Considering Liposuction for More Defined Body Contours?
Both approaches remove fat. High-definition liposuction also emphasizes contour and definition when appropriate for your anatomy.
Most people considering liposuction do not know there are at least three generations of this surgery. Conventional liposuction reduces volume. Ultrasonic liposuction (VASER) preserves tissue, allows more precise sculpting and produces better skin tightening. High-definition (HD) liposuction goes further: it uses VASER to create three-dimensional muscle definition, highlighting anatomical contours such as the abdomen, flanks, back and limbs with a precision the conventional technique simply cannot reach.
Dr. Alexandre Charão — winner of O Globo's "Faz a Diferença" (Makes a Difference) Award in 2006, with a clinic in Botafogo and surgeries at Hospital Glória D'Or (Glória, South Zone of Rio) — adds two complementary technologies to this approach that take the result to another level. Full career in Dr. Alexandre Charão's background.
How can Argoplasma help address loose skin after liposuction?
Removing fat without treating loose skin is like painting a wall without sanding it first.
Argoplasma is an argon plasma device powered by radiofrequency — similar to Renuvion/J-Plasma, which uses helium — applied subdermally — just below the skin — right after liposuction. By reaching temperatures above 85°C for fractions of a second, it causes immediate collagen contraction and tissue tightening with carefully controlled energy delivery; heat-based devices still carry risks and require appropriate patient selection. The result: firmer skin, more defined contours and a level of tightening that ultrasound alone could not produce.
In July 2022, the FDA granted clearance to Renuvion APR to improve the appearance of loose skin in the neck and submental region. In the study supporting this indication, 82.5% of patients reached the primary efficacy endpoint1 with documented improvement in skin quality in this region. In April 2023, the FDA expanded the indication to coagulation of subcutaneous tissue after liposuction for aesthetic body contouring. In a retrospective cohort of 639 patients2 treated with ultrasound combined with helium plasma, 87% had minimal residual sagging and 91% had excellent contour improvement.
What is intramuscular fat transfer — and how does it create a hypertrophy effect?
Surgical muscle definition: the concept that turns contouring into sculpture.
HD liposuction allows not only fat removal but also the transfer of processed fat into strategic muscle areas to create volume and projection where the muscle does not develop naturally. This concept — described in the international scientific literature as UGRAFT (volumetric fat grafting in muscle groups), developed by Brazilian surgeons and published in PRS Global Open — makes it possible to create:
Deltoids and biceps
Definition of the deltoids and biceps in men, with volume and an athletic contour from the patient’s own fat — without synthetic implants.
Glutes and thighs
Glute and thigh projection in women, with a natural feel and movement because the graft is the patient’s own tissue.
Athletic abdomen
Volume in the upper third of the abdomen for an athletic look, enhancing the three-dimensional etching of HD lipo.
Back and chest
Definition of the back and chest, completing a 360° contour with the same fat removed during liposuction.
Dr. Charão combines VASER HD with Argoplasma and intramuscular fat transfer in the same protocol, planned around each patient’s anatomy — using the patient’s own removed fat as graft material, with no need for implants.
Who can have this procedure — and who cannot?
Objective criteria ensure real results and surgical safety.
Eligibility for HD lipo with VASER and Argoplasma depends on three main criteria: skin quality and elasticity, body fat percentage (ideally ≤ 32% for the best results) and no health conditions that rule out the procedure. The Weight-Loss and Metabolic Preparation Method starts as soon as the surgery is scheduled, preparing the body for the best possible results.
Fast Track Recovery — a faster, more comfortable recovery and refined scars — is applied to all liposuction procedures, with multimodal pain control starting in the operating room and a private WhatsApp group for each patient throughout the postoperative period. With more than 200 real patient reviews on Google and journalists from The Washington Post who came to Brazil specifically to follow Dr. Charão's work, the results speak for themselves.
O Globo's "Faz a Diferença" (Makes a Difference) Award (2006) and more than 200 real patient reviews on Google reflect Dr. Charão's 22-year career. Fast Track Recovery — a faster, more comfortable recovery and refined scars — is applied to all procedures, with a private WhatsApp group for each patient. Surgeries are performed at Hospital Glória D'Or (Glória, South Zone), part of the D'Or Network, with annual JCI accreditation.
Technical Comparison of Procedures
Understand the differences between conventional liposuction and Dr. Alexandre Charão's approach:
| Criteria | Conventional liposuction | VASER HD + Argoplasma + Fat Transfer — Dr. Charão |
|---|---|---|
|
Technology used
|
• Mechanical cannula | ✓ VASER ultrasound + argon plasma (Argoplasma) |
|
Tissue preservation
|
✕ Indiscriminate trauma to vessels and nerves | ✓ VASER selectively preserves non-fat structures |
|
Muscle definition
|
✕ Not performed | ✓ HD liposculpture with three-dimensional etching |
|
Skin tightening
|
• Depends on the patient's biology | ✓ Argoplasma: documented tightening and contour |
|
Intramuscular fat transfer
|
✕ Not performed | ✓ UGRAFT: patient's own fat in strategic muscle groups |
|
Regulatory clearance
|
• Standard technology | ✓ Comparable Renuvion technology: FDA clearance 2023 after liposuction (neck: 2022) |
|
Selection criteria
|
• Variable | ✓ Body fat ≤ 32% + Preoperative Metabolic Preparation |
|
Recovery
|
✕ 8 to 12 weeks of restrictions | ✓ Fast Track Recovery: faster, more comfortable recovery |
Frequently Asked Questions about HD VASER Lipo + Argoplasma
01 — What is the difference between conventional liposuction and VASER HD?
Conventional liposuction removes fat mechanically, with indiscriminate trauma to vessels, nerves and connective tissue. VASER uses ultrasound to selectively emulsify fat cells before suction, preserving nearby structures and allowing highly precise three-dimensional sculpting. Brazilian experience with VASER in body contouring also reinforces how predictable the technique is.
02 — What is Argoplasma and how does it tighten the skin?
Argoplasma (argon plasma, similar to the helium-based Renuvion/J-Plasma) is applied subdermally after liposuction. The plasma generates instant heat above 85°C for fractions of a second, contracting collagen immediately without damaging nearby tissue. The comparable Renuvion technology has FDA clearance from 2022 for the neck and submental area (with 82.5% efficacy in this region) and FDA clearance from 2023 for use after liposuction in body contouring.
03 — What is intramuscular fat transfer and how is it different from implants?
Intramuscular fat transfer uses the fat removed during the liposuction itself — processed and reinjected into strategic muscle groups — to create volume and definition without any synthetic material. Unlike implants, it uses the patient's own tissue, eliminating the risk of rejection and giving a completely natural feel and movement.
04 — Who is not a candidate for HD lipo with VASER and Argoplasma?
Patients with severe skin laxity may need skin removal as well. Patients with body fat above 32% are advised to start the Weight-Loss and Metabolic Preparation Method before surgery. Conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes, bleeding disorders and active smoking rule out the procedure or require specific preparation.
05 — How long does recovery from VASER + Argoplasma take?
With Fast Track Recovery, multimodal pain control and accelerated recovery principles, patients return to light activities within 7 to 14 days. Final muscle definition takes 3 to 6 months to fully show, as swelling goes down and the skin tightens. The private WhatsApp group with Dr. Charão ensures direct follow-up throughout recovery.
06 — Is the result of HD lipo permanent?
The fat cells removed will not come back. However, the result depends on maintaining your weight — weight gain after surgery can compromise the definition achieved. The Weight-Loss and Metabolic Preparation Method helps build habits that support long-lasting results.
07 — Can VASER HD be combined with other surgeries?
Yes. Dr. Charão often combines HD lipo with abdominoplasty (when there is diastasis), mastopexy or buttock procedures, within a Mommy Makeover or full body contouring protocol — studies on combined surgery reinforce the importance of careful patient selection, always respecting safe limits for operating time.
08 — Where does Dr. Charão perform liposuction?
At Hospital Glória D'Or, in the Glória neighborhood, South Zone of Rio de Janeiro — part of the D'Or Network, Brazil's largest hospital network, with annual JCI accreditation. The consultation clinic is in Botafogo, also in the South Zone. Care is available in Portuguese, English and French. See also Dr. Alexandre Charão's background.
Ready to plan your HD lipo with VASER, Argoplasma and intramuscular fat transfer?
Schedule an in-person consultation in Botafogo or a private virtual consultation directly with Dr. Alexandre Charão's team.
📅 Schedule your consultation on WhatsApp📚 Scientific Bibliography
- Ruff PG, Bharti G, Hunstad J, et al. Safety and efficacy of Renuvion helium plasma to improve the appearance of loose skin in the neck and submental region. Aesthet Surg J. 2023;43(10):1174-1188. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36883611/
- Tambasco D, Albanese R, Scarabosio A, et al. Ultrasound and helium plasma-assisted liposuction for body contouring: a single-retrospective cohort study of 639 patients. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39402196/