What it is
Non-surgical tightening means delivering controlled heat into the dermis or below it, so the fibres contract a little and new collagen forms over the months that follow. The devices differ in how they get there — focused ultrasound, radiofrequency across the surface, or radiofrequency through fine needles — and each suits a different degree of laxity. What they share is that the change builds slowly and is modest.
What this page covers
- Micro-focused ultrasound with visualisation, and HIFU lifting
- Monopolar radiofrequency bulk dermal heating
- Bipolar and multipolar radiofrequency as a course of lower-intensity sessions for mild laxity and body contour
- Radiofrequency microneedling of the face and body
- Non-ablative Er:YAG and multi-step laser lifting protocols
- Fractional CO2 where mild laxity accompanies texture and fine lines
- Assessment and management of contour depression, fat atrophy or nerve change after a tightening device
Honestly
Marked laxity and true excess skin are surgical questions that no device answers, and metal in the treatment field — fixed orthodontic braces, metal restorations, implants and implanted electronic devices — has to be settled before any radiofrequency device is switched on.