Skin tightening. How effective is J-Plasma or Renuvion?

Thank you for your question about Renuvion.
Renuvion (also called J-Plasma) is the newest and most powerful minimally invasive skin tightening treatment device that utilizes helium and RF (radiofrequency) to create a targeted beam of plasma for subdermal skin tightening.
It can be used to treat any area where skin tightening is desired, but is commonly used for face, neck, arms, breasts, abdomen, waist and flanks, inner thighs and legs. This skin tightening procedure is commonly combined with liposuction to produce dramatic long-lasting results. Recovery is similar to liposuction with 1-3 days of downtime, and bruising/swelling resolving over several weeks. Results are seen immediately with tightening continuing over the next 6-12 months.
For many patients with mild to moderate skin laxity it represents a good alternative to excisional surgery. However, in patients with excessive loose skin, I recommend the skin excision procedure (tummy tuck, arm lift, thigh lift etc) to obtain a long-lasting result that both the patient and I are happy with. I would recommend a consultation with someone who is experienced in both Renuvion and body sculpting procedures. Hope this helps.

Plastic surgery continues to evolve as technology continues to improve and this leads to increasing effectiveness and overall treatment options for patients.  One new frontier in plastic surgery is skin tightening, while this is not new, there are some significant advancements that have been made that have led to improved treatments for patients.  One of these innovations is a device called Renuvion, it was also called J-Plasma before it was redesigned specifically for aesthetic treatments. 
Renuvion (J-Plasma) is a radiofrequency energy device that also combines helium to induce skin tightening.  The device includes a cannula that is placed under the skin (similar to a liposuction cannula) which allows higher amounts of energy as it avoids the concern for trauma to the superficial skin.  The second unique feature of the Renuvion is the addition of the helium, the combination allows for the radiofrequency energy to heat the skin quickly and almost instantaneously be cooled to increase the safety of the device.  It also allows for a more efficient treatment, which is important when combining the treatment with other larger body contouring surgeries such as a Brazilian Butt Lift. 

In my practice Renuvion (J-Plasma) is most commonly used in combination with liposculpting procedures such as a Brazilian Butt Lift.  It can also be used in the neck in combination with liposuction for patients that want to improve their appearance, but are not ready for a necklift yet.  Liposuction is an incredible way to enhance the shape of the body or neck, however a patient’s results are dependent on the skin to contract.  In patient with loose skin or stretch marks there will likely be a limit to the skin contracture after liposuction, thus limiting the overall results of the procedure.  However, if we can remove the fat and tighten the skin simultaneously we have opened up the procedure to patients that were not previously a candidate for liposuction. 

It is important to know that Renuvion (J-Plasma) is not a replacement for a tummy tuck, neck lift or other surgical procedure that removes excess skin.  However, it is a great option for patients who are not ready or don’t need these larger procedures, but have some loose skin that will not be treated with liposuction. 

It is important to discuss Renuvion (J-Plasma) with your Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon as they can help guide you to the best treatment to reach your aesthetic goals. 

Hi.  Since Renuvion only affects the skin and connective tissue bands anchoring the skin, it can not replace the muscle tightening of a tummy tuck.  In the right patient, the skin tightening can be dramatic enough to produce good flattening.  The degree of skin contraction in the inner arms can be excellent and avoid the need for long arm lift scars.  This is also true in the thighs and depending upon the amount of excess abdominal skin overhang, may be true for the abdomen. Your in person examination is central to determining if you are a candidate to avoid the surgical scars of traditional lifts and tucks.  Good luck!

How effective is Jplasma or Renuvion for skin tightening, can this take the place of tucks or body lifts?There will always be a subset of patients who require excisional surgery such as abdominoplasties/tummy tucks, breast lifts, brachioplasties, and body lifts. Conversely, there are patients who have only minor skin excess, needing only qualitative and minor tightening. And third, there is a group in between who were faced with excisional surgery or nothing, despite having enough skin excess to create an legitimate aesthetic issue but perhaps not bad enough to warrant the scar and recovery. J Plasma/Renuvion is perfect for that intermediate group as well as for the excisional group where a patient may benefit from combination therapy, for example, an abdominoplasty with  J Plasma/Renuvion for the arms, back or waist. Finally, some patients may opt for a lesser result(as compared to excisional surgery) in exchange for no scar and/or recovery. J Plasma/Renuvion is still evolving in terms of optimal use, however, as a pioneer in its subcutaneous/skin shrinkage use, one thing is quite clear, it is here to stay and is by far the best option for non excisional skin shrinkage available today. The company is working hard on medical research that will help define how far J plasma/Renuvion can go in terms of treating skin excess, cellulite and skin and subcutaneous tissue that requires lifting.

Thank you for your question. Renuvion, powered by J-Plasma, is very effective at tightening the supportive tissue beneath the skin as well as promoting new collagen formation. For many patients it represents a good alternative to excisional surgery. In many cases, I advise patients that it represents the best alternative to a tummy tuck but likely will not yield as impressive a result. For patients with mild-moderate skin laxity the results can be very close to those of an excisional procedure. I would recommend seeking an in-person consultation with a body sculpting expert to see if this is a procedure appropriate for you and whether it would meet your expectations.I hope this was helpful - Dr. Moore.