Review: NOVA Plastic Surgery

I had a rough year.  The surgery, the radiation, the turning 30, the inordinate amount of time in hospitals (which are really drying!), and I really felt about 20 years older than I actually am.

That would make me feel 50, in case addition's not your thing this close to Spring Break.

So, when I was contacted by NOVA Plastic Surgery to come in and check out their offices, I was really excited to go.  I'm totally cool with women doing whatever makes them feel happy with themselves.  For me that's not any serious nip/tuck action, although maybe that'll change when I'm a little older and a little further out from brain surgery, who knows. Luckily, NOVA Plastic Surgery offers several non-surgical options, in addition to surgical procedures such as breast augmentation and brow lifts, for making yourself feel like the best version of you.  I have a few friends who have gotten Botox, but I opted for a Broad Band Light (BBL) treatment which uses focused light to help correct sun damage, freckles, redness or obvious veins.

Because I am roughly the color of Elmer's glue, I use sunscreen like it's going out of style, but I still had a little bit of sun damage, which isn't surprising since I burn if I don't reapply ever 40 minutes (no joke).

Inside the Ashburn waiting area

When I got to the office, everyone was lovely and kind.  I am, at this point, something of an expert on medical offices and their reception staff, and the ladies at NOVA Plastic Surgery get a 10 for being calm, friendly, efficient, and easy to work with.  I went to the Ashburn office, which is a bit of a drive from Woodbridge, but as with any medical procedure, even one that doesn't involve cutting, you want to make sure you have someone qualified who makes you comfortable doing the procedure (they have a 5 star rating on Yelp! Nobody gets 5 stars on Yelp!).  The waiting area is very spa-like and I actually enjoyed the entire experience as a sort of "me time" event, rather than a trip to the doctor's office.

The BBL Machine

Dr. Nukta and his staff took me back, talked with me a little bit about the BBL procedure, and noted that it was really all I qualified for since my skin is in pretty good shape, which was great to hear!! The process is really very simple.  They lay you back and put on some tanning-style glasses, however the light they use is so bright you'll see it through your closed and covered eyelids.  Then, Dr. Nukta selects spots to treat, and the targeted irritation encourages your skin to heal itself and correct any damage.  It's slightly uncomfortable- it felt like a snapping rubber band and I definitely jumped a little, but I feel like it really did help with evening out my skin tone.  Most women severe issues will want more than one treatment, but I did notice a change in my skin tone, although since I "didn't have far to go" it may seem subtle to those who don't stare at my mug in the mirror every day!

I can't even begin to apologize for making you look at me up close like this.

So above is me directly after the procedure.  I was much more red than most people will be, but even if your skin isn't as sensitive as mine, you'll want to give yourself 24-48 hours before you have a photo shoot or go out to dinner.  Jenn, the patient coordinator, called to check on my redness level and make sure I didn't have any after-care questions, which I really appreciated.

Dr. Nukta was so easy to work with- he is professional, kind, and instantly puts you at ease.  He is double board-certified and specializes in plastic surgery of the face and body, migraine surgery, and hand surgery.  In addition to his stellar academic qualifications, he was also named in "Guide to America's Top Surgeons" in 2013.  I wasn't sure what to expect when meeting with a plastic surgeon- I was a little afraid that I would walk out with a laundry list of things that were wrong with me, but to the contrary, Dr. Nukta was honest, realistic, and didn't try to up-sell me on every possible correction we could make in any way shape or form.  It was really a very enjoyable experience.

I would not hesitate to recommend NOVA Plastic Surgery to any mom, whether she's wanting to do a little maintenance or make some drastic changes.
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 NOVA Plastic Surgery performed my BBL treatment and follow-up check free of charge in order for me to write a review.  All opinions, observations, and witty sarcasm are my own. All medical decisions should be made based on your unique history and circumstances with your physician.