The short version
A true minimally invasive procedure, not a facial: local anesthesia, a probe under the skin, and a real recovery. Results sit between energy devices and surgery, and so do the risks.
What the cost figure means
No reliable national estimate. No society publishes an average. Quotes should state anesthesia, facility, paired liposuction, and follow-up; the total is often several thousand dollars for the face and neck.
Advertised prices on file
$1,500–$3,500 per area
FaceTite and AccuTite by area (nasolabial folds, jowls, neck, lids) on one menu; full face and neck plans combine areas.
Read from 1 published U.S. clinic menu on September 1, 2026. A convenience sample, not a national survey: prices vary by city and provider, packages are usually cheaper per session, and menus change without notice.
Total course = per-session fee × planned sessions + consultation + product, cartridge, or serum + anesthesia or facility + prescriptions and aftercare + expected maintenance. Ask for the plan price in writing.
Healing and results timeline
- Appointment
- About 1–2 hours under local anesthesia, sometimes with sedation
- Downtime
- Swelling, bruising, and a compression garment for 1–2 weeks
- Healing
- Swelling peaks over 2–3 days, bruising fades over 1–2 weeks, and firmness or numb patches can persist for weeks. Contraction continues for 3–6 months.
- Results appear
- Some change at 2 weeks; final result at 3–6 months
- Duration and maintenance
- Often described as 1–3 years; comparative data are limited
Benefits, limitations, and risks
Realistic benefits
- More tightening than surface RF or ultrasound
- Small entry points rather than incisions
- Can be combined with liposuction
Limitations
- Real downtime and anesthesia
- Cannot match a surgical lift for significant laxity
- May complicate a later facelift or neck lift
Common effects
- Swelling and bruising
- Firmness or lumpiness that softens
- Temporary numbness
Serious risks
- Burns to the skin surface or deeper tissue
- Nerve injury with weakness or persistent numbness
- Contour irregularity, fibrosis, or fat loss
Candidacy and pause signs
Usually considered for: Adults with mild to moderate laxity and small fat deposits who are not ready for surgery and accept an uncertain result.
You have significant loose skin, a bleeding disorder, active infection, implanted electronic devices, or the provider is not a physician trained in the procedure with a plan for burns and nerve injury.
Operator, setting, and regulation
Who performs it in the U.S.: Dermatologic and plastic surgeons or physicians trained on the device in an accredited procedural setting. Not a delegated treatment.
Regulatory status: FDA-cleared devices for specific indications such as coagulation of soft tissue and lipolysis; clearance does not establish a lifting result. Check the exact device in the 510(k) database.
Rules differ by state and by country. A product approved in one market may be unapproved in another, and the same device can be used within or outside its cleared indication.
Questions to ask before you pay a deposit
- How many of these have you performed, and what complications have you managed?
- What result is realistic for my laxity compared with a lift?
- How would this affect a later surgical option?
Sources on file
These links support the claims above. Reviewed September 1, 2026. Where a figure comes from a survey, the caveat is in the file, not in a footnote.
- Aesthetic Plast Surg 2024 — radiofrequency-assisted liposuction with FaceTite and buccal fat excision (PubMed) (opens in a new tab)
- Aesthet Surg J 2026 — neck lift after nonsurgical treatments: fibrosis, fat loss, and surgical complexity (PubMed) (opens in a new tab)
- American Society for Dermatologic Surgery — radiofrequency skin tightening (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. FDA — 510(k) premarket notification database (opens in a new tab)