Medical Weight Loss FAQs
Medical Weight Loss and Getting Started
Medical Weight Loss FAQs
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Medical weight loss means working one-on-one with a medical provider, rather than following a generic or online-only program. Meeting face-to-face lets your provider get to know you and tailor ideas and options to your needs — it's never a one-size-fits-all approach.
Our medical weight loss program is headed by Bonnie Green, MD – a dual-board certified physician in Family Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, with over 20 years of experience.
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Your first appointment is a 45-minute, one-on-one visit. Your provider reviews your health history, takes measurements, and goes over your plan in detail. Dr. Green and Carly tailor your diet and plan to your specific needs. Then, you are seen every 4 weeks to fine-tune your medication, answer any questions, and share the latest monthly tip.
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Medical weight loss can be a good fit whether you're looking to lose 10 pounds or 110 — even modest weight loss can make a meaningful impact on your health. For example, every pound lost is four pounds of pressure off your knees and feet, while losing just 5-7 pounds can lower your blood pressure and blood sugar.
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Your first visit is a 45-minute one-on-one with Dr. Green or Carly. During this visit, a review of your health history and goals are discussed and a personalized plan is laid out.
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It adds ongoing medical oversight, regular monitoring, and access to tools like medication that aren't available without a provider's supervision.
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Return visits occur every 4 weeks (by phone or in person). Research shows that regular check-ins help patients be more successful.
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Every patient's path is different, and your provider can talk through realistic expectations based on your specific plan. As general guidance, the goal is to lose 1 to 1.5 pounds per week.
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Yes, The Weight Place offers medical weight loss services in all three Western North Carolina locations.
Medical Weight Loss and Getting Started
Weight Loss Medications & GLP-1 Treatment
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GLP-1, or glucagon-like peptide-1, is a hormone your body already produces throughout the day. When you eat, it signals to your brain and digestive system that you're full and that food is ready to be used. For some people, this signaling doesn't work as efficiently, which can make appetite harder to manage. GLP-1 medications are designed to mimic this naturally occurring hormone, binding to the same receptors in the body and producing a similar effect.
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By mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, these medications can help regulate appetite and support the feeling of fullness, working alongside the nutrition and lifestyle guidance in your personalized plan.
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Yes, semaglutide is one of the GLP-1 options we offer. Your provider will go over whether the version available to you is compounded, along with pricing, at your first visit.
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Yes, tirzepatide is also one of the GLP-1 options we offer. As with semaglutide, your provider will cover whether it's compounded and go over pricing at your first visit.
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Semaglutide and tirzepatide are both GLP-1 receptor agonist medications. Tirzepatide also acts on a second receptor (GIP), which is a key structural difference between the two — your provider can talk through what that means for your plan.
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Qualification is determined individually by your provider during a consultation, based on your health history and goals.
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Patients with the following:
• Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC): A personal or family history of MTC.
• Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2 (MEN 2): A genetic disorder predisposing individuals to endocrine tumors.
• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: GLP-1s are unsafe during pregnancy and should be stopped at least two months before a planned conception. They are also generally not recommended while breastfeeding.
• History of Pancreatitis: A documented history of acute or chronic pancreatitis is a major contraindication due to the risk of recurrence.
• Active or Severe Restrictive Eating Disorders: Conditions such as anorexia nervosa or active, severe restriction where appetite suppression causes medical danger.
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Yes, GLP-1 weight loss medications are prescribed individually by your provider as part of your plan.
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Yes, medication is best when combined with nutrition and lifestyle guidance as part of a personalized plan.
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Duration varies by person and is determined together with your provider, based on your plan and goals.
Medical Weight Loss and Getting Started
Weight Loss Enhancement Injections
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MIC B12 injections, also written as MIC/B12 injections, are one of the weight loss injections offered at the Weight Place, combining lipotropic compounds and vitamin B12. They're compounded, not FDA-approved, and intended to complement a broader weight loss plan.
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MICC injections build on the MIC/B12 formula with added ingredients like L-carnitine. Like MIC/B12 injections, they're compounded and not FDA-approved.
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MIC/B12 injections combine core lipotropic (fat burning) compounds with B12; MICC injections add components like L-carnitine and several other B vitamins. Your provider can help determine which fits your plan.
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MIC injections and MICC injections, sometimes grouped as weight loss enhancement injections, support a medically supervised plan but don't replace it.
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Some patients use lipotropic (fat burning) injections alongside GLP-1 medications, but this is determined individually with your provider.
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Frequency varies by provider and plan, typically weekly or biweekly, and is determined during a consultation.
Botox
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Botox is an injectable treatment that temporarily relaxes the facial muscles behind dynamic wrinkles. Cosmetic Botox smooths the look of lines from repeated expressions like frowning or squinting.
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Results from Botox treatment are temporary, typically lasting three to four months depending on the individual.
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Most patients notice changes within days of Botox injections, with full results in one to two weeks.
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Common treatment areas include Botox for frown lines, Botox for crow's feet, and Botox for forehead lines.
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Most people resume normal activities right away. Our Botox Asheville providers, as well as our providers in Arden and Brevard, will cover any specific aftercare at your visit.
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Pricing for Botox Asheville NC treatments is $13.95 per unit; your provider can give you a personalized quote based on your treatment areas, along with special offers throughout the year.
VI Peel & Chemical Peels
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A VI Peel is a medical grade chemical peel that removes damaged outer layers of the skin to reveal smoother, more even-toned skin.
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Our chemical peel Asheville team commonly uses VI Peel for fine lines, uneven tone, enlarged pores, and texture concerns.
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VI Peel for hyperpigmentation, also called a chemical peel for hyperpigmentation, can help improve tone, though results vary by person.
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VI Peel for acne, or a chemical peel for acne, may help with the appearance of acne and related scarring.
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The treatment takes about 30 minutes. VI Peel Asheville patients can expect visible peeling for about a week, so sun protection matters.
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Most people keep their regular routine; our VI Peel Asheville NC and chemical peel Asheville NC patients see peeling resolve within about a week.
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VI Peel cost is $200 per treatment. VI Peel results typically emerge within days as peeling resolves, though results vary.
Hair Vitamins & Supplements
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We offer hair vitamins and hair supplements, including vitamins for hair growth. Ask your provider for formulation details.
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Hair growth vitamins, or hair growth supplements, include nutrients like biotin, vitamin D, iron, and zinc that support the hair growth cycle.
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Those with a confirmed nutritional gap tend to benefit most. Vitamins for thinning hair and hair loss vitamins may also interest those with shifting nutrient needs.
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Common ingredients include Ferrous Fumarate/Methylcobalamin/Zinc Sulfate w/Ascorbic Acid/Biotin/Niacinamide.
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Most research suggests three to six months of consistent use for full results. Some patients notice early changes in as little as four weeks, though results vary and aren't guaranteed.
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Many people take hair vitamins alongside a weight loss program; review any supplements with your provider.
Cost, Insurance & Appointments
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Most insurance plans do not cover medical weight loss visits. To keep care affordable, the first visit is $125 for a 45-minute one-on-one appointment, and return visits are $55. The Weight Place also accepts HSA and FSA cards.
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Coverage varies by plan. The Weight Place can print off a superbill for you to submit for insurance reimbursement if your coverage allows.
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Some medications are covered by insurance while others are not. Dr. Green and Carly will work with your budget and coverage to help you choose a medication option that fits your plan.
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Your first visit is $125 and return visits are $55. Medication cost varies based on insurance.
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No referral is needed — you can schedule your first appointment online or call us at (828) 884-7546.
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Give us a call at (828)884-7546 or book online.
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All of our services are available in each of our three locations – Asheville, Arden, and Brevard. Call our office at (828)884-7546 for appointment availability options so that we can set you up on a schedule that works for you.
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