Ultimate Non-Surgical Skin Tightening

Written and medically reviewed by Dr Edwin Anthony, Lead Clinician, Contoura Medical (GMC 4776646) · Last updated 8 October 2026

Skin tightening at Contoura Medical ranges from non-surgical Thermage FLX to minimally invasive QuantumRF, Renuvion, BodyTite Turbo, EmbraceRF2 and Quantum Vaser Lipo. Dr Edwin Anthony matches the method to your degree of laxity at Langham Hospital, Marylebone, London.

How skin tightening works

Almost every tightening method relies on controlled heat. When collagen in the skin and the fibrous network beneath it reaches the right temperature, the fibres contract. Over the next few months the body then builds new collagen, and the skin firms further.

The methods differ in where that heat is delivered. Thermage FLX heats from the surface, so it is non-surgical. QuantumRF, Renuvion, BodyTite Turbo and EmbraceRF2 deliver energy under the skin through tiny entry points, so they are minimally invasive surgical procedures carried out in theatre. Heating from below reaches the deeper support layer directly and usually produces more contraction, with a little more recovery.

No energy device removes skin. When there is a genuine excess, the honest answer is surgical excision, such as a tummy tuck or arm lift.

The options at Contoura Medical

• Thermage FLX: non-surgical monopolar radiofrequency on the skin surface for mild laxity of the face, eyes and body. No anaesthetic, usually no downtime.
• QuantumRF: subdermal radiofrequency under local anaesthetic for mild to moderate laxity, often after GLP-1 weight loss. Light activity within about 48 hours.
• Renuvion: helium plasma with radiofrequency, delivered under the skin by a thin probe, often after liposuction. Recovery of a few days to a week.
• BodyTite Turbo: radiofrequency-assisted liposuction that removes fat and tightens skin together, under local anaesthetic with IV sedation. Compression garment for 4 to 6 weeks.
• EmbraceRF2: combines subdermal radiofrequency through a fine cannula with Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling, treating deeper tissue and skin surface in one session. Local anaesthetic or IV sedation.
• Quantum Vaser Lipo: Vaser 4D Lipo and QuantumRF in a single session, for fat and loose skin in the same area.

Which option suits which problem

This table is a starting point, not a prescription. Skin quality, age, smoking, previous surgery and your own priorities all shift the answer.

What the evidence shows

• In a study published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal, abdominal areas treated with radiofrequency plus liposuction showed a 25.8% reduction in skin surface area at one year, compared with 8.3% for liposuction alone.
• Renuvion's regulatory history is worth knowing. The US FDA warned in 2022 against uncleared uses, then cleared specific handpieces: in July 2022 for loose skin of the neck and under the chin, and in April 2023 for use after liposuction for body contouring.
• Dr Edwin Anthony has carried out over 1,500 VASER procedures across 14 years of dedicated VASER practice, and much of that work involves judging how skin will respond once fat is removed.

Studies are small and results vary between people. Tightening improves contour; it does not reproduce the effect of removing skin.

When surgery is the honest answer

If you can pinch and lift a fold of skin that hangs, or there is an overhang at the lower abdomen or upper arm, energy devices will disappoint. A tummy tuck or arm lift removes the excess directly. The NHS tummy tuck guide describes a general anaesthetic, 2 to 5 hours in theatre, and 4 to 6 weeks off work and exercise, with a permanent scar. If excision is the right route for you, Dr Edwin Anthony will explain why and arrange referral to an appropriate surgeon.

Recovery and risks

• Thermage FLX: brief redness; rare burns or blistering
• Subdermal devices: swelling, bruising and firmness for 1 to 2 weeks; numbness; small entry scars; rarely burns, seroma, contour irregularity or infection
• Combined with liposuction: compression garments for 4 to 6 weeks and a longer settling period
• Results: build over 3 to 6 months, sometimes up to 12

Why patients choose Dr Edwin Anthony

Dr Edwin Anthony is Lead Clinician at Contoura Medical (GMC 4776646). He trained in medicine at Trinity College Dublin, holds MRCS (Edinburgh), completed NHS plastic surgery and burns training and trained with Dr Alfredo Hoyos in high-definition liposculpture. He personally performs every procedure at Langham Hospital, within the Harley Street medical district. Having several technologies available means the recommendation follows your anatomy. Face-specific options are covered in our face treatments guide, and how a body plan is built is explained in personalised contouring.

Related procedures

• Thermage FLX
• QuantumRF
• Renuvion
• Face and neck treatments
• See our price list

Consultations with Dr Edwin Anthony take place at Langham Hospital, 77 Hallam Street, Marylebone, London W1W 5HB, or by video. Call 020 3890 1911. Consultation fees are fixed and are not deducted from treatment prices. Your full price is confirmed in writing after consultation, with hospital theatre fees and IV sedation, where needed, itemised in the quote. Finance is available through Chrysalis Finance. Book a consultation

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Nonexcisional Tissue Tightening: Creating Skin Surface Area Reduction During Abdominal Liposuction by Adding Radiofrequency Heating, Aesthetic Surgery Journal
2. Update: Use of Renuvion/J-Plasma Device for Certain Aesthetic Procedures, US Food and Drug Administration
3. Tummy tuck (abdominoplasty), NHS