BodyTite in Tijuana
BodyTite tightens skin and reduces fat with needle-assisted radiofrequency, without the incisions of contouring surgery. This page tells you what a salesperson usually leaves out: who BodyTite is enough for, and who it isn’t, so you arrive at your assessment with a realistic expectation.
BodyTite es un procedimiento de contorno corporal mínimamente invasivo que utiliza radiofrecuencia asistida (RFAL) para derretir grasa y contraer la piel simultáneamente. El Dr. Alfredo Chama, cirujano plástico certificado por el CMCPER (Nº 2607) en Tijuana, aplica esta tecnología en abdomen, brazos, muslos y flancos. Se realiza bajo anestesia local con sedación. Recuperación de 3 a 5 días con compresión.
Body · Technology
- CMCPER, Board Certification No. 2607
Verify his certification ↗
- Source
- CMCPER Directory (directoriocirugiaplastica.mx)
- Identifier
- CMCPER, Board Certification No. 2607
- Last verified
- Jul 29, 2026
- Verified in Motiva’s official surgeon locator
- Hospital setting · Certified hospital
- Bilingual care · ES / EN
No image on this page depicts an actual patient or clinical result. Editorial images are used for illustration only.
The technology
Needle-assisted radiofrequency: it tightens while it reduces
BodyTite is a needle-assisted radiofrequency device (RFAL). It works with two electrodes: a thin one is introduced under the skin through a minimal incision, and a second one glides over the surface from outside. Radiofrequency energy passes between both, heating fatty tissue in a controlled way so it can be aspirated, while at the same time contracting the collagen fibers in the dermis from the inside.
That combination is what sets it apart from conventional liposculpture: it doesn’t just remove volume, it also aims for the remaining skin to retract over the new contour. The equipment monitors tissue temperature in real time during the procedure, precisely to heat enough to activate collagen contraction without exceeding a safe margin.
It isn’t a surface-level treatment or an office device without anesthesia: in Dr. Chama’s practice it’s performed as a surgical procedure, with local anesthesia and sedation or light general anesthesia depending on the plan, and with the same pre-assessment as any other body surgery.
Candidacy
Who BodyTite is enough for, and who it isn’t
This is the point most often left out of marketing material. BodyTite tightens skin — it doesn’t remove it. That makes it very effective when laxity is mild to moderate: skin that lost some firmness but still has the capacity to contract over a slimmer contour. In that profile, the combined result — less volume, firmer skin — can be exactly what someone is looking for without a long scar.
The limit shows up when excess skin is significant: an abdomen with marked hanging skin after considerable weight loss, or multiple pregnancies with significant muscle separation. There, BodyTite’s thermal contraction doesn’t have the margin to compensate for the amount of leftover skin. Promising that result with BodyTite in that profile is the sales pitch worth being skeptical of: BodyTite doesn’t replace an abdominoplasty or a contouring surgery when excess skin, not fat, is the main problem.
The honest way to decide is in the assessment itself: Dr. Chama evaluates the degree of laxity, skin quality and thickness, whether there’s relevant muscle separation, and your weight history. From there it’s defined whether BodyTite is enough for your case, whether combining it with another technique makes sense, or whether your profile points directly to a larger contouring surgery.
Where it fits
BodyTite compared with liposculpture and contouring surgery
Against conventional liposculpture, the central difference is skin: traditional lipo removes fat very effectively, but doesn’t deliver the same degree of skin contraction. That’s why it’s common for both techniques to be planned together on the same area — BodyTite where tightening matters, conventional lipo where the goal is only volume — based on what your assessment shows.
Against a larger contouring surgery, like an abdominoplasty, the central difference is leftover skin. Abdominoplasty removes skin directly through a more extensive incision; BodyTite contracts it, it doesn’t resect it. When excess skin exceeds what thermal contraction can compensate for, contouring surgery remains the right tool, and no radiofrequency technology changes that indication.
Put another way: BodyTite occupies a middle ground between lipo alone and larger contouring surgery. It’s a real option for mild-to-moderate laxity with good skin candidacy, not a shortcut that replaces surgery when the case needs it.
It’s used most often on the abdomen, flanks, arms, and thighs — areas where localized fat coexists with some degree of skin laxity — and in some plans on the neck and submental area, evaluated case by case.
Combination
Why it’s so often combined with liposculpture
In practice, it’s common for a body-contouring plan to use BodyTite on the area where skin needs tightening and conventional liposculpture on adjacent areas where the goal is only volume reduction. It isn’t a standard package — which technique is used on which area depends on your particular anatomy, and that’s defined with you in consultation, not before.
Combining both in the same surgical event also has a real logistical advantage for anyone traveling from outside Tijuana: resolving the full contouring plan in a single visit simplifies the itinerary and recovery, instead of splitting the process into two separate surgeries.
Consultation
Virtual or in-person assessment of your case
Preparation
Personalized plan, labs, and pre-op instructions
Procedure
Hospital setting, board-certified team
Recovery
Follow-up in person or remotely from the U.S.
What to expect, by stage
First days. Swelling, bruising, and a sensation of warmth or tightness in the treated area are expected from the procedure’s thermal effect. A compression garment is usually indicated from the operating room to help skin adapt to the new contour.
First and second week. Swelling drops noticeably, though some firmness to the touch can persist — a normal part of the collagen-contraction process. The medical team defines, case by case, when to resume light activity.
Weeks 3–6. Contour becomes clearer as residual swelling drops, though the skin is still settling.
Following months. Collagen contraction continues gradually for several months after the procedure; the final result — including how firm the skin ends up — is fully appreciated over time, not in the first weeks.
Dr. Chama discusses every risk, complication, and realistic expectation in your assessment — before you decide. A medical site that only shows results and skips the risks is not giving you complete information.
Risks and considerations
Honesty first
BodyTite’s most specific risk is thermal, not just mechanical: if energy isn’t dosed precisely, superficial burns or contour irregularities can appear — the reason real-time temperature monitoring is a core part of the technique, not an extra. These are the considerations explained in detail in your assessment:
Superficial burns or contour irregularities if thermal energy isn’t dosed precisely — the reason real-time temperature monitoring is central to the technique, not optional.
Swelling, bruising, and temporary tenderness in the treated area, with duration varying by patient.
Numbness or altered sensation, common early on and usually resolving within weeks to months.
Insufficient skin result if the underlying laxity was greater than the technique can compensate for — another reason candidacy is evaluated carefully before, not after, treating.
Temporary asymmetry while swelling on each side resolves at its own pace.
Risk of infection or bleeding, as with any surgical procedure, and risks inherent to the anesthesia used.
Logistics for U.S. patients
Coming from the United States
If you’re traveling from the United States, how many days it’s worth staying in Tijuana depends on how many areas were treated and whether the plan included additional liposculpture; it’s defined in your assessment based on the real scope of your case.
We see patients in Spanish and English and can start with a bilingual virtual consultation to review your case before you cross the border. From there, your visit and follow-up are coordinated, which can happen remotely with in-person check-ups only when the case requires it.
Frequently asked questions
What patients ask us most
How much does BodyTite cost?
It’s defined in your assessment, because it depends on how many areas are treated and whether the plan includes additional liposculpture in nearby areas. We prefer to give you a personalized quote instead of a generic figure that wouldn’t match your case. Message us on WhatsApp and we’ll guide you.
Does BodyTite replace an abdominoplasty?
Not in every case, and that’s the most important distinction on this page. BodyTite tightens skin through collagen contraction; it doesn’t remove it the way an abdominoplasty does through an incision. If excess skin is significant, thermal contraction doesn’t have the margin to compensate, and BodyTite doesn’t replace contouring surgery. Which one applies to you is defined in your assessment.
Is it the same as traditional liposculpture?
Not exactly. Both remove fat, but BodyTite adds needle-assisted radiofrequency to also aim for skin contraction, while conventional liposculpture focuses on volume. It’s common to combine them in the same plan: BodyTite where tightening matters, conventional lipo where the goal is only fat reduction.
What areas of the body is it used on?
Most often the abdomen, flanks, arms, and thighs. It’s also considered for the neck and submental area in some plans, depending on each patient’s anatomy. Which areas are worth treating, and with which technique, is decided in your assessment.
How much skin actually tightens with BodyTite?
It depends on your baseline degree of laxity: it works best on skin with mild-to-moderate laxity that still retains contraction capacity. There’s no single figure that applies to every case, and be skeptical of anyone who gives you one without assessing you first.
How long is recovery?
There’s an early phase of one to two weeks where most visible swelling drops, and a gradual collagen-contraction process that continues for several months. Your timeline depends on how many areas were treated and whether the plan included additional liposculpture.
Does BodyTite leave scars?
The incisions are minimal, much smaller than a larger contouring surgery, and are placed strategically to keep them discreet. How each patient’s skin scars is individual and depends on skin type and post-operative care, so an identical result can’t be promised in advance.
How many sessions do I need?
This is defined in your assessment — it depends on the extent and number of areas to be treated, and it’s usually planned as a single surgical procedure rather than a series of sessions. This is confirmed with you before scheduling surgery.
I’m coming from the U.S. — how does this work?
We see patients in Spanish and English and can start with a virtual consultation to review your case before you cross. How many days it’s worth staying near Tijuana depends on the scope of your plan; follow-up is coordinated remotely.
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Your Care Continues After Surgery
- Follow-up appointments with Dr. Chama
- Conveniently located near the San Ysidro border crossing
- Direct line for any post-op questions: +52 664 585 1602
- Detailed recovery guide before you travel home
Your safety and recovery are Dr. Chama's priority — before, during, and after your procedure.
Last updated: September 19, 2026
Plastic Surgery in Tijuana for U.S. Patients
Tijuana is Mexico's leading border city for medical tourism, located just across the San Diego border. Dr. Alfredo Chama serves patients from California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, and across the United States with:
- Pre-surgical virtual consultation in English and Spanish
- Border logistics coordination — transportation from the crossing, hotel recommendations near the clinic
- Post-operative follow-up via telemedicine for patients returning home
- Board-certified surgeon (CMCPER No. 2607) operating in an accredited hospital setting
The clinic is located at Plaza Península on Vía Rápida Oriente, with direct access from the international border. Many patients from San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Las Vegas choose Tijuana for board-certified plastic surgery with personalized bilingual care.