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Excess skin can be a troubling issue for many people whether from weight loss, having children, or just bad genetics. Not every person wants to have skin excised or removed, often resulting in long incisions and scars — concerns we carefully address at Sieber Plastic Surgery.
Renuvion in San Francisco uses a technology called helium plasma which is able to heat and tighten loose skin through a minimally invasive stand-alone procedure or in combination which other procedures like liposuction. The most common areas for skin tightening are the neck, abdomen, arms, back, flanks, and inner thighs.
Renuvion is a unique combination of radiofrequency (RF) and helium plasma energy. These two forms of energy act to quickly heat tissues to a specific target temperature which promotes tissue contraction. This increase in heat happens almost instantaneously minimizing risks of tissue damage and burns.
The cycle of tissue heating and cooling occurs in under a second! The heat produced by Renuvion causes collagen denaturation (breakdown) resulting in the body making new collagen and subsequent skin tightening.
Because this is a minimally invasive procedure, it can be performed under both local and general anesthesia.
Renuvion can be performed either under local or general anesthesia depending on the size of the treatment areas and patient desires.Â
The procedure begins by making multiple small (2-3mm) incisions in concealed areas of the body. A saline solution containing lidocaine and epinephrine is then infiltrated into the areas to be treated. This is to help prevent bleeding and helps with post-operative pain control.
Small tunnels are then made beneath the skin with a fine cannula. Renuvion is then used to heat up the underlying fibroseptal network resulting in firmer, tighter skin. After surgery, light compression worn over the treatment areas to help reduce post-procedural swelling.
During your pre-operative visits, Dr. Sieber will work with you to determine exactly which body areas you want treated and whether or not you are a good candidate for this procedure.
Recovery from Revuvion can vary some depending on the size and number of areas treated. For small areas such as the neck/jawline, the recovery should be relatively quick. There will be some minor bruising and swelling immediately after the procedure which should will resolve over the next 3-5 days after the procedure.
You will be wearing compression immediately after the procedure which will be worn all the time for the first 4 weeks, then only at night for another 1-2 months. The compression helps to reduce swelling and bruising.
After surgery you will need to refrain from any rigorous activity for the first 2 weeks. Starting activities too soon after surgery may put you at risk for bleeding. You may begin to perform light exercise 2 weeks after your surgery and may gradually increase your activity as you tolerate.
Continuing with a healthy diet and active lifestyle after your procedure will help to further enhance your surgical results.
Best Plastic Surgeon
Focusing on cosmetic surgery of the face, breast, and body, San Francisco Plastic Surgeon Dr. David Sieber is a board-certified plastic surgeons in the San Francisco Bay Area with specialized fellowship training in cosmetic surgery. He has completed further training in the latest non-surgical procedures including dermal fillers, botulinum toxins, and laser skin rejuvenation.
Most body areas only require a single treatment. Patients should see about a 30% tighten of skin in treated areas.
It may take 6-9 months to see your final result. The heat from the Renuvion causes collagen to be broken down and reformed. As the body creates new collagen a gradual tightening will occur in treated areas.
Renuvion is most commonly used as an adjunct to liposuction. After fat has been removed through Vaser or traditional liposuction, Renuvion is then used for additional skin tightening.
Yes! Renuvion and J-Plasma are the same devices which use helium plasma for skin tightening. J-Plasma is the older name of the device which has been updated and rebranded as Renuvion.
Yes, Renuvion can be performed in patients who have already had liposuction, whether recently or many years ago. In patients who have previsouly undergone liposuction, the healing from Renuvion may be prolonged slightly as there is a propensity to form more scar tissue in the immediate post-operative period.
It is! Not all patients require a full tummy tuck due to lack of skin excess in the upper abdomen. These patients instead can be treated with a mini-tummy tuck to address skin laxity of the lower abdomen and Renuvion to the upper abdomen for additional skin tightening in this area.
Patients who have a previous history of forming poor scar tissue after treatments such as liposuction may not be ideal candidates for Renuvion. Additional energy and heat are placed into the skin during the treatment, so patients prone to fibrosis should notify Dr. Sieber of their past surgical experiences.
Formation of new collagen can vary widely from patient to patient so some people may experience more robust skin contraction while others may have slightly less. On average, Renuvion produces about a 30% improvement in skin laxity in most patients.
To find out more about a renuvion skin tightening with San Francisco Plastic Surgeon Dr. David Sieber, call us today at 415-915-9000.
*Disclaimer: Results may vary from person to person. Editorial content, before and after images, and patient testimonials do not constitute a guarantee of specific results.
