A couple of months ago, I walked into Juva Skin & Laser Center in NYC to meet with Dr. Bruce E. Katz, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist who actually helped conduct the FDA trials on patients for the treatment. To ensure I was an ideal candidate for QWO, I changed into a smock and Katz examined my areas of concern — the sides and fronts of my thighs — and circled the dimples he would inject.
From there, I laid down on the treatment table as Katz went in with the QWO-filled syringe. You don’t need numbing cream for the injections, although it’s an option if you’re really sensitive to pain. I went without it — Katz said the needle is tiny and you “hardly feel it.” This was mostly true: I felt just a tiny pinch, similar to Botox, in most areas where he injected me. The area just above my knees, however, was pretty painful, and Katz told me it’s because the skin is thinner in that area. Thankfully, it was over after a few minutes.
When I stood up, I was taken aback by how sore my legs felt — it was as though I had just done an extra hard lower-body workout. Katz says you’ll likely experience the most side effects, including mild pain and soreness, swelling, and localized bruising, after the first QWO session. They should diminish with each treatment.
Aside from the results, QWO is noteworthy because it’s long-lasting. “We checked the patients we did the QWO on two and a half years ago in the FDA trials, and none of the women had their cellulite come back,” Katz says. That’s a big difference compared to other treatments on the market.
