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This past year has had its many highs and inevitability, lows. As we wrap up the end of 2022, we asked our Haute Beauty and MD experts what their greatest accomplishments were this year and how they pushed through the trying times. Of course, with the new year ahead, the constant question of what their new year’s resolutions are for 2023 was also thrown into the mix; here’s what they shared.

Bellagena Med Spa | Day Spa | Bradenton, FL

This past year has been a roller coaster for sure. We have been settling into our new location expanding our practice and adding new treatments for our patients. The greatest accomplishment of this past year has been that we were able to share all our growth with the community, continuing our path to provide quality aesthetic and wellness services to our patients. Being so busy this year with our new location and added services, having an incredibly supportive team and great organizational skills is vital to being able to manage stressful situations. We need to understand that sometimes there is nothing we can so we must accept and adapt to those situations. Sometimes we must simply take our own advice and use the same mindful-based therapies we recommend to our patients, for ourselves.

I don’t necessarily believe in resolutions; I think they can evoke negative emotions in us. I like to use a variety of other tools like setting realistic monthly goals, creating a vision board and gratitude list as well as reflecting on what goals we met for the prior year. My vision for 2023 includes adding new laser treatments for Women’s Health and increasing our partnerships with local Women’s Organizations. Personally, I am looking forward to an opportunity as a Key Opinion Leader for Alma Laser. I will be able to train, educate and assist Physicians and other Med Spas by sharing my business experience, knowledge, and expertise.

For more information, visit Bellagena Spa’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!

ELIVATE MedSpa Wellness | Medical Spa | Stamford/Greenwich

Throughout the year, our team at ELIVATE worked very hard to continue improving the overall patient experience, increase the amount of top-of-the-line services and products we offer, and integrate more into our community through philanthropic efforts. Female empowerment is also important to us, which is why we enjoyed supporting, attending, and exhibiting at various local women-focused events in 2022. As expected, we had to carefully work around patients and staff, possibly feeling under the weather during the winter months, but we’ve learned how to pivot and readjust schedules to accommodate everyone. We are very excited to continue identifying new ways we can provide special promotions to our patients as a way to thank them for their business, as well as host in-office and off-site exclusive events that encourage embracing health and wellness from the inside out. My personal resolution is to continue growing ELIVATE, be a present mom, and remember to take a little time for myself.

For more information, visit ELIVATE Med Spa Wellness’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!

Dr. Daniel Careaga, Careaga Plastic Surgery | Body | Miami, FL

It’s the end of the year and it is so important as a practice to reflect on how the year went, what worked and what didn’t. Truthfully, what a whirlwind it’s been! The expansion of the office was one of our biggest challenges as a team this year but also one of our greatest accomplishments. Pushing through the arduous process of construction can be daunting but through patience, we persevered and at the end of it built two new state-of-the-art surgical suites, exam rooms, and more. We are grateful to our wonderful patients for trusting us with their aesthetic needs in 2022 which has allowed us to move to this step of growing our practice. In the new year, we look forward to welcoming our patients, both new and existing, to Careaga Plastic Surgery’s new space and achieving continued growth in 2023.

For more information, visit Careaga Plastic Surgery’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!

Dr. Daisy Ayim | Body | Houston

My greatest accomplishment this year was to commit myself to more public speaking engagements in the aesthetic industry and was able to accomplish that with three major aesthetic conferences as a speaker. There were not any lows per se perhaps carving more time dedicated to leisure would have been awesome. I am looking forward to 2023 because inevitably there are personal life transition moments that I do not how that will play out and am excited.

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

Lana Mar, Face Fit Bar | Day Spa | Miami Beach

2022 was definitely the most rewarding year, with many pleasant surprises. It was such an honor to be featured as a spa of the month and 12 best spas of the year, along with luxurious Forbes Five-Star spas like Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain, The Spa at Rancho Valencia, The Oxford Spa, Loma de Vida Spa.

Gaining more and more popularity, the concept of non-surgical face lift a.k.a Face Fitness became in high demand and kept us busy with private celebrity house calls, events, fashion shows and pop-ups. The only lows or challenge of this year was keeping up with the high demand of clients, training employees, and working on new projects. I am receiving an enormous amount of messages a day about training and questions about face massage classes, Gua Sha, etc. And unfortunately, it has been impossible to be active on social media enough to respond to every question or to teach. So I decided to take a new direction in 2023 and focus more on classes and education, both for clients and professionals. Face Fitness is going to Miami’s top gyms, yoga studios, and other wellness centers as the first Face Workout Class in the US. Yes, you heard it right. Just like you go to yoga to stretch your body, now you will have an opportunity to work out your face, strengthen your facial muscles, get rid of a double chin, de-puffing eyes and more. Classes will range from $35-$55, depending on the location and duration.

On the other hand, I have big news for estheticians! I know so many of you have been waiting for my Masterclass, which will grant you to be Face Fitness Certified. Well, I have some big news for you. The masterclass will be available in April 2023, and to add to the mix, I am thrilled to announce that I will be a speaker presenting two masterclasses at the International Congress of Esthetics and Spa nationwide. Four leading skin care and spa trade shows across the country, The International Congress of Esthetics and Spa in Miami, Long Beach, Dallas, and Philadelphia, that provide superior education and dynamic show floors that feature the largest display for skin care and spa products.

For more information, visit Face Fit Bar’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!

Dr. S. Alexander Earle | Body | Miami, FL

In this past year, I have experienced many personal highs from my daughter’s quinceñera, and family vacations to developing deeper bonds with my loved ones. On a professional level, being named the president of the World Association of Gluteal Surgeons (WAGS), teaching other surgeons how to safely use ultrasound technology during the Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure, and seeing our patients blossom after surgery are accomplishments that fill me with pride.

As with any profession, being a doctor comes with difficult days – we are human – and I do my best to leave work issues at the office, especially because my wife, Mikele, and I are business partners. We have mastered celebrating the wins and climbing through the difficult times together while setting aside time for ourselves and our family. Some days when I feel overwhelmed, I go out on my paddle board with my dog and it centers me, makes me feel thankful, and gives me the space to reflect and weed out any negativity.

For 2023 I am looking forward to more milestones with my wife and children who are growing up so quickly. I want to spend as much time with them as I can because, in the blink of an eye, they will be off on their own. Professionally, attending more conferences, learning about innovative products, and developing new skills is on my to-do list. Part of honing your craft is evolving, accepting feedback, and welcoming change. A major goal for our practice is to continue to develop our patient-centric mission, which is putting humanity back into plastic surgery. This includes our culture of leading with empathy and delivering a personalized hospitality experience. This mindset has helped us to better serve our patients each year, provide the safest experience possible, and in the end, we all become better versions of ourselves.

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

Dr. Jose Rodríguez-Feliz | Eyelid Surgery & Face | Miami, FL

We had a great 2022! One of the biggest accomplishments of the year and actually of my career has been to finish the build-out of my own operating suite which after two years of construction we finally inaugurated two months ago. We had tremendous growth in our staff which actually put a lot of challenges into preserving our culture which is really the most important thing in our office because that same culture that we have been able to create and preserve is what actually gets transmitted into an experience for our patients. That said, the growth which was one of the high points of our 2022 also brought a lot of challenges but we were able to work with a lot of partners and consultants which helped us solidify even more our message and in the end, we were able to craft an even better patient experience. We are excited for 2023 to continue optimizing our processes in the office to be more efficient we might see a bit of growth also in terms of staff but our main goal for 2023 is to consolidate and focus our efforts on providing an even better patient experience.

For more information, visit Dr. Rodríguez-Feliz’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!

Dr. Jason Bloom | Face | Philadelphia

I am very lucky that 2022 was filled with many more highs than lows! It was a year where I concentrated mainly on growing the surgical portion of my practice and focusing on exemplary patient care and surgical outcomes. The greatest part of that was that it was the busiest surgical year of my entire plastic surgery career to date!  I think that the hardest part of the year that we had to push through was that we were still dealing with many issues from COVID at the beginning of the year and really had to work hard to accommodate all of our patients and the surgical schedule to deal with all of the cancellations, reschedules and changes.  I truly cannot wait for what we have in store for 2023!  We have already expanded our office staff to help accommodate all of the expansion and growth for the upcoming year. Our new staff will help us optimize the patient process and really make it a VIP surgical experience. Additionally, we are adding more clinical staff with new aesthetic nurse injectors that we have already identified, a new aesthetician & 3 new treatment rooms, which are part of a 1,400-square-foot office expansion.  Finally, the thing that I am looking forward to most is actually a secret!! This will be a HUGE project and undertaking that I cannot wait to reveal later on in the year! 2023 will be the best year yet for Bloom Facial Plastic Surgery!

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

Dr. Anna Chacon | Skin | Miami, FL

This year, my biggest success has been to practice dermatology as a sole independent private practitioner. I collaborate with indigenous tribes, including the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, and the Arctic Slope Native Association, since I am their dermatologist of choice.

I’m the first and only dermatologist to work and serve in the Alaskan Bush, a region of the state with no access to roads, rivers, or the state ferry system. I use bush planes to the most remote and rural corners of the country to meet with patients. My actual practice takes place in Florida, Alaska, and California. I am the only dermatologist with 52 medical licenses, including those from all 50 states, and I also practice as a teledermatologist.

Throughout my entire life, I have seen many tough people, I have seen many harsh sights, and faced many difficult challenges. Accomplishing these things seems to be easy, but I believe I have not only overcome these challenges but used them to develop myself as a person. I must possess strength in order to fulfill my duty as a doctor, which is to assist others in need. In order to overcome challenges you must work hard and never give up.

My new year’s resolutions for 2023 is to become licensed in Puerto Rico in order to expand my profession and introduce more medical assistants and doctor’s assistants to be able to take more patients by considering insurance, if it wasn’t too difficult.

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

Dr. Brian K. Machida | Face | Los Angeles

My greatest accomplishment this year was the continued evolution of fine points of my facelift technique.  Although I’ve done thousands of facelifts, I’m still open to new modifications in technique, and this year, I’ve incorporated several techniques to improve satisfaction with my neck results. We’ve had to deal with a slowing volume during the recession, but we try to concentrate on the good results we’ve seen so far in our practice and keep up our attitude. We’re optimistic about continued growth during 2023.

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

Dr. Omar A. Ibrahimi | Skin | Stamford/Greenwich

I think 2023 will be exciting in terms of the new technology that has come to market. Specifically, tissue micro coring or Ellacor, which is an entirely new class of devices and now we have a laser capable of curing severe acne which is made by Accure Acne.

I am hopeful that the pandemic will fade and that supply chains and inflation will come back down to normal levels so we can focus on delivering good care to patients. This past year, I love that basic ingredients are getting a lot of attention on social media like retinoids, hyaluronic acids, Vitamin C, and so on. These are the building base of what we do in the office with devices and injectables. I would love to see self-injecting trends stay in 2022 and be forgotten.

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

Dr. Mara Weinstein Velez | Skin | Rochester, NY

There are so many things that I am so proud to say that I have accomplished! In my career, one of my biggest accomplishments is being invited to speak and travel to different states in the US, and overseas. Furthering my knowledge of the wonderful world of Laser and Cosmetic Dermatology! I’m also so blessed to have been able to share my knowledge, research, and findings with my fellow medical professionals in attendance to learn from colleagues at many of these conferences and events.

Honestly trying to keep a positive and open mind. Knowing that I am making a difference, especially throughout the busy times of the year. One of my passions is teaching! I spend most of my working hours in the clinic, seeing patients and educating them on their skin, sharing my knowledge with residents as they rotate through my clinic and working as a team with my wonderful staff.  Even on the lowest days, we lift each other up and fill each other’s cups. Also, knowing that I’m making a difference in helping others further their education and knowledge really helps me to push through. At home, I have a wonderful family and 3 beautiful children who keep me laughing and on my toes.

Of course, I want to keep helping to spread knowledge and educate up-and-coming young Dermatologists and my fellow medical professionals. I’d like to do more outreach in our local community so that skincare knowledge is accessible to everyone. I’m really looking forward to taking what I personally focused on over these past 3 years, the mind-skin connection, to the next level. I also look forward to continuing to expand my reach and stay on top of new technology, skincare, and injectables launched into our field.

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

Dr. Jeffrey Lisiecki | Nose | New York

This past year has been an incredible one with so many professional accomplishments!  My greatest one has definitely been starting my own practice here in New York City; it has been a huge amount of work but an amazing journey to create a space where I can treat patients to the highest standards I can set. My other greatest professional accomplishment of the year was being part of the laboratory faculty at the Dallas Rhinoplasty meeting, where surgeons from around the world gather to learn and discuss the latest in rhinoplasty techniques. Being part of that and being able to share the things I have learned with others was such an honor.

When accomplishing anything difficult, there will inevitably be challenges and low points along the way.  I have pushed through these by remembering my goals and purpose, and what made me want to be a plastic surgeon in the first place–the privilege of helping my patients.  I focus on being grateful for my patients and the confidence they place in me, and for my community of family, friends, and colleagues.

My resolutions for 2023 are to continue to push myself and my practice to provide the highest level of plastic surgery care possible; to continue to grow and be a part of our community locally, nationally, and internationally; and to remain humble, focused, and centered.

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

Dr. Viraj J. Mehta | Eyelid Surgery, Oculoplastic | DMV

This has been a great year. Despite the lingering effects of Covid, our practice has grown and remained busy! My greatest accomplishment this year is the record number of surgeries performed! As an Oculofacial Plastics Surgeon, I see many patients with functional and cosmetic concerns around their eyes and face. I am thrilled to have helped so many patients, and I am looking forward to another tremendous year in 2023 as I get more established in the DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area. There are always some lows, but with faith, perseverance, and optimism, we push through. My goal for 2023 is to help even more patients! We’re working to improve efficiency in our clinic to ensure a smooth experience for all our patients from consultation to after surgery. I look forward to seeing you!

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

Dr. Vineet Sandhu | Concierge Medicine | New York

The greatest accomplishment of this year was a focus on holistic health and mental health awareness in our communities as a collective. After the pandemic, many patients fell out of care with mind, body, and/or strong social connection in close bonds (which is related to longevity in life) and I consider myself grateful to help each one of them at this time in our history. Lows happen to every market/industry/family and the best advice I’ve learned from others is to have a routine with appropriate sleep, nutrition and exercise. Plan and make a list of positive and negative scenarios. Good mental and physical well-being is important when times get tough, and asking for help when you don’t know is important in times of these lows.

My resolutions expand my practice in terms of specialty care as my daily patient load can increase fast as an internist, continue helping more people in a way that is beneficial to them even if its the harsh truth, and love more, have fun more, and appreciate the small things in life more! 

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

Dr. Yaritza Arriaga-O’Neill | Emergency Medicine | Davenport, FL

For some time healthcare has been evolving with many challenges. I feel the test of fire to most professionals. One of my biggest accomplishments was working through the fear of failure and embracing courage. Taking a leap of faith in a new business, trusting one skill, and acquiring knowledge.

When times of low come I rest on my faith, hope and strength. I try hard to keep my mind at peace and trust the process. Enrichment of knowledge is always good armor. Finally, taking time to rest and recharge is extremely valuable as well.

For the new year coming, I hope to continue both personal and professional growth. Understanding better personal and professional boundaries. My biggest goal is always to continue affecting the lives of others positively.

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