Close
Written By: Jeffrey Atlas, PA-C, Health Content Writer
Medically Reviewed By: Dr. Gopal Grandhige, MD, FACS, Board-Certified Surgeon
Last Reviewed: October 23, 2026
Is Renuvion safe? For the two jobs the FDA has cleared it to do, the published evidence points toward yes. Pooled complication rates run around 10 percent, with patient satisfaction around 92 percent. Used outside those two jobs, the answer changes. The agency warned against this device for skin tightening in March 2022, then cleared specific handpieces for specific indications over the following year. Three deaths have been reported to the FDA following treatment with it.
Both are true at once. That’s why two informed people can hand you opposite answers.
Renuvion is a helium plasma and radiofrequency device that heats tissue under the skin to shrink it. The FDA has cleared it to coagulate soft tissue after liposuction, and to improve loose skin in the neck and under the chin. It isn’t cleared to tighten skin anywhere else on the body.
Yes. For its cleared uses, Renuvion complications land in the same neighborhood as liposuction on its own.
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum in May 2026 pooled 34 studies covering 3,508 patients. The overall complication rate came out at 10 percent. Broken down, it ran 5 percent for the device alone, 8 percent when paired with liposuction, and 15 percent when stacked with excisional surgery. Those differences weren’t statistically significant. Pooled patient satisfaction hit 92 percent, and it climbed with longer follow-up.
An earlier 483 patient review of six retrospective studies logged 32 adverse events with no deaths, no embolisms, no major bleeding and no infections.
That review was funded by Apyx Medical, which makes the device. Every author had a consulting or advisory relationship with the company and two held stock options. The data still counts. The funding is something you should know while you read it.
The timeline explains more than any single statistic does.
In March 2022 the FDA warned against using Renuvion and J-Plasma for dermal resurfacing or for skin contraction, alone or alongside liposuction. At that point the system was cleared only for cutting, coagulation and ablation of soft tissue during surgery. No aesthetic skin use had been shown safe or effective.
Then three clearances landed inside about fourteen months.
On May 25, 2022 the FDA cleared the Renuvion Dermal Handpiece for moderate to severe wrinkles and rhytides, limited to Fitzpatrick skin types I, II and III. On July 15, 2022 it cleared the Renuvion APR Handpiece for subcutaneous procedures to improve the appearance of lax skin in the neck and submental region. On April 27, 2023 it cleared the APR Handpiece for coagulation of subcutaneous soft tissues following liposuction for aesthetic body contouring.
Read that list again and notice the hole in it. No clearance covers tightening loose skin on arms, thighs, abdomen, back or knees as a treatment in its own right. Plenty of pages advertise exactly that. The current FDA clearances are published and short enough to read in five minutes.
Anyone asking whether Renuvion is safe eventually lands on one federal database. Between April 2020 and June 2025, the FDA’s MAUDE system held 135 adverse event reports for this technology. Of those, 102 were filed under Renuvion and 33 under J-Plasma.
Fifteen were classified as life threatening, including five cases of pneumothorax, three of pneumoperitoneum and two of pneumomediastinum. Three deaths were reported. Those figures come from a systematic review published in Annals of Plastic Surgery in December 2025 by Eric Swanson, MD.
Here’s the limitation, and it changes how you should read every one of those numbers. MAUDE is passive surveillance. It captures what gets reported, not what happens. Underreporting is widely acknowledged. It also can’t produce a rate, because there’s no denominator to divide by. Swanson also found that most reports came from the manufacturer, not the treating physician. Many of them blamed operator inexperience or poor judgment rather than Renuvion itself.
Most of the 135 reports describe burns. That tracks with how the thing works. Published device data puts tissue temperature above 85 degrees Celsius. That burst lasts between four and eight hundredths of a second. The margin between shrinking connective tissue and cooking skin is narrow.
For scale, the same review pulled MAUDE records for InMode’s BodyTite and FaceTite, two radiofrequency devices that don’t use helium. Across the identical 2020 to 2025 window there were 17 reports total, 11 burns and 4 cases of neurapraxia, with zero life threatening events and zero deaths. The gap is wide, and it’s the strongest card the critics hold. It also has to be read against the same underreporting problem, which cuts in both directions. The FaceTite risks and complications picture is quieter on paper.
Yes, and this is the risk unique to the platform. Every device in this category can burn skin. Only this one can put gas where gas doesn’t belong.
Renuvion delivers radiofrequency energy through helium. The gas has to go somewhere, and when it tracks along tissue planes it can collect under the skin or inside a body cavity. Published case reports show what that looks like. One patient developed gas under the skin of the head and neck. It reached the mediastinum and the sac around the heart. Another had gas in the abdominal cavity after Renuvion treatment of the abdomen, flanks and thighs. A third turned up with gas in breast tissue on a routine mammogram. All of them recovered. One was hurt by the hyperbaric oxygen used to treat her.
Arms come up a lot here. The alternative for loose arm skin is a scar running from armpit to elbow. That scar sends people looking for anything else.
Patients almost never ask about the gas. Ask anyway. Ask whether the facility has a written plan for a gas related event.
Weaker than the advertising suggests, and that holds even inside the studies that support the device.
The Annals of Plastic Surgery review went through the literature used to win clearance. One paper reported a 68.6 percent reduction in the submental angle. The real change in the measurement was 23.3 degrees. The 68.6 figure came from dividing one angle by the other and calling the result a percentage. Another supporting study reported crepitus in 40 percent of patients. A third recorded temporary numbness in every single patient and nausea in 43 percent.
None of that proves the device fails. It means the size of the tightening effect, above and beyond what liposuction already does, isn’t settled. Swanson was blunt about marketing outrunning the science. He also discloses publisher royalties, and he’s written critically about energy devices for years. Read him as a well argued position, not a closed verdict.
The area under the chin is where the strongest evidence sits, which is also where chin liposuction sessions get paired with energy most often.
Anyone whose skin hangs in a fold while they’re standing still.
That’s the line and it doesn’t move. Energy shrinks tissue that still has recoil in it. It can’t lift a fold that already hangs at rest. Patients who push through anyway spend the recovery, then need the excisional procedure they needed at the start. Dr. Grandhige’s position is that energy is a finisher rather than a rescue, and that being willing to say no is part of the job.
Skin roughly in the 25 to 55 range tends to carry the recoil this depends on. Treat that as a guide instead of a rule, since sun exposure, weight history and genetics move people in both directions.
Two other groups should slow down. Published series flag a high BMI and high blood pressure as risk factors. And if a provider offers Renuvion for an area the FDA hasn’t cleared, ask them to explain why. Verify board certification through the American Board of Surgery first.
When the honest answer is excision rather than energy, Dr. Grandhige performs the abdominal work himself, including abdominoplasty, lower body lift, 360 contouring and revision cases. For facelift or neck lift tier patients, Formation stays in contact with the surgeons who do that work well and points people to the right one.
The device on the cart is identical at every practice that owns one. The thinking around it isn’t.
Dr. Grandhige has been operating for more than 15 years. He trained in burn surgery and critical care before he narrowed his practice to aesthetics. Thermal injury and how tissue behaves under heat is familiar ground for him. He keeps surgical volume deliberately low, evaluates every patient himself, and follows patients for a full year afterward.
Health and diet get assessed before treatment. Nutrition, supplements and peptides get adjusted in the window right before and right after, so the body builds as much structure as it can while tissue remodels. Compression gets dialed in around Tampa summer heat, which is a real scheduling factor rather than a footnote.
Formation runs both platforms. The decision between FaceTite and Renuvion turns on tissue behavior, not on which brochure reads better.
When the plan is Renuvion with liposuction on the torso, the energy goes in through the incisions already made for fat removal. Most body patients are back in the gym within one to two weeks and unrestricted between weeks two and four with the garment on. Neck and jawline cases run differently. Those patients go back to work at one week. The chin garment stays on 12 to 24 hours a day. Swelling settles across two to four weeks. Tightening shows at three months, and the final result lands between six and nine months.
This article skips before and after photography, which tells you little without matched lighting and position.
So, is Renuvion safe? Renuvion carries a real safety record and a real problem. Which one you meet depends on who is holding the handpiece, and on whether that person was willing to turn you down. The FDA’s own adverse event file points at operator judgment more often than it points at the machine. Ask what the device is cleared to do for your area, and ask what happens if gas ends up somewhere it shouldn’t.
Formation offers a complimentary virtual evaluation with patient coordinator Hanna, who reviews your goals and outlines a plan before you decide to come in. The in-office consultation with Dr. Grandhige carries a fee and covers a full surgical assessment. That fee can be applied toward any procedure or product at the practice.
For the two uses the FDA has cleared, published data puts the complication rate around 10 percent, in line with liposuction alone. Used outside those cleared indications, the risk profile is less well established. The FDA has received 135 adverse event reports for the technology, including 15 classified as life threatening and three deaths, though that database can't establish how often complications happen.
The FDA has cleared it for coagulation of subcutaneous soft tissue following liposuction, which covers use on the arms and thighs as part of a liposuction case. There's no clearance to tighten loose skin in those areas as a standalone treatment. If a provider offers it that way, ask them to explain the indication they're working from.
Three deaths were reported to the FDA between 2020 and 2025, according to a systematic review published in Annals of Plastic Surgery in December 2025. Reports submitted to that database don't establish that the device caused the outcome. They record that someone filed a report connecting the two.
In March 2022 the agency warned against using the device for dermal resurfacing or skin contraction, because at that point it was cleared only for cutting, coagulation and ablation of soft tissue during surgery. No aesthetic skin use had been shown safe or effective. The FDA then granted three separate aesthetic clearances between May 2022 and April 2023.
Yes, and burns make up most of the adverse event reports on file with the FDA. Published device data puts tissue temperature above 85 degrees Celsius in bursts lasting four to eight hundredths of a second, so the working margin is narrow. Technique, energy settings and pass speed all affect the risk.
Anyone whose skin hangs in a fold while standing still, because energy can only shrink tissue that still has recoil. Published series also flag a high BMI and high blood pressure as risk factors for complications. Patients with significant excess skin usually need an excisional procedure instead.
Manufacturer-funded studies report improvement, and pooled patient satisfaction across 34 studies came to 92 percent. An independent review of that same literature found the added tightening effect above liposuction alone isn't well established, partly because of how results were presented in the supporting papers. Both readings are in print and both come from peer-reviewed journals.
The next step after losing 100 pounds.
After significant weight loss, the skin doesn’t always shrink back to match the body’s new shape. And no amount of exercise can remove that excess skin.
In this surgery, Dr. Gopal performs a 360° circumferential body lift to remove excess skin and reshape the patient’s waistline, abdomen, and lower back.
The approach involves lifting the skin on the back and pulling it downward on the front to create a smoother, flatter contour while positioning the incision low enough to be concealed by underwear.
This patient lost over 100 pounds. During surgery, Dr. Gopal explains how approximately 3 pounds of skin were removed from the back, with another 5 pounds planned for removal from the front.
It’s not just about removing skin. It’s about reshaping the body after a significant weight-loss journey.
📍 Dr. Gopal Grandhige | Formation, South Tampa
Interested in body contouring after major weight loss? Schedule a consultation to explore your options.
#BodyLift #CircumferentialBodyLift #ExcessSkinRemoval #WeightLoss #BodyContouring
There’s lean. Then there’s sculpted.
High-definition liposuction goes beyond traditional fat removal. It’s about strategically sculpting around the underlying muscles to create more visible definition in the chest, abdomen, and waist.
For this patient, the goal was a leaner, more defined, athletic appearance without an exaggerated look.
Dr. Gopal Grandhige specializes in male HD liposuction, customizing each procedure to the patient’s anatomy, muscle structure, and desired level of definition.
The result? A more sculpted physique that complements his natural build.
Interested in HD liposuction? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Gopal at Formation Tampa. Link in bio.
Actual patient photos. Individual results vary.
#HDLiposuction #MaleLiposuction #HighDefinitionLiposuction #BodySculpting #Tampa
“That responsibility means everything to me.”
When a patient chooses a plastic surgeon, they’re placing an extraordinary amount of trust in someone else’s hands.
And that responsibility goes far beyond what happens in the operating room.
For Dr. Gopal, it means taking the time to understand each patient’s goals, carefully planning their procedure, making thoughtful decisions throughout surgery, and being there for them during recovery.
Every detail matters because there’s a real person behind every procedure, with hopes, concerns, and expectations.
And that person deserves to feel cared for every step of the way.
#Tampa #CosmeticSurgery #PatientCare #bodycountouring #hdliposuction
Every body needs a different plan.
An HD liposuction consultation with Dr. Gopal is much more than discussing which areas to treat.
He takes the time to evaluate each patient’s anatomy, explain what he’s seeing, and walk through exactly how he would approach the procedure.
Where should fat be removed? Where should it be preserved? How can the waist be sculpted while maintaining natural curves? And when might additional skin tightening be needed?
These are just some of the decisions Dr. Gopal walks patients through, explaining not only what he recommends, but why.
This Reel is a small glimpse into a consultation that typically involves a much more detailed conversation, with time for patients to ask questions and understand their options.
📍 Formation | South Tampa
Considering high-definition liposuction? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Gopal to discuss your goals and explore what’s possible.
#HDLipo #HighDefinitionLiposuction #BodyContouring #Tampa
There’s lean. Then there’s sculpted.
For some men, even years of consistent training and cutting cycles don’t produce the abdominal definition they’re working toward.
Here’s what one patient shared in his Google review of Formation:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Waited a few months to write this because I wanted to make sure the results held up.
The HD technique did what years of cutting cycles couldn’t. Abs actually show now, even relaxed, even in bad lighting. If you’ve chased a six pack for years you know what that means. Recovery was more involved than I expected and the bruising was wild for a bit. But the result looks like me, just leaner and more defined. Doesn’t look surgical, which was my biggest fear going in. Would recommend, but only if you’re already putting in the work.”
Dr. Gopal Grandhige specializes in male high-definition liposuction, an advanced body-contouring technique that goes beyond traditional fat removal.
By strategically removing fat around the underlying muscles, HD liposuction can enhance natural muscle definition and create a leaner, more sculpted, athletic appearance.
The goal isn’t to create artificial abs. It’s to reveal and enhance the muscle contours already there, with the level of definition customized to each patient’s anatomy and goals.
📍 Formation, South Tampa
Interested in male HD liposuction? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Gopal to explore your options.
Google patient review.
#HDLiposuction #MaleLiposuction #BodyContouring #Tampa
Crunches can only do so much.
You can spend hours strengthening your abdominal muscles, but that doesn’t guarantee visible definition.
A layer of fat sits between the muscles and the skin, and crunches can’t specifically target that fat.
For many people, exercise and reducing overall body fat can help reveal their abs. But even people who are already lean and fit can have stubborn fat that hides their natural muscle definition.
That’s where high-definition liposuction may help.
Dr. Gopal uses HD lipo to selectively remove fat around the natural contours of the abdominal muscles, helping reveal the definition that’s already there.
📍 Formation | South Tampa
Interested in HD lipo? Schedule a consultation to learn more.
#HDLipo #HighDefinitionLiposuction #AbdominalSculpting #BodyContouring
Which one had surgery 1 or 2? 👀
High-definition liposuction goes beyond traditional fat removal. Instead of simply reducing fat evenly, the surgeon strategically removes fat around the underlying muscles to make their natural contours more visible.
But here’s what makes it interesting: HD lipo doesn’t create the same six-pack on everyone. Each person’s anatomy, muscle development, and desired level of definition influence the final result.
Now take another look at these two patients.
Which one do you think had HD liposuction, 1 or 2?
Drop your guess below, then check the pinned comment for the answer!
#HDLiposuction #MaleLiposuction #BodyContouring #Tampa
There’s a story behind every decision.
Cosmetic surgery is a personal decision. Yet people who choose it often find themselves having to explain or defend that choice to others.
Some want to restore changes after pregnancy or weight loss. Others have worked hard to get in shape but still have areas they’d like to improve. And some simply want to feel more comfortable with their appearance.
The reasons are different for everyone. And they don’t have to make sense to anyone else.
At Formation, Dr. Gopal believes the decision to pursue cosmetic surgery should be guided by a patient’s personal goals, realistic expectations, and what’s medically appropriate for them.
Because ultimately, the person making that decision is the one who will live with it.
#Tampa #CosmeticSurgery #BodyContouring #Liposuction
Our first four-legged patient. 🐾
Dr. Gopal takes his liposuction and body contouring very seriously.
Even when his patients have four legs.
From loose skin and neck liposuction to a jawline that deserves its own before-and-after reveal, this might be his most dramatic transformation yet.
And yes, he even got the patient’s permission to share the results. 😂
A little Halloween fun from Dr. Gopal and his two very patient pups! 🎃🐶
No dogs underwent surgery. Just two willing participants and one very committed surgeon.
#SurgeonLife #tampa #necklipo
What weight loss can’t fix.
After losing over 100 pounds, this patient had achieved significant weight loss, but was left with excess skin around his abdomen and back that weight loss alone couldn’t address.
During an 8-hour surgery, Dr. Gopal performed a circumferential body lift, a procedure that removes excess skin around the entire midsection to improve body contour.
In this video, Dr. Gopal walks through the procedure, explaining how he removed approximately 3 pounds of skin from the back and estimated another 4–5 pounds would be removed from the abdomen.
He’s also using a small amount of fat collected during the procedure to add volume to the upper chest, improving its contour without performing a separate chest lift.
For patients who have experienced major weight loss, body contouring can help address the excess skin that remains after the weight is gone.
Considering surgery after weight loss? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Gopal at Formation in Tampa to explore your options.
Actual patient footage. Individual results vary.
#BodyContouring #BodyLift #ExcessSkinRemoval
