Start with the regulatory part, because it shapes everything else. Renuva is human tissue, distributed by a tissue bank and handled by the FDA under the rules for human cells and tissue products rather than the approval pathway used for drugs and devices. That is a real regulatory category, with real standards for donor screening and processing. It is not the same thing as FDA approval, and it is worth knowing the difference before you sit down to decide.
The processed matrix goes in through a small needle where volume is missing. It has no living cells of its own. Over the following months your body populates it with your own cells and blood supply, which is why the shape settles slowly rather than appearing on the table. Published work is mostly small studies and case series, and reported volume retention ranges widely between them, so a specific percentage would be more confidence than the evidence supports.
Your before and after photos appear here
Your before and after photos appear here
Your before and after photos appear here
Your before and after photos appear here
No. Renuva is human tissue, recovered from a donor and processed by a tissue bank. Products in that category are regulated by the FDA under the rules for human cells and tissue, which set requirements for donor screening, testing and processing, but they do not go through the premarket approval process that applies to drugs and devices. The distinction is easy to blur, so it is worth asking about directly.
From donors, through the same tissue banking system that supplies grafts used in surgery. Donors are screened and tested, and the tissue is processed to remove cells, leaving the supporting structure behind. Your provider can tell you which supplier they use and show you the product information.
Fat grafting takes tissue from somewhere on your body, which means a second site, a longer appointment and a recovery in two places. Renuva skips that. What you give up is the living fat cells a graft brings with it. Which trade suits you depends on how much volume you want and what you would rather avoid.
Reported retention varies a lot between studies, and follow up periods have been short, so there is no reliable single number to give you. Ask your provider what they have seen and plan for a review visit.
Renuva is a reasonable option for some people and the wrong one for others, and the difference usually comes down to how much volume you need and how you feel about donated tissue. Both are fair things to think about out loud. Bring them to your consultation along with your questions about cost, timing and what happens if the result falls short.
Lumen Skin & Aesthetics aesthetic center brings together injectables, lasers and dermal fillers, laser skin resurfacing, and skin treatments in a calm, unhurried setting built around consultation.
