Skin Tightening

Non-surgical skin tightening for the whole body in Nashville & Memphis

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Non-Surgical Skin Tightening

Skin tightening is a Radio Frequency Assisted Lipolysis (RFAL) technology that applies controlled heat precisely and safely to tissues under the skin while leaving the surface intact. This body contouring treatment can achieve skin contraction results previously only seen with surgical procedures like tummy tucks, thigh lifts, arm lifts, and facelifts. It is ideal for patients who want to avoid the scars and longer recovery associated with surgery.

We offer this minimally-invasive procedure at both our cosmetic surgery centers in Nashville (Renuvion skin tightening) and Memphis (BodyTite skin tightening). Each is applied in combination with liposuction to remove fat and tighten skin. Your procedure is performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon with over 25 years of experience in body contouring and cosmetic surgery.

BodyTite woman in tight sweater brushing back hair

What can I expect?

Skin tightening with BodyTite or Renuvion is applied using a thin wand that is inserted under the skin through tiny incisions. You are fully awake during the procedure while the treatment area is numbed with a local anesthetic.

After your procedure you will see immediate results once the swelling has subsided, but your skin tightening results will continue to improve from 35%-60% for another 6-12 months.
Several areas can be treated in a single procedure, such as abdomen, flanks, back, thighs, arms, and neck.
You can expect to resume regular activities the next day and allow up to five days for any swelling or bruising to subside.

BodyTite woman jamming in the kitchen with phone in her hands

How Radio Frequency Assisted Skin Tightening Works

Watch plastic surgeon Dr. Peters of NuBody Concepts Memphis give a short overview how BodyTite works in the video below.

Each patient is unique. Our plastic surgeon will meet with you in a consultation to develop a personalized treatment plan.

Is Skin Tightening right for me?

RFAL skin tightening allows you to get surgical-like results without the scars and added downtime. It is an ideal alternative to a tummy tuck, thigh lift, arm lift, or facelift for candidates with moderate laxity or cellulite-like appearance of the skin.

To find out whether you’re a good candidate, calculate your BMI and use the following guidelines:

BMI < 30	BMI 30-35	BMI > 35
Ideal candidate for non-surgical skin tightening; procedure is combined with liposuction for fat removal.	May qualify, but may see better results with a tummy tuck.	Not an ideal candidate; advised to reduce BMI by enrolling in a weight loss program such as the Orbera weight-loss balloon.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are many different types of skin tightening, but what we are talking about here is the minimally-invasive procedure known as radio frequency assisted lipolysis (RFAL). It is usually applied by a thin hand-held probe that can send targeted energy to heat up the deeper layers of the skin and contract tissues, which gives the skin a higher look over time. It also stimulates collagen and elastin production to fu other improve skin tone and texture. Watch our plastic surgeon explain how skin tightening works.

RFAL skin tightening can be extremely effective in the right candidates. Dr. Peters of NuBody Concepts Memphis calls this the “gap patient.” Someone who has identified areas of fat and moderately sagging skin they would like to improve, but for whom a tummy tuck or thigh lift would be an overkill in terms of invasiveness. Such patients are typically close to their target weight with a BMI of 30 or below, and have only moderately sagging skin. Learn about skin tightening candidates.

Yes, but this requires some explanation. Skin tightening is often referred to as a non-surgical tummy tuck. While this is not entirely true (skin tightening is applied under the skin and therefore is technically considered surgery as well), it is a good way to differentiate it from more invasive surgery.

A surgical removal of excess skin, like a tummy tuck, will always be more effective in eliminating all of the unwanted fat and skin, with immediate results. However, many patients hesitate to undergo surgery due to its longer recovery and resulting scars. And not all patients need it. For such patients, skin tightening is an excellent less-invasive alternative to tummy tucks and arm, thigh, and neck lifts. One slight difference: While tummy tuck results are immediate (once the swelling has gone down), skin tightening takes longer for final results to set in, sometimes improving skin tone for up to12 months. However, you’ll see a difference right after your procedure – just not as drastic as from a tummy tuck. Learn more about skin tightening vs tummy tuck.

You can use skin tightening to treat any area with saggy skin: stomach, flanks, back, bra rolls, arms, chest, and inner & outer thighs. Multiple areas can be treated in one visit. You can also treat the neck using the same device but an even thinner probe. This is a great alternative to a facelift. Learn more about non-surgical facelifts using skin tightening.

Results can be seen immediately after your skin tightening procedure. You may experience some bruising and/or swelling for the first week due to the combined liposuction. At your 6-week follow-up you will see the biggest difference. As more tissues coagulate over time, your results will continue to improve for 6-12 months. View our skin tightening before and after gallery to see results.

It depends on how your surgeon has customized the procedure. We have found that radio frequency lipolysis is best paired with traditional or power-assisted liposuction to loosen and remove fat cells before contracting the skin. You can have multiple areas treated. Your procedure can last anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on how many areas you are having treated.

Our skin tightening treatments with BodyTite and Renuvion follow the same regimen as liposuction. The area to be treated is first “tumesced,” meaning a thin probe is passed back and forth under the skin to administer the anesthetic. After the anesthetic has taken effect, you won’t feel any discomfort from the procedure, but you will be fully awake throughout.

For larger patients or multiple areas, additional IV sedation may be advisable. We also offer the patient-administered PRO-NOX pain management system with all our skin tightening and liposuction procedures.

It is important to know that all anesthesia carries a certain risk; however, anesthesia complications after skin tightening and liposuction are rare. The most common side effect you can expect from skin tightening is a certain amount of bruising and swelling after your procedure. This typically subsides after a few days, but the severity and duration varies from patient to patient. Cold compresses, elevation, and Ibuprofen can be used to alleviate any discomfort. Learn about other risks and side effects of skin tightening.

As with other minimally-invasive procedures, your recovery will take about 1-5 days. Patients can typically resume regular activities the next day as tolerated and are advised to wait a week before resuming strenuous exercise. Some bruising and swelling can be expected and will subside after 5 days. Learn about skin tightening recovery.

Broadly, it is a type of liposuction, with the official name of Radio Frequency Assisted Lipolysis, or RFAL for short. However, it uses neither physical force nor water liposuction to break up and remove fat. It uses heat energy to damage or “coagulate” fatty tissue in underlying cells to contracts the skin and stimulate the production of new collagen. It is most effective when used in conjunction with liposuction for maximum fat removal and skin tightening. Learn about liposuction vs skin tightening.

BodyTite and Renuvion are two similar and equally effective technologies that coagulate tissues to tighten skin. They both use radio frequency assisted lipolysis to apply targeted heat to the affected areas. They are both applied with thin wands under the skin. One difference is that Renuvion uses helium plasma, which enables it to heat tissues to 85 degrees Celsius in under a second. BodyTite operates at a slightly lower temperature and may therefore take slightly longer to complete. As both treatments are typically combined with liposuction for an overall 1-2 hour procedure, this time difference is not very significant. Learn more about how BodyTite compares to Renuvion.

Payment Options

Looking your best with non-surgical skin tightening is attainable! Our prices are all-inclusive – no hidden costs or other surcharges. We offer interest-free payment plans through several medical financing providers. The price for skin tightening includes liposuction and is $4,900 – $5,900 for one area. Additional areas can be added at a discounted cost.

Don’t know if you qualify for a payment plan? Click the button below to check your credit score and submit an application for medical financing to get pre-approved.

Learn more about financing options