W Med Spa

W Med Spa is an office-based practice at 2101 Medical Park Drive, Suite 308, in Silver Spring. It sees patients from Silver Spring and the wider Washington D.C. area, and procedures are done in the office on an outpatient basis.

The skin rejuvenation menu includes sublative treatment, which uses fractionated bipolar radiofrequency energy and which the site says takes under an hour, along with microdermabrasion to remove the outer layers of skin cells and facial rejuvenation. The elos Plus device, which combines bipolar radiofrequency with optical energy, is used for permanent hair reduction on the face and body, including the upper lip, chin, underarms, arms, back, chest, bikini line and legs. It is also used for color correction of brown spots, freckles, sun spots, melasma and spider veins. Hair reduction sessions take about 15 to 45 minutes and usually run as a series, first monthly and then about six weeks apart. Color correction usually needs five to six sessions about a month apart.

Injectable options include Botox, which is used on forehead lines, lines between the eyebrows and crow's feet, and Dysport, a botulinum toxin A treatment for dynamic facial lines. According to the site, Dysport sessions take about 20 minutes, results appear within two to three days and last up to five months on average, and Dysport has 25 years of clinical use worldwide. Dermal fillers, which are hyaluronic acid products from the Restylane and Juvederm lines, are used for cheeks, under the eyes, lips and the jawline. Botox and fillers can be combined in one appointment. Dermal filler formulas contain lidocaine to numb the area, and a topical numbing cream is optional. Filler results usually last six to 12 months, and Botox results usually last three to four months, with full results typically developing within about a week.

Body contouring is provided with Ultrashape Power, a non-invasive ultrasound device for the abdomen, hips, flanks, love handles and thighs. It is done without anesthesia as a series of three sessions spaced two to four weeks apart, and results usually begin to show within about two weeks. The site says the device received FDA approval in July 2016.

Aftercare guidance covers sun protection. After hair reduction, the treated area should stay out of direct sunlight for a week or more, and after color correction, strong sunscreen is advised for the first week or two. Some elos Plus patients see full results after one treatment, while others need a series of sessions.

The practice describes its treatments as nonsurgical, with no incisions and no downtime, and its blog argues that cosmetic injectables such as Botox and filler should be performed by a physician.