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Regardless of the field you are in, it all started somewhere. Think about it. Did you wake up and know how to kick a soccer ball as a professional athlete? Did you learn how to administer a shot in your sleep as a doctor? No, you were taught. So, going back to the beginning stages of learning how to become a pro, we at Haute Beauty asked our Haute Beauty experts which treatment they were first taught to give and still to this day practice. Here’s what they had to say:

Dr. Laura Purdy | Medical Aesthetics | Nashville

The first treatment that I ever learned how to administer was Botox! Technically, it was Botox and fillers because they were both taught in the same course, but I learned them simultaneously! I was so excited to learn how to do Botox, and the procedure was simple but also very scientific. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that all the anatomies I learned back in school are relevant in providing patients with excellent Botox aesthetics. To this day, it is one of my favorite procedures!

For more information, visit Dr. Purdy’s website!

Dr. Jeffrey Ayers | Medical Spa | Salt Lake City, UT

Back in the day when “modern aesthetics” was still new, I attended my first cosmetic injection course. I was searching for ways to enhance my family medicine practice. It was very exciting, yet specific trainings were challenging to find. Most of us had to figure it out as we practiced our new craft. Nevertheless, my desire to add this type of work to my practice was strong, and I did anything I could to gain more experience. However, since I was not a dermatologist or plastic surgeon, entering this specialty was an uphill struggle to be recognized as a legitimate provider as a  “medical artist.”

Like myself, most of us started with Botox (the first neuromodulator available). This was satisfying because the price for our clients to experience the products was low. However, the real “art” of aesthetics was with fillers. My first training with fillers was observation only and left me wanting more. Consequently, I hired a Nurse practitioner to work with me for two days, using fillers on anyone I could get my hands on. Wanting as much experience injecting lips as possible, I recruited my 16-year-old daughter to be my first lip model. I was extremely nervous, and thankfully she loved her results. She was envied by her classmates, who now saw her lips and only dreamed of getting theirs done.

Fast forward to now, I consider myself an expert in natural lip augmentation, which is my favorite procedure. My goal is to define the lips clearly, leaving them looking naturally hydrated, balancing lack of volume and fixing asymmetry. If you live in or visit the Salt Lake City, Utah area, join me by scheduling a consultation. I would enjoy helping you love the way you look and feel!

For more information, visit Dr. Ayer’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!

Dr. Kimberly N. Mascia | Medical Spa | Erie, PA

One of the most rewarding treatments we offer at SpaGo MedSpa is acne. The first and most common skin issue I have encountered is acne, which can be difficult to treat. In Erie, Pennsylvania, where I practice, there is a shortage of Dermatologists and very few who have the tools to address the cutaneous changes associated with acne. Medical training often overlooks many options that are available to treat acne and I found that I was rarely satisfied with what I could offer in practice. Fortunately, with improvements in lasers and chemical peels as well as the more recent introduction of the HydraFacial machine, we are capable of doing so much more. For example, YAG lasers used to be so large and slow that their use was limited. With the innovativeness of the Aerolase Neo Elite YAG laser and patented NeoClear technology, we can kill bacteria, shrink pores, dry sebum, reduce inflammation, and reduce scarring without downtime.

The NeoClear technology is very popular with our teens and requires treatment every other week for active acne. Scar treatment can be performed every 3- 4 weeks. HydraFacials, which use microdermabrasion to exfoliate the skin followed by gentle pore extraction, healing serums, and LED light therapy, are also very popular and incredibly effective. Several monthly treatments are required so we often recommend packages that are more cost-effective. More aggressive yet very tolerable therapies such as RF microneedling and fractional laser break up deep scars and remove surface irregularities, respectively. The skin changes that I observe following just one of these treatments are outstanding.  Combined with adequate topical prescriptions, these therapies can have a lasting and rewarding impact on a problem that plagues so many teens and adults. At SpaGo MedSpa, I develop an individualized plan that varies with each person. Now, I can confidently say that acne is one of my favorite conditions to treat.

For more information, visit Dr. Mascia’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!