Non-Invasive Cosmetic Procedures

We all want to look and feel our best. There are non-invasive cosmetics procedures to suit just about everyone. Here’s everything you need to know, whether you are a long-time fan of Botox, or a complete newbie to the realm of seemingly endless cosmetic options. The DMV has a host of talented professionals who are ready to guide you every step of the way. We spoke to local businesses to gain insight and understanding of the four most popular non-invasive or minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. 

Melanie Erb Shushan, CRNP is the owner of Annapolis Aesthetics, Scott R. Melamed is the President ProMD Health, and Ali Weiss, FNPBC, is the founder of Euna Aesthetics, while Kelsey McCleary is in charge of Euna’s Patient Care. 

For this article, we took a deep dive into some of the most popular non-surgical procedures, fillers, injectables, chemical peels, and skin resurfacing. 

In short, fillers are exactly what they sound like, they are meant to fill out your features. They help create a smoother, fuller appearance on the face. They can reduce wrinkles and fine lines, and restore volume.

Euna Aesthetics says “Dermal fillers are one of the most advanced non-surgical treatments to define, reshape, and volumize your features – without going under the knife. These injectables minimize under-eye circles, restore lost volume in the cheeks, define the jawline, soften superficial or deep wrinkles, and volumize lips to achieve your ideal features.”

Scott expands on the concept of fillers saying “Most common fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, which is found in several places in the body, but particularly in the joints.” He describes hyaluronic acid as a water-grabbing lubricant that helps the body to maintain its moisture. “As we age, we lose volume, and when you lose volume, the scaffolding in the face is weakened, so you get the draping of the skin.” 

While fillers are most commonly used in places like the cheeks, and lips, they can also be used in areas such as hands, elbows, knees, and temples.

Melanie explains that fillers are meant to restore youth in a way that looks natural. “It’s just sort of restoring what you’ve lost through time. And so you look like yourself, but seven years ago. That’s my goal when I treat patients with filler, to keep it natural and subtle to you.”

What to expect.

This is a relatively quick and painless procedure and can typically be done in less than an hour. The use of topical numbing agents helps to make the procedure more comfortable. One of the best things about fillers is that clients often benefit from long-lasting results and minimal downtime. Euna tells their clients to expect 1-3 days of tenderness and/or bruising to the treated area. 

Scott says that most people will find this procedure to be completely painless, but he does often prepare clients for the unexpected sound that comes with fillers. “When you’re deploying the filler, it actually makes a pretty loud sound. A lot of people are waiting for pain, and then they hear this big sound. They get more startled by that, but the procedure itself doesn’t hurt.” He says that after the procedure, clients can expect to feel fullness, residual numbing from the use of numbing agents, and mild soreness for about a day.  

As far as expected results, Scott says that most clients will see about 80% of the result immediately after the procedure and can expect to see the full result over the next two weeks. The lasting effects will vary depending on how fast each person metabolizes the product, most results will last around a year but can vary from as little to nine months to as long as two years. As results fade, however, Scott says that clients can always come in for a touch up which will cost less than the initial procedure. 

Melanie echoes the painlessness of these procedures, saying “Hyaluronic acid is in a lot of products that we use on our face topically, and it’s in our body anyway. If patients have a reaction to filler, it’s from the procedure, not the products. Things like swelling or bruising might happen, but it’s very safe.” She says results can be expected to last between six and eighteen months. 

What will it cost?

As far as cost, Euna quotes between $500-$800, which is the difference between a half-syringe and full-syringe procedure. They do say however that multiple syringes are often required when treating larger areas of the face such as the jawline. They also offer another option, SCULPTRA, which they say is not your traditional dermal filler. Ali and Kelsey say “Unlike our other fillers that are Hyaluronic Acid based, Sculptra uses a form of poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) to build volume over time. This filler works to activate the skin’s natural regenerative process and help replenish lost collagen, gradually restoring facial volume. Results take three to six months for full effect but last up to five years and cost $800 per vial.” Their recommended dosage is one vial per decade of life.

Scott quotes around  $550 to $900 as an average price range for these services. 

Melanie says that they price these procedures by syringe, and during a consult, clients can discuss what their goals are for treatment and how many syringes would need to be used to accomplish that goal. The first syringe is $700, and any additional syringes would be $600.

Injectables are essentially neurotoxins that are injected into a specified area. These products work to block nerves which relaxes muscles and decreases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. These are considered safe and non-invasive procedures that offer big results with zero downtime. “Botox, Dysport, and other products like Taxify are essentially the same compound.” Says Scott. 

What to expect.

Euna tells their clients that while the full effect may take several days to over a week to be noticeable, in general, they will see immediate and natural-looking results the day of.

Scott says that these are very small injections and are overall pretty painless. He does caution that the results don’t really start setting in for about three to five days, and you likely won’t see the final end result for a full fourteen days, so clients should be patient. He says these results typically last three to four months.

Melanie compares the sensation of these injections as being similar to the tiny pitch felt when tweezing eyebrows. She says that she uses a little ice on the area beforehand, has clients close their eyes, and then it is over super quick!  

What will it cost?

At Euna, the cost for these procedures is about $14 per unit, but in general range between $12-$17. 

Depending on the procedure and how many units are needed for treatment, Scott says that their patients tend to pay anywhere from $149 to $600.

Melanie says that clients can expect to pay around $14 a unit. As far as how much clients might need, Melanie says, it’s up to them! “If you’re 25, maybe you use 20 units, if you’re 45, maybe you use 50 units. It kind of depends on how much muscle movement we are trying to decrease. Do you want it really natural and still want to move a little bit, or do you want that muscle to be totally immobile?”

Chemical peels are perhaps one of the least invasive, and easiest to try, especially for those who have no experience with cosmetic procedures. In short, chemical peels are designed to enhance the appearance of the skin, especially on the neck and face. During these procedures, a chemical solution is applied topicality to the skin. This will then cause an exfoliation effect and often results in peeling and flaking of the skin as new skin emerges. These treatments are great for treating sun damage, acne scars, and age spots. Melanie says that these are not just for the face, many patients use these treatments on areas like the chest and back to treat acne scarring.

What to expect.

Euna says that even those who have sensitive skin can be great candidates for chemical peel treatments. They say that regular chemical peels can improve skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, texture, melasma, tone, and aging.

This is such a non-invasive treatment option that Scott compares it more to a spa experience. This service is offered in the spa section of ProMD’s locations. Clients might feel a flushing sensation during the initial application and can expect to see results begin to set in around day two and continue to get better every day for about two weeks. Scott cautions that results will be highly dependent on how well people take care of their skin. If clients use sunscreen and moisturize regularly, results can last for six months, but many people consider this a quarterly treatment. 

The side effects of these treatments are minimal. Melanie says that clients can expect to feel a little bit of tingling, but should not feel any sort of discomfort at all. She says that depending on the type of treatment chosen, clients will experience no peeling at all, to rather intense peeling for several days. 

What will it cost?

At Euna, these services are priced by the range of solutions from mild (Level 1) to Aggressive (Level 3). Their Prices range between $185-$205. ReveSkin Chemical Peels, which Euna describes as an advanced treatment option often referred to as a laser in a bottle, work well for patients who might not be candidates for traditional laser treatments. The price for this treatment ranges from $450-$800. 

At ProMD, clients can expect to pay between $150-$300 depending on the type of treatment chosen. 

Melanie says her clients can expect to pay anywhere from $190 to around $350. 

Skin resurfacing is a bit of a broad category that covers procedures such as lasers and micro-needling. These procedures, while a bit more invasive than the others, still require little downtime and recovery while offering lasting results. These procedures can treat a variety of concerns including fine lines and wrinkles, large pores, sun damage, age spots, rosacea, dull or uneven skin, acne scarring, blood vessels, and hyperpigmentation. 

What to expect.

Downtime and recovery will depend on the type of procedure a client chooses. Euna offers this explanation to those considering laser treatment. “Think of partially ablative lasers as aerating the lawn. These lasers take out/remove tiny sections or columns of the skin to signal your body to rebuild collagen to the treated area to heal those ‘wounds’. Fully ablative lasers are more like “mowing the lawn”, as they take off an entire layer of the skin in a controlled, uniform manner. The depth and amount removed depend on the type of treatment and patient concerns.”

Scott says that during these procedures, people might feel mild pressure, tension, or warmth and mild heat from the device. “By day three, you might notice that spots and blemishes are getting darker as they’re brought to the surface. And then eventually they slough off and by day five, you have this new beautiful glowing healthy skin.”

Micro-needling is a bit different. Tiny needles create micro-channels in the skin, which also trigger a response from the body’s immune system. Increased blood flow to the treated area helps create new tissue formation with collagen. Topical numbing creams are utilized to minimize discomfort. 

When it comes to resurfacing procedures, Scott points out that the skin is not being completely damaged, but enough trauma to the top layer of skin is being done to signal the body to flood the area with nutrients to facilitate healing and new growth. Resurfacing procedures will typically need to be done every six months to maintain results. 

When it comes to micro-needling, many people choose to do a series of these treatments, especially when treating fine lines and wrinkles. “We do a lot of micro needling for fine lines and wrinkles. As you age, your cheeks get more wrinkles and the skin gets a little bit thinner. We usually also recommend doing a series of these.” Says Melanie. As far as laser treatments go, Melanie says “Fractional resurfacing is much less invasive compared to ablative laser procedures, resulting in a faster recovery time. Most patients experience minimal downtime, with some mild redness and swelling for a couple of days. Since these treatments are fractionated and less invasive, generally 3 to 5 sessions are recommended for full results. These are performed every 2 – 6 weeks.”

What will it cost?

The cost for these procedures does vary based on a few factors. Euna quotes their HALO laser procedure at $1,500, while their RF micro-needling offerings range from $600-$1000+.

Scott quotes resurfacing procedures ranging anywhere from $300 to $1000.

Depending on the type of treatment, Melanie says clients can expect to pay anywhere from about $450 to $750 for micro-needling, and laser resurfacing typically ranges from about $400 to $900.