The exact PubMed and trial queries behind every count
Updated Jul 25, 2026
Counts and query text per treatment modalityModalityA family of treatments that work the same way — such as radiofrequency microneedling, or lasers that leave the skin surface intact — rather than any one branded machine. — not individual study records.
Counts are per modality, never per brand, and are a snapshot taken on the run date. What this measuresCounts are computed per MODALITY, never per brand. Brand-name literature searches reward manufacturers with big marketing departments and punish equally good devices with quieter names. Ranking brands by their own name-hits would be a popularity contest dressed as evidence. Every figure here is a snapshot taken on the data-run date; re-running the same query later returns a different number, which is why the query text and the run date travel together. 29 of 29 modalities returned a PubMed count and 29 returned a ClinicalTrials.gov count on this run.
Methodology →
PubMed records per modality
29 modalities · ordered by all-time count
Published 2016–2026 accounts for 60.8% of the 22,357 PubMed records pooled, and ranges from 31.3% (Topical retinoid) to 100.0% (High-intensity electromagnetic muscle stimulation) across the 29 modalities with at least 20 records.
| Published 2016–2026 | Outside that window | PubMed records | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topical retinoid | 1,332 | 2,921 | 4,253 |
| Exosome / extracellular-vesicle preparation | 2,353 | 43 | 2,396 |
| Botulinum toxin (cosmetic) | 1,362 | 839 | 2,201 |
| Pulsed dye laser | 613 | 917 | 1,530 |
| Ablative / hybrid fractional laser | 940 | 545 | 1,485 |
| Hyaluronic acid filler | 1,033 | 265 | 1,298 |
| Non-ablative fractional laser | 742 | 415 | 1,157 |
| Topical hydroquinone / triple combination | 509 | 607 | 1,116 |
| IPL / broadband light | 488 | 540 | 1,028 |
| Laser hair removal | 359 | 385 | 744 |
| Mechanical microneedling | 564 | 55 | 619 |
| Poly-L-lactic acid collagen stimulator | 371 | 215 | 586 |
| Calcium hydroxylapatite filler | 408 | 174 | 582 |
| PDLLA / PLLA collagen biostimulator | 336 | 114 | 450 |
| Monopolar RF skin tightening | 293 | 139 | 432 |
| Radiofrequency microneedling | 304 | 50 | 354 |
| Picosecond laser (pigment & tattoo) | 306 | 17 | 323 |
| Ultrasound lifting & tightening | 261 | 56 | 317 |
| RF body contouring | 174 | 81 | 255 |
| Cryolipolysis | 199 | 46 | 245 |
| Hydradermabrasion | 73 | 93 | 166 |
| Human acellular dermal matrix (ECM) booster | 112 | 46 | 158 |
| Polynucleotide (PDRN) skin booster | 121 | 34 | 155 |
| Bimatoprost for eyelash growth | 52 | 76 | 128 |
| Non-invasive laser lipolysis | 49 | 63 | 112 |
| Topical clascoterone | 88 | 2 | 90 |
| Sebaceous-gland laser for acne | 40 | 26 | 66 |
| High-intensity electromagnetic muscle stimulation | 61 | 0 | 61 |
| Cellulite septa release | 45 | 5 | 50 |
Bar length is the all-time count. The first segment is the dated query's own fetched count; the second is what the all-time count holds beyond it — one fetched count subtracted from another of the same base query, never an estimate. A record the index carries without a usable publication date falls in the second segment, so that segment is not read as “published earlier”.
Bars are how much has been published about a technique, split by when. Publication volume is not effectiveness. What this measuresNumber of PubMed records matching a fixed, hand-written title/abstract query for the MODALITY, not the brand. It measures how much has been PUBLISHED about a technique. It is NOT a quality score, NOT an efficacy measure, NOT a count of randomised trials, and NOT comparable across modalities of different ages -- an older technique has had more years to accumulate papers. Query text is stored next to every count so you can run it yourself. The split is drawn from the same two counts the table prints: the all-time count and the count of the identical query carrying a publication-date clause. 29 modalities are drawn; the rest carry a worded row saying why they are not. Neither segment is better than the other and neither is ranked — rows are ordered by the all-time count so the axis stays readable.
Methodology →
Registered studies per modality
29 modalities · ordered by total
Recruiting on the run date accounts for 6.6% of the 1,717 registered studies pooled, and ranges from 0.0% (Bimatoprost for eyelash growth) to 22.8% (Exosome / extracellular-vesicle preparation) across the 18 modalities with at least 20 records.
| Recruiting on the run date | Any other status | Registered studies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topical retinoid | 14 | 329 | 343 |
| Ablative / hybrid fractional laser | 13 | 216 | 229 |
| Botulinum toxin (cosmetic) | 4 | 182 | 186 |
| Mechanical microneedling | 13 | 122 | 135 |
| Non-ablative fractional laser | 10 | 118 | 128 |
| Human acellular dermal matrix (ECM) booster | 12 | 94 | 106 |
| Exosome / extracellular-vesicle preparation | 18 | 61 | 79 |
| Pulsed dye laser | 3 | 69 | 72 |
| Topical hydroquinone / triple combination | 4 | 47 | 51 |
| PDLLA / PLLA collagen biostimulator | 6 | 43 | 49 |
| Hyaluronic acid filler | 3 | 43 | 46 |
| IPL / broadband light | 5 | 38 | 43 |
| Radiofrequency microneedling | 1 | 36 | 37 |
| Laser hair removal | 1 | 29 | 30 |
| Bimatoprost for eyelash growth | 0 | 28 | 28 |
| Picosecond laser (pigment & tattoo) | 0 | 27 | 27 |
| Topical clascoterone | 2 | 19 | 21 |
| Cryolipolysis | 0 | 20 | 20 |
| Poly-L-lactic acid collagen stimulator | 0 | 17 | 17 |
| Polynucleotide (PDRN) skin booster | 2 | 14 | 16 |
| Ultrasound lifting & tightening | 1 | 15 | 16 |
| Hydradermabrasion | 0 | 9 | 9 |
| Monopolar RF skin tightening | 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Calcium hydroxylapatite filler | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Sebaceous-gland laser for acne | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Cellulite septa release | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| High-intensity electromagnetic muscle stimulation | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Non-invasive laser lipolysis | — | — | — |
| RF body contouring | — | — | — |
Bar length is the total number of registered studies. The first segment is the recruiting-filtered query's own fetched count on the run date; the second is every other status the registry holds — completed, terminated, withdrawn, unknown and the rest — and says nothing about any of them. Recruiting status changes daily, so this segment is true of the run date only.
Bars count study registrations, not results and not patients. A registration is a plan filed with a registry. What this measuresNumber of studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov matching a fixed intervention query ANDed with a cosmetic/dermatologic condition query. Registration is not completion, not publication, and not a result. Counts include studies of any status, size or sponsor. The recruiting count is a snapshot on the run date and will change. Registration is not publication and not evidence of a result: a registered study may never have started, may have stopped early, and may never post anything. 27 modalities are drawn. 2 carry a fetched zero — the query ran and matched nothing — and are drawn as a worded row rather than a bar of no length. Neither segment is better than the other; rows are ordered by the total so the axis stays readable.
Methodology →
Counts per modality, as fetched. PubMedPubMedThe United States National Library of Medicine's index of published medical literature, which is where this site's paper counts come from. counts publications; ClinicalTrials.govClinicalTrials.govThe United States public registry where the people running a study record it before or during the study, which is where this site's study counts come from. counts registrationsRegistered studyA study written into the public registry, which records that someone planned or ran it and says nothing about whether it finished or what it found.; the two columns are not comparable to each other.
| Modality | Category | PubMed | Since 2016 | Trials | Recruiting | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topical retinoidAklief · Differin · Renova · Retin-A · Tazorac | Skin & Topicals | 4,253 | 1,332 | 343 | 14 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Exosome / extracellular-vesicle preparationASCE+ | Injectables | 2,396 | 2,353 | 79 | 18 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Botulinum toxin (cosmetic)Botox Cosmetic · Daxxify · Dysport · Jeuveau · Letybo · Xeomin | Injectables | 2,201 | 1,362 | 186 | 4 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Pulsed dye laserCynergy · Vbeam | Lasers & Light | 1,530 | 613 | 72 | 3 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Ablative / hybrid fractional laserAcuPulse · Alma Hybrid · CO2RE · Halo · SP Dynamis · SmartXide · UltraPulse · eCO2 | Lasers & Light | 1,485 | 940 | 229 | 13 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Hyaluronic acid fillerBelotero Balance · Belotero Intense (+) Lidocaine · Belotero Volume (+) Lidocaine · Juvederm Ultra XC · Juvederm Volbella XC · Juvederm Vollure XC · Juvederm Voluma XC · Juvederm Volux XC · Profhilo · RHA Collection · Restylane Defyne · Restylane Kysse · Restylane Lyft · Restylane Silk · Revanesse Versa · SKINVIVE by Juvederm | Injectables | 1,298 | 1,033 | 46 | 3 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Non-ablative fractional laserClear + Brilliant · Frax · Fraxel · LaseMD | Lasers & Light | 1,157 | 742 | 128 | 10 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Topical hydroquinone / triple combinationTri-Luma | Skin & Topicals | 1,116 | 509 | 51 | 4 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| IPL / broadband lightBBL · Harmony XL · Icon · Nordlys · Stellar M22 | Lasers & Light | 1,028 | 488 | 43 | 5 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Laser hair removalApogee Elite · Clarity II · Diolaze · Elite iQ · GentleLase · GentleMax Pro · LightSheer · Motus · Soprano · Splendor X · Vectus | Lasers & Light | 744 | 359 | 30 | 1 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Mechanical microneedlingMicroPen EVO · Rejuvapen NXT · SkinPen · SkinStylus · ellacor | RF & Microneedling | 619 | 564 | 135 | 13 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Poly-L-lactic acid collagen stimulatorSculptra | Injectables | 586 | 371 | 17 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Calcium hydroxylapatite fillerRadiesse | Injectables | 582 | 408 | 7 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| PDLLA / PLLA collagen biostimulatorAestheFill | Injectables | 450 | 336 | 49 | 6 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Monopolar RF skin tighteningTempSure · Thermage · Volnewmer | RF & Microneedling | 432 | 293 | 9 | 1 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Radiofrequency microneedlingAgnes RF · EndyMed Intensif · Fractora · Genius · INTRAcel · Infini · Morpheus8 · Potenza · Profound · Scarlet SRF · Secret Pro · Secret RF · Sylfirm X · Venus Viva · VirtueRF · Vivace | RF & Microneedling | 354 | 304 | 37 | 1 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Picosecond laser (pigment & tattoo)Discovery Pico · PicoCare · PicoPlus · PicoSure · PicoWay · enlighten | Lasers & Light | 323 | 306 | 27 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Ultrasound lifting & tighteningSofwave · Ultherapy | Body Contouring | 317 | 261 | 16 | 1 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| RF body contouringAccent · Exilis · NuEra Tight · VelaShape · Venus Legacy · truSculpt · truSculpt iD | Body Contouring | 255 | 174 | 0 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| CryolipolysisCoolSculpting · CoolSculpting Elite | Body Contouring | 245 | 199 | 20 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| HydradermabrasionHydraFacial | Skin & Topicals | 166 | 73 | 9 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Human acellular dermal matrix (ECM) boosterCellREDM · Elravie Re2O · Juveacell | Injectables | 158 | 112 | 106 | 12 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Polynucleotide (PDRN) skin boosterRejuran | Injectables | 155 | 121 | 16 | 2 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Bimatoprost for eyelash growthLatisse | Skin & Topicals | 128 | 52 | 28 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Non-invasive laser lipolysisEmerald Laser · SculpSure · Venus Bliss · Zerona | Body Contouring | 112 | 49 | 0 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Topical clascoteroneWinlevi | Skin & Topicals | 90 | 88 | 21 | 2 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Sebaceous-gland laser for acneAccure · AviClear | Lasers & Light | 66 | 40 | 5 | 1 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| High-intensity electromagnetic muscle stimulationCoolTone · Emsculpt NEO | Body Contouring | 61 | 61 | 4 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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| Cellulite septa releaseAveli · Cellfina · Cellulaze | Body Contouring | 50 | 45 | 4 | 0 | PubMed ↗ Trials ↗ |
View queryPubMed · title/abstract ClinicalTrials.gov · intervention AND condition Run on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ API count ↗ Recruiting count ↗ |
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No modality matches this filter.
PubMed counts publications; ClinicalTrials.gov counts registrations. Neither is a quality score. What this measuresNumber of PubMed records matching a fixed, hand-written title/abstract query for the MODALITY, not the brand. It measures how much has been PUBLISHED about a technique. It is NOT a quality score, NOT an efficacy measure, NOT a count of randomised trials, and NOT comparable across modalities of different ages -- an older technique has had more years to accumulate papers. Query text is stored next to every count so you can run it yourself. Number of studies registered on ClinicalTrials.gov matching a fixed intervention query ANDed with a cosmetic/dermatologic condition query. Registration is not completion, not publication, and not a result. Counts include studies of any status, size or sponsor. The recruiting count is a snapshot on the run date and will change. Free-text [tiab] queries miss papers that describe a technique without using the query's vocabulary, and catch papers that mention it in passing. Modalities with generic vocabulary (ultrasound, radiofrequency, microneedling) need broader constraint clauses, so their counts carry more noise than narrow terms like cryolipolysis. The all-time PubMed count has no lower date bound, so indexing-era differences between fields are baked in. That is why the 10-year count is shown alongside it. ClinicalTrials.gov registration practice varies by country and sponsor type; device studies are under-registered relative to drug studies.
Methodology →
No study title, author, journal or result appears here: this build fetched counts only. What this measuresThis build fetched no per-study metadata, so no title, author, journal, sample size or result appears on this page — anything of that kind here would be invented. A count next to a treatment does not transfer to any particular product that performs it. No adverse-event data is fetched, stored or published anywhere on this site. 2 of the 29 modalities returned a genuine fetched zero on ClinicalTrials.gov (RF body contouring, Non-invasive laser lipolysis): the query ran and matched nothing, which is not the same as a missing value.
Methodology →