SPA PAVONE AT PLASTIC SURGERY NORTHWEST: MICRONEEDLING & COOLSCULPTING

When your husband is a doctor (future dermatologist) you learn to geek out over different products, procedures, and all the new medical technology. You also learn to recognize talent in the medical field.

If you’ve heard of Plastic Surgery Northwest, then I bet you’ve heard great things. There’s a reason they are the largest group of board-certified plastic surgeons in the Inland Northwest and have worked at some of the most prominent plastic surgery centers in the country.

One of the things that sets Plastic Surgery Northwest apart from their competitors is that all of their injections are done by Board Certified Plastic Surgeons. Take a quick look at their before and after photos and the proof is in the pudding. This is hugely important to consider before getting injections. Research, research, research!

Between cosmetics, breast reconstruction, hand surgery, and so much more, including their brand new medical spa, Spa Pavone, they can do it all! The newly renovated space (designed by Dr. Wheeler himself) is absolutely gorgeous and they make you feel right at home the second you enter their doors. Spa Pavone is a full service cosmetic med spa meaning they perform services like hair removal, peels, facials, botox, filler, and more.

Let’s talk Microneedling:

What is it? Essentially known as collagen induction therapy, Microneedling helps with fine lines, acne scaring, stretch marks and pore size. The Microneedling tool creates tiny micro channels in your skin, stimulating your skin’s natural ability to heal itself and assists in production of collagen and elastin.

You’re in your mid-twenties, why do you need this? We start to lose collagen and elastin in our mid 20’s. Skin starts to look saggy and hollow, and fine-lines/wrinkles become more prominent. Anything you can do to get your body to plump your skin back up will help with the appearance of fullness.

What is the healing time? Everyone is different. I healed pretty quick and was ready to go, looking almost totally normal after 2-3 days. For the first two days my face was pretty red, it looked like I had a bad sunburn. By day 3 my skin started to flake off, and by day 4 I was good as new! Keitha sent me home with a new skin care regimen that I think really boosted the healing process. I’d recommend scheduling the procedure on a Friday and giving yourself the weekend to heal, and you’ll be ready to get back in to the swing of things by Monday.

Does it hurt? I have had this procedure done a couple of times and I will tell you that this hurt the least of all of them by far. I don’t know if Keitha has magical numbing powers or what, but it was mostly painless. There are certain parts that hurt worse than others, the center of the forehead is the worst for me, but even then we were chatting the whole time without too much discomfort. Also, as they say, beauty is pain, right?

How long do results last? Microneedling stimulates your body’s own collagen production for up to a year after one treatment! I typically get one treatment per year. If you are really trying to treat a specific issue, like acne scarring, they recommend a series of 3 treatments (within 4-6 weeks) to give your skin the boost it really needs.

How much does it cost? $350 per treatment or purchase a set of 3 for $900.

Let’s talk CoolSculpting:

While the science behind CoolSculpting has been around since 1997, the procedure has been performed since 2007.

This machine is what dreams are made of truly. It sucks up fat from problem areas, and literally freezes it, killing it forever. The entire procedure takes about 35 minutes and you can catch up on emails, read a book, or even watch your favorite show while it’s all happening. I told you it’s what dreams were made of!

As for how it feels, I’d compare it to having a really cold ice pack on your skin. It hurts for a bit and eventually becomes numb and tingly. Well worth the minor discomfort for killing your fat cells, if you ask me.

I chose to treat my flanks (love handles) and lower abdomen though they literally have an attachment for every part of your body. You can even get CoolSculpting on your double chin, arms, legs, banana roll, the list goes on and on. Kolbie, the master Cool Sculptor at Plastic Surgery Northwest, makes the process really comfortable and informative.

She starts by applying a special cream to keep you from getting frostbite then she sticks on a plastic wrap to serve as a barrier between the machine and your skin. Once she decides which head to use (depending on the size of the region you want to treat) she sucks up the fat into the head and the process begins. You feel the region get really cold, then sit back, relax, and enjoy 35 minutes of peace and quiet (or in my case catch up on the Bachelor- I’m in love with Colton).

After the procedure, she removes the machine, massages the area for a minute, and you are good to go with no down time! I felt a little cramping post procedure but it was gone in 10 minutes. Since then, the treated areas are still a little tender and feel slightly bloated but they say that goes away in a week or two. You start to see results in 4-6 weeks with peak results showing at 3 months. After three months, I will go in for another consult with Kolbi where we decide if we need to treat my flanks again.

A couple of things to remember: Like I mentioned, sometimes you need more than one treatment per area. Kolbi said that I won’t need another on my lower abdomen, but I will possibly on my flanks. Also, the healthier you are, the better your results will be. CoolSculpting kills the fat you have so the results will be more effective if you are eating well and exercising to ensure you keep future fat from sticking around. One cycle costs $750 but if you purchase more, you get discounts on them as well as other procedures. Also, what’s the price of getting rid of that pesky fight that won’t leave regardless of diet or exercise? Priceless.

So, it’s only been a week since my procedure, aka I don’t have results yet, but I took before pictures so you bet I’ll be analyzing those closely and sharing in a couple months. I don’t normally talk about procedures before I know if they work and that I would recommend them, but this is an exception as I want to take y’all through the process with me. Also, I’ve heard amazing reviews from people I personally know (and trust) that have tried CoolSculpting. With that said, I’ll keep y’all posted!

This post was created in partnership with Plastic Surgery Northwest. All opinions remain my own.

Sweater: Hope Ave Boutique

Jacket: Pink Linen

Photos by: Tiffani Given Photography