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Doctors, Patients tout results of new FDA-approved treatment for cellulite

Qwo is the first FDA-approved injectable treatment for cellulite. The FDA granted Qwo approval in July 2020, after a 10-month review.

Plastic Surgeon Dr. Norman Rowe said Qwo uses collagenase to dissolve collagen bands and cure cellulite. He said he’s been using collagenase for about 20 years to treat hand injuries and is very comfortable using it.

Plastic surgeons say it is caused when your skin becomes thinner and more lax, as you age, and collagen bands trap fat beneath the skin and create dimpling.

Cellulite is not caused by weight gain and cannot be treated through diet and exercise.

Board-certified Plastic Surgeon, Dr. Brenda Schiesel, of South Tulsa Plastic Surgery, said she’s very satisfied with the results she’s seen with Qwo in her office.

Dr. Schiesel’s office offers three Qwo treatments, each done 21 days apart, to allow for proper healing.

Each treatment consists of up to 36 injections in each buttock or thigh. The total cost is $2,900.

Stacy Driver is a Certified Nurse Specialist at a plastic surgeon’s office and a 38-year-old mother-of-two. She completed all three Qwo treatments, beginning in December and says she’s very pleased with the reduction in the appearance of cellulite but warns the bruising and tenderness after her first treatment was much more intense than she expected.

Patients with an allergy to collagenase or who take blood thinners are not good candidates for Qwo The most common side effects include bruising, pain, itching, redness and swelling in the areas that are treated.