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Tina B. West, MD profile

Tina B. West, MD

VERIFIED
Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology
5530 Wisconsin Ave., Ste. 925, Chevy Chase, Maryland
(301) 710-5996
Website
4.7 | 27 Reviews
191 Questions Answered
AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Skin Rejuvenation and Resurfacing

26 Photos10 Reviews39 Q&A0 Offers
BEFORE
AFTER

Fillers and Other Injectables

27 Photos13 Reviews19 Q&A0 Offers
BEFORE
AFTER

Cheek, Chin and Jawline Enhancement

13 Photos9 Reviews31 Q&A0 Offers
BEFORE
AFTER
MEET TINA B. WEST, MD
🩺29 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

Dr. Tina B. West, founder of the West Institute, is a board-certified Dermatologist and leading expert in cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery and body contouring procedures. With her “Skip the Scalpel” philosophy, Dr. West utilizes the most advanced minimally

Tina B. West, MD VIDEOS

Locations

Before and After Photos

QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Can I have CoolSculpting after a triple mesh on my incisional hernia back in 2011?

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out, 

I would advise not treating over an area where mesh has been placed.  We would not want the mesh to be pulled or disrupted.   Sorry.  


Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

I have hyperpigmentation left over from a IPL Lightsheer laser burn on my legs

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

I am so sorry you are going through this.  

Please schedule a follow up with your laser specialist or seek out a board certified dermatologist.  They will be able to evaluate the skin's condition and provide options for after care.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Is this normal post Infini RF recovery? (Photo)

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out, 


Yes, it is normal to have some minor swelling and redness lasting a few days after treatment.  The length of recovery from Infini varies from person to person.  That being said, it is always good practice to schedule a follow up with your provider in order to help you fulfil your skin care goals.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Red raised lines after home IPL hair removal. Will it fade over time? (Photo)

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out, 

I recommend scheduling a consult with a certified laser specialist.  They will be able to evaluate the state that your skin is in and provide any post treatment care to help speed your recovery.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

I have red skin in my arms without pain after laser session. What can I do to treat this redness?

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out. 

It is very common to have redness after your laser hair treatment.  Redness should subside within 24-48 hours after treatment.  If however you are concerned, I recommend contacting your laser hair provider for your after care treatment plan.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Are there any lasers developed yet that can remove light colored facial hair?

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thank you for your question!

I recommend consulting with a licensed provider to go over your treatment options.  Without seeing the hair, it is difficult to tell if you are a good candidate for laser hair reduction.  Laser hair devices target dark hairs.  If you truly have light- color facial hair, your best option might be electrolysis.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Will my injuries/burns from laser hair removal be permanent? (Photo)

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out. 

I would recommend doing a follow up with your laser hair provider.  The settings may have been high for your skin type but with proper treatment, should significantly lighten or heal completely. Be patient though, healing may take some time. 

Best of luck,  

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Does a laser like Clear + Brilliant have the potential to damage fat cells in the face?

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for your question!

Clear and Brilliant is a gentle laser that targets only the upper layers of the skin.  The heat does not penetrate deep enough to affect the fat cells or damage them.  

Best of luck,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Is it okay to get 2 sessions within 3 weeks for facial hair removal?

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out!

I do not recommend having hair removal treatment only 3 weeks apart.  You want the hair to be in the correct hair cycle for optimal results.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

It has been 2 months since I had CoolSculpting on my back waist area, but the lymph node still here. When will it disappear?

Asked By:AnonymousANSWERS (1)

Thanks for reaching out!

I strongly recommend doing a follow up with your CoolSculpting provider.  They can address your concerns and create a plan of action.  

Best,

provider-Tina B. West, MD-photo

Tina B. West, MD

Dermatologic Surgeon, Board Certified in Dermatology

4.7 | 27 reviews

Tina B. West, MD reviews

Tina B. West, MD

RATING DETAILS

4.7
27 reviews

All reviews are evaluated by the RealSelf team to ensure they're written by patients like you and meet our guidelines. Your results may vary. Doctors can never pay to have reviews removed or hidden.

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Tina B. West, MD
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10 Results
Aveli

jel5

Aveli is amazing - I can already tell a significant difference

Not enough good things to say about this practice and the treatment. Happy patient! Was skeptical about it after having qwo fail, but can already tell a significant difference. dr. west, Amy and the entire team made me feel comfortable from the start- I can’t wait to return for future skin health needs!

Infini RF

mitch ram

Great team

Dr west and her team are great! I recently did 3 treatments for scaring on my face with Kat and she recommended me switching between a Infini treatment and fraxel. She's very knowledgeable and cares about the journey of getting you to your desired look. Dr west also broke my Botox virginity and suggested some treatments to keep my face looking fresh, which I appreciated and looking forward to.

Fraxel Laser

soledadap

Excellent! I had an amazing experience

I found Dr West in google and when I saw her reviews I made the decision to go for a consultation, staff is very competent and polite. And Dr West is amazing. She made me feel secure and responded to all of my questions, also she did my Botox that day (Which of course I love) and I scheduled an appt 2 weeks after my consultation. I went back and the nurse who did the fraxel dual in my face and Infinity laser on my neck was amazing, kind and very professional. both lasers hurt a bit while they are doing it. But after 1.5 hrs the pain reduced considerably. Also the products she has in her office are amazing. Only one day have past since and I can see in the mirror a whole new skin. I can't wait to pass this 4-5 days to go out again. I highly recommend Dr West. Considering that I have visit many high end plastic surgeons in the DC area. No one have come remotely close to be as good as Dr west. For sure I will be back in her office for my next treatments God Willing soon. Thank you Dr West and all of her staff.

Restylane

301Linda

The Best of the Best in the DMV Area

I am a long-time patient of Dr. West. I see her quarterly for my routine maintenance that keeps me looking younger than I am. At each visit, she continues to amaze me. One expects that after years of caring for a patient, a doctor should greet you with a certain level of familiarity. While Dr. West does that with me, she also welcomes me with a compassionate attitude inquiring about any new concerns I may have regarding how I look. Her genuine concern makes it easy for me to describe the latest details of the never-ending battle of combatting the aging process. In my case, my main concerns are with my face. With her experience, talent, and skills in the cosmetic field, she always knows the best treatment for whatever issue is bothering me. She is eager to explain in detail or show me pictures of ways to make things better. Recently, she used filler to smooth out an area near my mouth and lower lip. Now, when I look into a mirror, that area is not an issue with me. I had previously, asked a plastic surgeon how that area could be repaired, and he was not able to make any suggestions. Dr. West knew without hesitating. At every visit, I am greeted by her friendly and knowledgeable staff and assisted by her highly competent and personable medical technician. The office is modern and clean and includes the latest aesthetic equipment and products. If you have any cosmetic issues treatable by non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures, you owe it to yourself to visit The West Institute.

Restylane

ravenashly

First time getting Restylane under eyes - AMAZING place, staff, and experience!

Prior to walking into the West Institute, I visited another doctor's office, waited about an hour and a half, spoke to the dermatologist for about three minutes and immediately someone brought ice over to me to begin the botox process. Well, I wasn't there for botox and I was terrified at how quickly they wanted me in and out. I had never had any injections and I don't believe you should ever bargain shop for cosmetic procedures but after hearing that the cost of Restylane was so high, I decided why not. BIG MISTAKE! After scheduling an appointment with Dr. West who was recommended through an old friend, I already felt confident with my decision. I was greeted by lovely Holly who has the prettiest smile to match her (no wonder she sits at the front desk!), and only waited a few minutes before seeing Dr. West. Next, another pretty lady named Tracy (an extension of Dr. West... I mean really) came in to tell me what would be done, comforted me with the "amazing numbing cream" guarantee (that’s how she got me) and took a look at my eyes to better understand what I disliked about them. Dr. West was extremely professional yet easy going, took time to hear me out, and told me what I could expect after the procedure. She was very friendly and inviting which truly made me a lot more comfortable with everything. Did I mention how stylish she is?? After answering all my questions and more, I was sent off with a moisturizer that I now love and knew I wouldn't be visiting any other offices. The day of my appointment, I came in early for my complimentary facial with Chelsea (yes, another beauty) and immediately after, I could feel and see my skin improving. SERIOUSLY! As a former Rodan and Fields user who spent thousands of dollars on various regimens month after month, ONE facial with Chelsea was all I needed to never look back! My acne scars and complexion had improved dramatically by day two and I only spent 45 minutes with her! Tracy put numbing cream under my eyes and a little over my cheeks for a little over 25 minutes probably because I was acting like a nervous wreck and just like she said, painless! That numbing cream truly is the bomb.com. Dr. West spoke to me the entire time while injecting... making sure I was aware of what was happening, comfortable, and breathing! Ten minutes later I was done and held an ice pack under both eyes for a few minutes and then I was off! So easy! Because there was supposed to be swelling, Dr. West saved half the syringe for my follow up appointment two weeks later to ensure we were injecting where needed once the swelling subsided. Once I was finished, Dawn (surprise! Also beautiful) had all the products from my facial along with a regimen waiting for me. She explained when and how to use them all which made checking out easy and fast but not in a rushed way… efficient! Zero swelling, zero pain, zero puffiness, and I didn't even feel it when the numbing cream finally wore off! WHAT IS THIS MAGICAL PLACE you ask? The West Institute! Between the facility, professionalism, and squad of beauties that are very knowledgeable, kind, and helpful… I really am not sure why I’m writing this review because the place speaks for itself! I most definitely will return for any cosmetic needs in the future because the experience, facility, and staff are GRADE A! Highly recommended! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!

$1,500Fraxel Laser
kim9459

kim9459

56 Year Fighting Back the Signs of Age

I have spent the last 17 years focusing all my energies, time and money on helping my daughter maximize her potential. It is finally time to start on myself. I have started on the Korean 10 step program for my skin and the results were wonderful but it let me to want to even out my skin tone. So a trip to the West Institute in Bethesda, Md and after a consultation on decided on a fraxel treatment I went in today. I was nervous as heck after reading all the reviews on here. They put numbing cream on my face for 40 minutes and gave me a pain pill (tramadol). Then they added another layer of numbing cream for 20 more minutes. The treatment isn't comfortable but I handled it. Let's say that I am a big baby and don't react well to pain. Mostly the part that she did feels like you burned yourself badly. They blow cold air on your face which helps but I was wiggling and squeezing the stress ball. After the procedure, they did a light therapy treatment for 15 minutes to speed up healing. They also hand you the air hose and I was blowing cold air on my face. Finally they remove the eye guards, then slather three different creams on that I get to take home Once I got home, I mixed up cellerate Rx powdered wound care with aloe Vera and spreed it all over my face. The burning sensation stopped immediately. This is a product that is something we have access to because my husband invested in the company. If this helps, I will pass on the info to my dermatologist. Updated on 8 Mar 2017: Well sad so good. I washed my face and then applied the moisturizing product recommended. Second step was mixing cellerateRX with aloe Vera moisturizer. This stops the burning feeling immediately. I slept with all that on and some looking like this. Updated on 9 Mar 2017: No pain but I can't stand the texture of my skin. I am counting the moments until this starts sloughing off. I follow my 10 step but add multiple layers of moisturizer as my skin soaks it up as soon as I put it on. I don't look that horrible but I sure don't look very good yet. Updated on 11 Mar 2017: After flying to California with skin that felt like sandpaper but didn't look that bad today is much better. A long shower and most of the dead skin sloughed off. I have a few spots (my bad areas that haven't sloughed off yet). I religiously used my Korean 10 step products but added something called a sleep mask. I did not like the heavy product they sent me home with and I wasn't running the risk of getting any breakouts. That said, I did not have even one whitehead through this procedure. I credit the fact that I did my Korean 10 steps religiously for 6 weeks before doing the fraxel. Updated on 11 Mar 2017: Thanks to the miracles of modern iPhones I have done some side by side close ups with the before fraxel office visit and today's day five photo. Changing my rating to worth it already!!!!! Updated on 20 Mar 2017: Apparently I reached my limit of photos but the results are amazing. I tried to post my photo from today but can't. Updated on 1 Jun 2017:

Juvederm

louisajag

Looking good!

Dr West is the best! She is why people don't believe I am old enough to be a grandmother! I can't say enough about how wonderful and skilled she is. I have had fillers and laser treatment for my roscesea and I couldn't be more pleased. I would recommend her to anyone. Louisa Jaggar

CoolSculpting

zjohn

Top notch PA at the West Institute - Chevy Chase, MA

By far the best consultation i received for coolsculpting. Went to several diff offices and Donell was way more informative and spent so much time making me feel comfortable. She was able to do same day

CoolSculpting

20815ker

I had an awesome experience - Chevy Chase, MA

Came in for coolsculpting and was nervous but Donell knowledge and compassion made it completely stress free. She's super friendly not to mention hilarious. I can't wait for my next treatment. Good job

Botox

stacy133

Amazing staff make you feel at home

My first time doing Botox and was totally nervous but Dr. West was so professional and patient with me. I felt totally comfortable after my consultation and was very impressed with the entire staff...