Asian 33 F: Subcision w/suction and Microneedling (w/Dr. Rapaport) - Englewood Cliffs, NJ

I just got this procedure done today. I've heard positive things about subcision, so I went to Dr. Rapaport, who is one of the few docs performing this surgery. Once at the office, the doctor gave a free consultation during which he determined Subcision with Micro-needling to be the best solution for me, because I had some rolling scars and mostly a lot of enlarged, pitted pores on my cheeks and temples. The subcision would cost between $800-900 and the micro-needing would cost $695, plus extra fees for hydroquinone (to prevent my asian skin from hyper-pigmenting) and a new technique called Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) which supposedly helps skin heal faster (this involved about 5 of my many needle injections that day). Dr. Rapaport recommended that I may need to do another round of micro-needling, but that I wouldn't have to do any more subcision after this first time.

My subcision experience: Dr. Rapaport took a marker and noted the areas he needed to treat. The most painful part is in the beginning when the nurse (whose wonderful bedside manner really helped) injects an anesthetic called Lidocaine into the marked areas. Though the needle doesn't go deep, the Lidocaine burns, so it felt fairly painful (around 8 from 1-10) but brief. I was glad when it was all done. Then Dr. Rapaport took his subcision needle and went over my face. I didn't feel anything there, but did smell my blood initially, which I could tell the nurse was wiping away a lot of. It was all over in 10 minutes or less.

My micro-needling experience: Then I was taken to their operating room, and after the nurse wiped my Plasma onto my scars, Dr. R took a pen-like machine with 10-15 short needles on it and began to "drill" my face with it. All over, multiple times. It hurt only a little bit, felt more like getting scratched with a prickly vibrating brillo pad. That took about 10 minutes too. Dr. R injected the regions with my plasma (PRP). Then the nurse bandaged my face up, advising me to take my bandages off the next night, after which I need to use the suction machine they provided and keep my skin slathered in sunscreen.

The worst part of the whole experience (besides the Lidocaine) was having to take the public transportation to and from NJ (I'm coming from Queens, NYC) with obvious face bandages. I was very glad to be home.

I will keep anyone reading this updated with my thoughts on the procedure's effectiveness. And will add pictures too eventually.