About Our Skin Tightening Services
Sagging skin isn’t a moisturizer problem. It’s a structural one—declining collagen and elastin—and treating it requires technology that works beneath the surface.
At Charleston Dermatology, we offer two of the most advanced non-surgical approaches available: micro-coring, which physically removes microscopic columns of excess skin, and radiofrequency microneedling, which rebuilds collagen from within. Both are performed in a physician practice with medical oversight.
Treatment plans are built around your skin, your degree of laxity, and your tolerance for downtime, and we’ll tell you plainly if your goals would be better served by a surgical referral instead. Firmer skin starts with an honest assessment. Schedule a consultation and see which approach fits you.
Featured Services
Ellacor® Micro-Coring
Ellacor® is the first FDA-cleared technology to remove excess skin without surgery, scars, or thermal energy. It extracts thousands of microscopic cores of skin from the mid and lower face—up to 8% of skin in the treatment area—and as the micro-wounds close, skin tightens and smile lines and jowl-area laxity improve. A series of treatments delivers gradual, natural-looking results.
Radiofrequency Microneedling
RF microneedling pairs fine needles with radiofrequency energy delivered into the deeper layers of skin, triggering collagen and elastin production where it counts. Over a series of sessions, skin becomes firmer, smoother, and more lifted, with improvement in texture, acne scars, and fine lines—with only a day or two of redness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is skin tightening different from filler or Botox?
They solve different problems. Botox relaxes muscles; filler replaces volume; skin tightening addresses the skin itself—its firmness and snap. Many patients combine approaches, but if your main concern is laxity, jowls, or crepey texture, tightening treatments target the actual cause.
When will I see results, and how long do they last?
Both treatments build results gradually as your skin produces new collagen—expect visible improvement over 2 to 3 months, continuing up to 6 months after your series. Results are long-lasting because the treatments change the skin’s structure, though skin continues to age naturally and periodic maintenance helps preserve the gain.
Is there downtime?
Less than you’d think. RF microneedling typically causes a day or two of redness, like a sunburn. Ellacor® involves a few days to a week of redness and small scabs at the micro-core sites as they close. Both use topical or local numbing, and most patients describe the discomfort as very manageable.