AirSculpt: What You Need to Know

Pros

• AirSculpt liposuction can be performed on a variety of body areas, including the hips, abdomen, love handles, arms, and back, as well as under the chin. 
• The procedure is gentle enough that it can be performed under oral sedation with the option of local anesthesia, so there’s no need for the expense or risk of general anesthesia. 
• The friction from the cannula generates heat that triggers a natural healing response, leading to new collagen production and firmer skin in the treated area.
• This minimally invasive procedure comes with much less downtime than traditional liposuction: typically 1-3 days, compared to 1-2 weeks. 
• Fat cells are removed so gently that they’re still viable for transfer to add volume to the butt, hips, breasts, face, or the backs of the hands.
• Elite AirSculpt reviews on RealSelf are mostly positive, and the procedure has a high Worth It Rating. Most people cited a relatively easy recovery with little pain, as well as dramatic before and after transformations.
• The AirSculpt cannula is so small that the entry point is just 2 mm in diameter—so tiny it doesn’t require a scalpel or stitches.

Cons

• As with other surgical fat removal procedures, potential risks include bruising, swelling, and the possibility of infection.
• Not everyone has a good experience with AirSculpt. Some RealSelf members who rated the procedure Not Worth It complained of lumps, asymmetry, or not seeing a significant change post-treatment.
• Some reviewers also say they didn’t see skin tightening results, even after waiting up to six months for new collagen to form.
• The puncture to insert the cannula can result in a small scar, but it should be tiny enough to mimic a freckle.

Good candidates for AirSculpt body sculpting are healthy adults who want to remove pockets of stubborn fat or sculpt specific areas of their body, including the abdomen, hips, thighs, arms, buttocks, or under the chin.

Like other body contouring procedures, this one isn’t intended for weight loss. As the name implies, it’s best used to sculpt and fine-tune specific areas of the body.

AirSculpt treatments offer mild skin tightening. It's not usually enough to make a significant difference in treating lax skin, but Elite Body Sculpture now offers AirSculpt+, which pairs AirSculpt body contouring with Renuvion skin tightening.

Renuvion is FDA-cleared to treat moderate to severe lines and wrinkles for patients with Fitzpatrick skin types I–III, as well as skin laxity on the neck and under the chin (the submental area). Using it for skin tightening on the body is a common "off-label" procedure, but it should only be performed by an experienced, board-certified plastic surgeon.

• Average Cost:
• $12,525

• Range:
• $5,000 - $25,000

The price you pay for your procedure will depend on how many areas you have treated, their size, and a few other key factors. Most providers accept financing options, like CareCredit.

See our complete guide to AirSculpt costs

The AirSculpt photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

Here’s what to expect.

• First, you’ll be taken into a treatment room, where you’ll change into a surgical gown.
• Your surgeon will mark the targeted areas on your body, indicating where they’ll remove excess fat. 
• You’ll be given prescription medication (usually Xanax) and offered nitrous oxide, to help you relax. 
• A member of your doctor’s medical team will start numbing the area via a needle-free jet injector, a device that uses high air pressure to administer local anesthesia. 
• Once you’re relaxed and numb, your doctor will create a tiny entry point and insert the cannula.
• The cannula vibrates 1,000 times a minute, separating and permanently removing the fat cells.
• This entire fat removal procedure takes between 45 minutes and four hours, depending on the amount of fat removed and how many areas you’re having treated. 
• When it’s finished, you’ll be taken to a recovery room, where the treatment area will be covered in padded bandages. 
• You’ll also be put into a compression garment to help keep the swelling down and improve your results. 
• You may still be groggy, so make sure you have someone you trust there to get you home safely.

Most patients need about three days of downtime after an AirSculpt procedure. Here’s what to expect during your recovery process: 

• You’ll be able to shower after 24 hours. 
• Some fluid will leak from the cannula insertion site during the first few days, so you’ll need to change your padded bandages daily. Follow your surgeon’s instructions for keeping those incisions clean and preventing infection as they heal. 
• Walking for at least 45 minutes every day after your procedure is recommended.
• You’ll also take prescription antibiotics for the first two weeks post-procedure. 
• You can expect to have some bruising and swelling. To help bring the swelling down, you’ll wear the compression garment for two weeks and then only at night for a third week. 
• You’ll see your initial body contouring results within a week, as your swelling starts to go down. 
• After two weeks, you can resume full workouts and other strenuous activities.
• You should see your final results within six months, once all the swelling is resolved and new collagen has formed.

AirSculpt does have several advantages over traditional lipo: 

• It comes with less downtime.
• You won’t need general anesthesia.
• It provides mild skin tightening benefits.

The downside? It’s more expensive.

AirSculpt permanently removes fat cells, so results should be very long-lasting. 

You’ll need to maintain a stable weight through a healthy diet and exercise to keep the remaining fat cells from expanding, which can lead to weight gain and contour irregularities.