid-associated irritation and improves patient tolerance.
PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotides) used in injectable skin treatments is derived from salmon sperm DNA.
"Now, in Korea, these they're basically it's called PDRN, polydeoxyribonucleotides. And what this is is this is actually DNA taken from salmon sperm DNA that is very similar to what you have, I guess I guess the human body and and salmon there's there's these similarities to it where these are what are called biostimulators where you inject it into the skin and it helps the body to create collagen." (said at 0:40:35)
Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) used in tissue regeneration, skin rejuvenation, and wound healing is indeed extracted and purified from the sperm cells of salmon (primarily *Oncorhynchus mykiss* or *Oncorhynchus keta*). Evidence confirms that PDRN stimulates adenosine A2A receptors, promotes angiogenesis, and stimulates fibroblasts to enhance collagen synthesis.
- supports: Applications of Marine Organism-Derived Polydeoxyribonucleotide: Its Potential in Biomedic… (Marine drugs 2021) · cited 50x in the literature
"Polydeoxyribonucleotides (PDRNs) are a family of DNA-derived drugs with a molecular weight ranging from 50 to 1500 kDa, which are mainly extracted from the sperm cells of salmon trout or chum salmon. Many pre-clinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the wound healing and anti-inflammatory properties of PDRN, which are mediated by the activation of adenosine A 2A receptor and salvage pathways, in addition to promoting osteoblast activity, collagen synthesis, and angiogenesis." (abstract, background, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: PDRN prevents SIRT1 degradation by attenuating autophagy during skin aging. (PloS one 2025) · cited 2x in the literature
"Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) is a low molecular weight linear polyribonucleotide fragment derived from salmon sperm, known for its potential in tissue regeneration and anti-inflammatory applications." (abstract, background, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Sculptra was originally FDA-approved over 21 years ago for the treatment of facial lipodystrophy in HIV patients.
"So, Sculptra and I've been injecting it for 21 years. It was actually first FDA-approved for HIV lipodystrophy. So, you know, people who have HIV, they're on medications, and oftentimes they lose a lot of the fat in their face. And so, this got approved by the FDA over 21 years ago very quickly to try to help these patients" (said at 0:46:33)
Sculptra (injectable poly-L-lactic acid) was originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2004 specifically for the restoration and correction of the signs of facial lipoatrophy (facial fat loss) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), prior to receiving approval for broader cosmetic applications in 2009.
Younger patients in their 20s and 30s have a higher risk of developing thicker surgical scars than patients in their 60s or 70s due to more robust collagen production.
"And we know that people who are younger, let's say somebody in their 20s and 30s, they have more robust collagen. So, they're going to have a higher risk of a thicker scar than somebody who's in their 60s or 70s where a lot of that collagen, unfortunately, has thinned and they have a lower risk of a thick scar." (said at 0:50:35)
Published literature consistently identifies younger age as a key predisposing risk factor for hypertrophic (thick/fibroproliferative) scar formation compared to older age. Studies evaluating postoperative scar outcomes demonstrate that older patients have a significantly reduced incidence of abnormal or thickened scars following surgical incisions. Histological and cellular analyses confirm that young scar tissue demonstrates significantly higher collagen content and density than scar tissue from older individuals, whereas aged skin exhibits dermal thinning, decreased baseline collagen, and an attenuated fibroproliferative response.
- supports: Currently known risk factors for hypertrophic skin scarring: A review. (Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS 2016) · cited 153x in the literature
"Risk factors for HTS formation are young age, bacterial colonization, and skin subjected to stretch." (abstract, conclusions, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: [Effects and mechanism of age on the stiffness and the fibrotic phenotype of fibroblasts o… (Zhonghua shao shang za zhi = Zhonghua shaoshang zazhi = Chinese journal of burns 2021) · cited 1x in the literature
"The collagen content in scar tissue of the young group and the elderly group was significantly higher than that of the normal skin tissue ( t =8.02, 3.15, P <0.05 or P <0.01), and the collagen content in scar tissue of the elderly group was significantly lower than that of the young group ( t =4.84, P <0.05)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - supports: Older Patients and Patients with Severe Arteriosclerosis Are Less Likely to Develop Keloid… (Plastic and reconstructive surgery 2022) · cited 6x in the literature
"Compared with patients who had a mature scar, patients who had a pathologic scar had younger mean age (65 versus 69 years; p = 0.0002) and lower intima-media thickness (0.92 versus 1.05 mm; p = 0.028)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
A deep plane or SMAS facelift lasts on average about 10 to 11 years, with a total range of approximately 7.5 to 15 years.
"A facelift takes anywhere from about it lasts anywhere from about 7 1/2 to 15 years. So, when you do a deep plane or a SMAS, you're really looking at average about 10 to 11 years or so. Uh but around that 7 1/2 and the 7 1/2 is going to be, let's say you have a facelift when you're, you know, 72. And maybe you don't have great skin quality, then maybe you'll get 7 1/2 years out of it. The 15 years is going to be that person who's maybe in their mid-40s or having it done early, maybe they have some premature aging or something, then you maybe will get 15 years. The majority of them you're looking at like anywhere from 10 to 11 years is what most studies show." (said at 0:52:10)
Observational cohort studies tracking facelift longevity and the time interval to secondary or revision rhytidectomy support the claim. In a 30-year study of deep plane facelifts, the mean interval between the primary and revision procedure was 10.9 ± 5.1 years, with younger patients (≤53 years) averaging 12.4 ± 5.6 years and older patients (>53 years) averaging 9.3 ± 3.9 years. Similarly, long-term retrospective reviews of SMAS and standard rhytidectomies report average intervals of 9 to 10 years before secondary procedures (and 7.5 years before tertiary procedures), with stable aesthetic outcomes and high patient satisfaction commonly documented out to 10 years.
MRI studies demonstrate that dermal fillers can persist in facial tissues for multiple years.
"we are finding that it may last a bit longer than we initially thought, you know, studies show maybe 1 to 2 years. MRIs are now showing that some filler can last many years." (said at 0:56:25)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated that hyaluronic acid dermal fillers can persist in facial soft tissues for multiple years past their expected clinical resorption window of 6 to 24 months. In an observational study of 33 patients undergoing facial MRI at varying intervals after mid-face filler injections, cross-linked hyaluronic acid remained radiologically detectable in all 33 individuals beyond 2 years, with 21 patients showing persistence at 2 to 5 years, 12 patients at over 5 years, and individual cases lasting up to 12–15 years post-injection.
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