September 7, 2024 • 36 mins
What if the secret to aging gracefully lies not in drastic measures, but in understanding and embracing the nuances of your unique beauty? This episode opens a candid dialogue about my own experiences with aesthetic enhancements and the pivotal role that informed choices and consultations play in achieving harmonious results. My transformative experience with Audrey, our guest expert who masterfully blends science and artistry in her practice, underscores the importance of individualized treatment plans that honor each person's natural beauty.
Audrey and I delve into the empowering potential of education in the realm of aesthetics. We emphasize the significance of personalized care and patient understanding, debunking common horror stories and misconceptions about beauty treatments.
In another compelling segment, we explore the complexities and expectations surrounding non-surgical facelifts and volume restoration. With Audrey's expertise, we highlight the shift away from one-size-fits-all solutions and the importance of strategic volume placement to maintain natural proportions and feminine features. This episode is a call to action for transparency and empowerment in the world of aesthetics—a plea for a community where women can trust and lift each other up on their journeys to aging gracefully.
https://elase.com/providers/audrey-coleman/
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm getting a facelift, my mother announced
she had been staring at herselfin the mirror for years and the
most drastic measure was herfirst instinct.
Why don't you try using Botox,I asked.
I don't like needles, so Ibegan already seeing where this
(00:24):
was headed.
You want to slice your face offwhile you're unconscious?
That's your first choice.
Fine, she would try Botox, shesaid.
And two weeks before mysister's wedding, at a dentist
in Queens, from one friend, theonly one who was willing to
(00:45):
admit her connection, she gotthe Botox, that album and the
face that she had that day twoweeks later, from someone she
didn't know, has been laid torest along with my late
brother-in-law.
So I couldn't understand.
(01:05):
If you know a secret that'shelpful, shouldn't you share it
with everyone?
And that's what we're going totackle today.
Hi, I'm Suze, coming to you witha dose of culture, values and
global citizenship and where wemight tackle those topics others
may consider off-limits.
A little about me.
I'm a busy Gen X mom who, quitefrankly, wanted to grow up like
(01:28):
the Brady Bunch.
But how could I, being raisedin the shadow of Schindler's
List?
So this means I've spent alifetime navigating these mixed
messages we get hit with daily.
You know those conversationswhere we wonder if it's safe to
speak our minds.
Can we share our experiences,voice our fears and concerns, or
(01:50):
should we just keep our mouthsshut?
Well, too bad, I need to know,but I'm no expert, so I'm going
to schmooze the experts and gettheir thoughts.
Why so?
When we engage with our kids,colleagues or the countless
committees we interact with, wecan do it with competence,
kindness, confidence and maybe abit of humor.
(02:13):
If this sounds like your cup ofcoffee, welcome to Schmooze
with Suze.
Nobody talked about it.
To this day, my mom's friendsstill don't share their
resources.
They deny and deny, even thoughtheir faces are stretchier and
stretchier, and still my motherscreams from year to year I need
(02:34):
to get a facelift.
She stopped getting injectablesbecause at some point the
injectables just don't workanymore if you've never prepped
the palate prior.
So I figured I would be theopposite.
I would be a guinea pig Sorry,I meant a pioneer, a pioneer for
(02:55):
my generation and as soon as Icould afford to get something, I
sat down and got it.
I didn't ask about it.
I went to the place that wasmost well-respected and renowned
and asked for an appointmentwith the first available
practitioner.
I sat in her chair.
She looked trustworthy, shesounded knowledgeable, and so
(03:16):
she poked at my face Veryconservatively.
She said I start veryconservatively, but I need you
to make an appointment in twoweeks for a follow-up.
I said what?
Start very conservatively, butI need you to make an
appointment in two weeks for afollow up.
I said what follow up?
I thought two weeks later is mysister's wedding and you just
get to see what your face lookslike.
Later, surprise, she laughedand she said that's not how we
(03:37):
do it here.
You come back in two weeks andif we need to do any touch-ups,
it's complimentary.
We have to learn how your faceworks.
We have to learn what works foryou.
Wow, that was in my thirties andsince then I have skeptically
(03:59):
stared at aesthetics from adistance, thinking that I only
needed to go every six monthsfor that touch up, but it wasn't
getting the effects I desireduntil I made an appointment with
Audrey.
Hi, audrey, hi, susie, thanksfor coming in today.
I really appreciated that.
(04:19):
When I came in and I sat to,hopped into your chair, actually
like I had done on every visitprior with every other
practitioner, they gratefullyactually were so happy that I
would take whatever they wouldgive me.
And they didn't explain and Ididn't ask and I didn't know I
(04:40):
could or should.
And I sat in your chair and Isaid, okay, so make me beautiful
.
And you laughed and you said,let's talk first.
So let's talk a little bitfirst about what led you to this
field of aesthetics.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, thank you for having me, susie.
It's really a privilege tospend some time with you today
talking about a true passionI've had for years.
Aesthetics is, um, aestheticsis something that um I I
cultivated very early in life.
Um I was, I enjoyed art.
Um I enjoyed skincare.
Um I loved painting, but I alsoloved finding the products that
(05:15):
were best for my skin and whatthose ingredients look like and
the long-term outcomes of that.
And so, um, from there, um Ipursued, um pursued a degree in
biomedical science and moved onto become a PA.
I was really fascinated by theskin and the aging process and I
spent some years working indermatology and oculoplastics
(05:36):
but really sharpening myaesthetic eye and creating a
systematic approach tounderstanding the aging changes
of the face and what treatmenttreatments we can provide
patients like myself andaddressing some of those.
So what I love and I hear thisstatement and it really
resonates I'm going to share itagain Aesthetics is really a
combination of that science andthat artistry and really
(05:58):
marrying those two, and I sharethat with my background and kind
of that artistic side, becauseit really is something I like to
have precision with, but I alsolove that.
It does you have to reallythink outside of the, think
bigger and think of theunderlying layers of change to
the face.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Right, right, I mean, I'm not going to laugh.
My eight year old has anighttime face routine.
I'm so glad you read about thistrend.
So there's this trend amongstyoung children and we're talking
about as young as eight, aseight where they have this 20
minute nighttime facialcleansing and rolling and all
(06:37):
the things that they werewatching their moms do.
They're now modeling thatbehavior.
So for teens, I understand youwant to get to that.
You know acne prone skin or thechanging hormones.
But to see kids understand thatwe should take care of what we
have is such a beautiful thingand it comes from people like
(06:59):
you, who I love that you saidmarried Mary, education and
aesthetics it's not just make mebeautiful, because you could
just do that.
So I'll tell you a little bitabout how I started and then
where I ended up with you.
After a couple of times of Botox, just in the forehead, I was
getting okay results.
(07:20):
I was, you know, frozen enoughthat my kids still knew when I
was mad.
That was the goal.
But my lower face was just now,the upper face, the lower face.
Somebody had said, okay, you'regoing to eventually have to do a
facelift and I kept thinking tomyself straight to facelift.
I'm 45.
That seems a little extreme.
So they kept saying you can doa little tweak here and there.
(07:41):
And then there was the offer todo injectables.
And so they gave me in one daylike four injectables, four
syringes, two on one side of mycheek and two on the other side
and one in my chin, and it was alot of stuff and I left looking
(08:01):
okay, it was thousands ofdollars, there was no
explanation, and so I wasterrified and I didn't go back
for another two years.
And that's when I met you and Ijumped in and I was like, okay,
make me beautiful.
I was cause when people show up, sometimes they make an
appointment and they're late totheir Botox appointment.
So let's talk a little bitabout how somebody who is coming
(08:24):
from where I am in themid-stage okay, before the
preventative.
What are the common types ofquestions you get when someone
walks in and says okay, I wantto do something and I need help
understanding what my optionsare?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
yeah, so, um, I love having this, having this
conversation, because I thinkthere's so many things to dive
into here.
There's, um you mentioned, anawareness of aging changes and
almost we're in an age ofempowerment, and I really love
that because I think we'reseeing it um, just in our social
media, just amongst our friendgroups, and even as we're like
(09:03):
you're, you're advocating toyour children or to um prevent
and to embrace the, the, thefact that we we are changing and
we have having these proceduresthat we can do as simple as
washing your face and putting ona skin cream can also can can
make you feel good, and that'sthat's a good thing, um, anyway,
(09:23):
so the biggest thing I love todo with a patient um such as
yourself is truly educate, andthat's that's a good thing,
anyway.
So the biggest thing I love todo with a patient such as
yourself is truly educate, and Ithink that I'm really
passionate about that.
I've been in aesthetics foreight years, so it's not about
having a lot of patients andmaking a lot of money.
It's about having a long-termcommitment with the patients
that I get to see and trulyempowering them with
(09:43):
understanding, which I was soproud you did the other day with
truly understanding the waythat their face is changing and
almost being able to go home andgo.
I see that I get that and Iunderstand and I think, aligning
with that, like I said, thatage of empowerment is truly
feeling like you are.
We're not just.
You don't have to just takeeverything that anyone just says
, oh, you need this, well, whydo I need that?
(10:05):
And I think that regardless ofthe age whether it's middle age,
late age or early or morepreventative care I think coming
to a provider that truly wantsto provide that for you and help
you understand is kind ofreally the foundation of really
where you want to begin.
That's what I really love toprovide and I always think about
I know you mentioned your ownmother I often find myself
(10:28):
thinking of what would the carebe that my own mother would want
to receive?
And that's the way I proceed.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
So let me ask you for women who are coming to you
with okay.
We have the age of the internetand all of that information is
out there, and so people willfirst have heard things right.
It starts with the horrorstories.
Everyone loves to tell youhorror stories.
If you're telling them, you'regoing in for any procedure.
They tell you about the thingsthat went wrong with someone's
cousin's, dog's, uncle's friend.
(10:54):
And when it came to aesthetics,there were certain things that
had been talked about for years.
But, as we know, in thebackground, where you are in the
world of laboratory, ofsciences, of testing, research
and development, you're seeinghands on what that effect is and
what the latency periods are.
So when we came in, I was readyfor a facelift at 47.
(11:18):
No, I'm 47 now.
So I was ready for a faceliftat 45.
And I said to you, like let'sdo it.
And you were like, so I'llbring the doctor in to look at
you and we'll call this abaseline assessment.
You were so kind, you didn'tlaugh in my face Like I just
laughed out loud.
Okay, so please don't think thatthat's how this happened.
She was so sensitive andunderstanding that she got.
(11:40):
What I'm saying before ispeople who call for a plastic
surgery appointment have usuallybeen thinking about this for a
very long time and they wantthat appointment yesterday.
Is that typically because Imean, tell me to people like
schedule this, do they like saywhen I hit this age and that's
when I'm going to do this?
(12:01):
Or do you find people come inand they're like ready to go or
they have to be talked into?
I?
Speaker 2 (12:07):
think that this all boils down to expectation, and
this is why I stress thateducation component so um so
strongly on the front end,because if you have the
expectation that you want theskin laxity more so gone, yeah,
that is a possible solution isto treat that with the
appropriate.
You're ultimately trying tofind the most appropriate
(12:30):
treatment modality for thepatient presentation at hand and
almost the diagnosis of thetissue changes.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Oh, so good.
So that's something that peopledon't take into consideration.
They assume it's one size fitsall, absolutely so.
If I come in and this is myother question Botox parties,
right, we're talking aboutranges of ages, ranges of sun
exposure, ranges of you know.
So if we think of it from thatway, I don't want to be a
(13:00):
Groupon shopper when it comes tothis.
Like you just said, myintention is to build a
long-term relationship.
So you're watching how the skinand the yeah, it changes.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
And so you're to kind of make a generalization.
I think we I hear this often,it's my friend had a facelift.
I think I need like I've hadone, I need one now and
ultimately that's.
That could be possible.
But you have beautiful volumein your face and you have some
subtle shape changes, like weall will have, that it's going
to become more square.
(13:34):
It's becoming more square likeit's losing because you have a
volume deficiency in certainareas.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I'm taking my headset off so you could actually poke
at my face.
So people when they see thisvideo will understand.
Yeah, and what I'm going tocome in in the next week for
Sounds great.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
So when I first look at a patient, I'm looking at
that facial shape and if theyhave that squaring, I'm going to
ultimately diagnose this facialshape with a possibility that
there's going to be mid facialvolume needed.
Now let's address this head on.
I mean, there is a lot ofpeople that are overdone and I
think we're moving out of thattime slowly but surely, because
(14:10):
a lot of private priorinjections and techniques were
focused on treating the largestpart of the face, meaning the
anterior cheek and then movingon and kind of line filling down
here.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Oh, that's what I'm doing.
It was horrible, I look like alittle Muppet.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
It's so true because they're basically boxing out the
bottom portion of that squaringof the face.
So then we ultimately lookheavier, we don't look like
ourselves.
And then we we kind of were,were, were then like one of
those people that have hastreatments done and our friends
like the cat lady.
So then it was kind of becomingthis vicious like cycle of okay
, we didn't want to have peopleknow about it, but now we really
(14:46):
don't because, right, like it'sgot, it's created, it's got
such a stigma around it.
So when you lift up in the midphase, then I'm thinking how am
I going to best, best align yourfeatures in your profile and
provide a little bit of of thatfeminine projection to the chin,
keeping inside the ranges ofthat feminine projection to the
chin, keeping inside the rangesof our feminine, our really
golden ratios of beauty, thatthe nasolala, the widest part of
(15:06):
the lips, and all of thosethings have to flow and those
proportions have to be in line.
And so for you you have subtlevolume loss and so we treat it
with some volume and verystrategic areas.
And so, and back to youroriginal question on do you go
to, do you go to surgery and dopeople come in and just like,
(15:27):
want that surgery appointmentpossibly, and if they do, I'm
going to direct them to get theanswers that they need.
I know what I can do and I knowthat I can treat with X amount
of volume and if I see thatdeficiency I'm going to go.
I need this amount of productto get this desired outcome.
What are your thoughts on that?
Is that something you'd like todo over the course of time?
But it's really the best.
(15:53):
Outcomes are ultimately, ormost most often, not an either,
or they're an, and yeah, becausewe're, we are.
There is often tissue laxity,but there is also there's volume
loss as well.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
So so that was another thing that I was
thinking about when youdiscussed the possibility.
So when we talk about theoptions, first of all, I had
heard non-surgical faceliftright, that's the catch-all
phrase, and so I didn't knowwhat that meant and I asked
(16:20):
those questions out loud so thatmore of us can feel less alone.
You said to me that's what thisis, that's what I'm doing, and
I was like, wait, but there's no, you didn't slice my face off
Right Cause.
Then there was.
So let's, let's get some of thethings out of the way that I
really like to take off thetable.
(16:42):
The people have said somethingabout you put a string in your
face and you pull it up.
What you discussed about theinjections more in the lower
face to fill in lines, this isjust for educational purposes.
You're not prescribing foranyone in particular out there,
(17:04):
but I'm just curious thenon-surgical facelift right, the
idea of creating the volume andthe lift right, because it's
not just volume.
The loss of volume is because,yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
So there are.
There's aging changes to manylayers of tissue's going to be
bone changes, deep fat, muscular, muscular changes, which is
where that discussion ofneuromodulators can come into
play and how we treat some ofthe depression and kind of
negativity that comes around oureye area and the heaviness.
That's what we call heavinessand so that brow position is
going to experience a changeover time.
(17:42):
And so there's muscle changes.
There's also superficial fat,so there's deep fat, muscle,
superficial fat, and thenthere's dermal and epidermal
changes.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So I'm going to attach a link that you're going
to send me of this picture intothe show notes.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I love this and I use this mother daughter image from
Allergan often in my consultsand I think you've seen it.
It's this, this comparison ofnot only the facial shape
changes from the silhouette ofthe face over time, with a
mother versus the daughter, butthe fat pad aging changes on an
(18:17):
animation.
What are we really seeing?
And so I love describing thatand showing that.
Because when you were talkingabout liquid facelift and yes,
there are the opportunity, thereis the possibility of having
threads or biostimulatories mystrong suit and the
recommendations I foundextremely successful is treating
some of that volume loss withdermal fillers and so in very
strategic areas now, what areexamples of dermal fillers,
(18:41):
because names are confusing tous.
It's going to be like Juvederm.
Okay, juvederm is a is a dermalfiller and it has longevity on
it of either a year or two years.
So when I create a plan, Ishare with my patients what's
possible, and we can break theseinto sessions similar to what
we did, and then we from there,depending on where you go, and
it doesn't mean you have to dothe whole thing, but it aligns
(19:03):
with that expectation.
Am I able to provide you withthis amount of volume in these
strategic areas, what you'relooking for and how far do we go
with that?
And there's things that limitthat Right.
Budget's a big, big one.
Yes, fear Right, and so I thinkaddressing those fears head on
but also being willing to likego and walk the distance with a
patient and be on the journey isjust such a privilege.
(19:25):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
I feel lucky that you're able to do this.
So I'll give you an examplewith my lips.
Right, you said something thatwas really changed my life.
You said would you like them tojust look moist?
Would you like them to justlook moist?
Because the big fear with lipswe all look at them right over
years and we see that the shapehas changed and the volume loss.
And I'm almost 50, and the fearI have is duck lips.
(19:53):
I think that's the fear ofevery woman that I talk to, that
it's going to be overdone.
But you didn't say do you wantto fill your lips or do you want
lip filler?
Lip filler, by the way, givesme a completely different
connotation.
That's very.
You said would you like them tolook moist and natural,
hydrated, absolutely Hydratedand moist?
(20:14):
And I was like so that's reallyall I needed.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Yeah, I'm, I'm love that you shared that, and I
think that we as providers and Ithink this is one of the
reasons I'm so passionate aboutnot only educating patients but
educating providers and do a lotof trainings with Allergan
Medical Institute Because Ithink it's really it's not, it's
not the products, I mean, it'sit's what we as providers are
doing with them, and are weprioritizing safety's a number
(20:40):
one?
But then are we keeping inperspective the balance of
facial features, from theforehead to the brows, to the
nose, and how that aligns withthe lips and the chin and the
cheeks, and all those thingshave to have a harmony to them.
Otherwise, we're just basicallyeither caulking a line or like
a crack in a wall, or we'reputting a decorative chair in a
room that needs to be redoneRight.
(21:01):
So and so.
Oh my God, those are such goodanalogies.
Thank you, yeah, so it's.
That's really where the lipfiller gets.
So our patients are coming inand they're wanting, they're
seeing the aging changes intheir lips and they're thinking
that's what made me lookyouthful before.
But really it's not.
It's that creates a focal pointon something that really is a
bigger conversation.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Yeah, that's exactly it, and so you introduced me to
the difference between someonewho is poking and a calendula
right, A cannula Cannula cannula.
I don't know what a calendula is.
I hope it's not, but that wasit.
It changed the difference,because the next person I met
who had told me she had her lipsdone, I noticed the difference
in how it was done.
I felt like mine with thatcannula.
(21:41):
It really did look more naturalthe whole way around.
Same thing with and now I youknow cause all I do is look at
my face and I have to make anappointment.
And you know now, between yourtraining schedule, this is the
other part that I think isexceptional.
Something that I always foundfascinating is people who are
continuing to obtain educationin their fields, but then
there's a level up, there's theeducating of educators, and
(22:05):
that's something that takes aspecial skill, because your
bedside manner for lack of abetter word, even though I'm not
laying in a bed with you isexceptional, because one of the
things that you said that makeyou right, it's not just the
work that you're going to do.
That's going to create thisrelationship, it's the
transparency that will buildtrust, and you're very
(22:26):
transparent.
You gave me an option of theeither or.
You said here we're going towork out the numbers.
This is what it would cost youevery 18 months this way.
This is how much the plasticsurgery costs.
And then you gave me theopportunity to do a cost benefit
analysis.
I did.
I met with the plastic surgeon,who gave me their information,
(22:48):
and when I took a look at whatthat was compared to the comfort
and the relationship I hadbuilt with you, I felt I could
hold off on that second, muchmore aggressive step because it
wasn't necessary.
In real life I had developed arelationship with someone who's
(23:08):
growing with me in my comfortlevel.
I want to talk about that whenwe talk about empowering women.
So it used to be like I said.
My mom not one per everyonedenied it.
They denied that they had anywork done.
They wouldn't share who didtheir work.
The better you looked, the lesslikely you were to give that
referral to other friends.
I feel completely the opposite.
(23:30):
If I think someone is great atwhat they do, I want everyone to
know.
I think you are exceptional asan artist and I want everyone to
be worthy of this experience,right Cause you don't charge me
any more than you charge anyoneelse.
(23:50):
Everyone has the access to this.
So I'm curious what has beenone of the most transformative
patient experiences that you'vehad?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, that's a great question.
I think there's been so manymoments of joy that I've
experienced in this consult roomwith my patients and our
treatment room with my patients.
It's not even physical, I mean.
There's some really amazing umbut before and afters that I've
been able to have, but reallyit's, it's supposed to be the
signature.
That's not there.
So when I'm thinking of, likecrazy transformations, I'm
(24:31):
thinking I don't want that, Iwant something really subtle
that I'm seeing.
The transformation that's crazyis the person on the inside
that's feeling alive again, andthat patient that comes back and
is sharing with me howconfident they felt at their
wedding or the reunion, or thatthey just like come in and have
makeup on that day or dress welland they're like I just feel
(24:51):
good, like I feel like this, andso I had really some some um,
great moments that patients likeare really brought to tears by
just the way that, that they areso disexcited by the version of
themselves that they're findingagain.
So I think that.
Back to empowerment, I thinkthat you mentioned that we were
moving towards.
I love that you, you share.
(25:11):
If you find something good,you're you, you, you share about
it, and I think we're, as womenmoving towards.
We just we want to have goodpeople on our team and that's
going to be with friends.
That's what.
Who does my hair and that'salso who it does my treats.
To have these intimate momentswith my facial rejuvenation plan
.
Right, have to share it.
(25:41):
If you do it either, it's avery private, a private thing,
and that's the relationship thatmy patients and I have.
Yes, they want to talk about itGreat.
If not, that's okay too.
It is, but I think that I lovebeing a part of that.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I love it.
I love it.
I think that the culture hasshifted from you making the
personal choice to keep your owninformation private to this
whole ideology that those whoare elite or worthy don't want
to give any opportunity to thosebeneath them to find the same
opportunities.
And that's changed over time,because I think, as women,
(26:13):
hopefully, we're learning toadjust each other's crowns
without calling out that it'scrooked in the first place.
So there's some questions thatI want to address, just basic
ones.
Botox is it a toxin?
Right Cause I like to joke andsay I'm going to put botulism in
my face.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
So if we think, about where Botox comes from, and
this is true of really many mostmedications that we have.
They're going to come from abacteria, as does Botox.
So if we think about bacteria,it replicates exponentially and
that's going to be problematic,right.
But Botox is a protein derivedfrom a bacteria that prevents
(26:54):
the release of acetylcholine bycleaving a particular protein
within our muscle, and it'stemporary, and those proteins
grow back.
So when the drug is placed in amuscle, it's going to
temporarily cause it to have arelaxation to it over the course
of about three to four months.
So is it a toxin?
Well, that's a protein, really.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
So the way I see it is, it's toxic for my frown line
.
You got it, there you go, letme ask you this when I started
getting it, they would hold forlike six months between
treatments.
Why is it less over time?
Speaker 2 (27:26):
I do think the muscles have some degree of
hypertrophy over time.
I mean they do get stronger.
I think oftentimes our musclesand our expression becomes more
noticeable because we also havevolume loss.
That's present.
So some of the same thingsaren't holding in the same way
they were.
I know from personal experience.
I've had some of my you know,crow's feet Botox or Botox that
(27:46):
is around the eye area inparticular.
It doesn't seem to hold quiteas much, but I also was losing a
little bit of that tissue tointegrity around the eyes so it
just wasn't quite the same as itonce was because of that.
That's the finest skin.
Yeah, I also feel like thereare.
I also see that there's a lotof underdosing.
So dose does equal duration.
So, um, when you're not gettingthe appropriate dose of the of
(28:08):
the muscle that needs to betreated if it is stronger, um,
it's just going to over timejust not.
That muscle just kind of comesback sooner and sooner.
Um, so I'm big on justdiagnosing that muscle strength
and kind of treating that withthe muscle the drug that it
needs.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Good answer.
What about starting younger?
Does that mean that you'repreventing yourself from those
muscles getting so deep overtime that you inevitably don't
need to fight against thatmuscle with that high dosage?
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Yeah, I think starting younger where spining
is is going to be it just helpsone.
The big thing it helps keep thebrow position where it is on
the orbital rim and keeping thatbrow high instead of pulled
down over time.
Yeah, I think there's it's.
It's really helps with skinquality and starting sooner.
But I'm not saying everyonejust needs to jump in and do
(28:59):
that, but there's conversationsthat can be had to meet our
patients where they're at,whether that be skincare or
having hydrofacial or justwearing sunblock.
I mean having that importantdiscussion about how are we
protecting our skin long-term.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Oh my gosh, such a good point that you're making
about the long-term protectionof our skin.
So, hydrofacials, let's talkabout that for a second, because
I thought it was an either or,until I met you and you said no,
it's an, and you have to getall that schmutz schmutz is dirt
out of the things.
(29:31):
Like imagine, imagine that I'mgoing to be altering your dress
and you didn't take it to thedry cleaners first and it was
like wow, okay.
But then also the understandingthat as much as you can keep
(29:59):
that skin in its most integritythat was that wasn't even
English in the in the highlyintegrity you know, maintains
the integrity of the skin.
And then, using those productsCause I used it, my grandmother
used oil of Olay, her whole life.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I know it and that they.
I think the consistency was thething and she used it
consistently, consistently everysingle day.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
That's true, that's, that's it, so it's when you use
Nivea, the Nivea cream, ponds,ponds.
I still have a thing of pondson my counter at all times.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I don't know why no, I think it's just.
There's some nostalgia theretoo I agree, using ponds myself,
but, um, I think that, um, whenit comes to aesthetics, we look
at it so differently than anyother thing, so let's kind of
use.
Let's talk about training for amarathon.
Right, it's not something youjust run and it's not a one-time
thing.
You don't run a marathon andbecome fit.
(30:42):
You also don't do one aestheticprocedure and just become
rejuvenated, so it's like youhave to look at when you're
doing things over the course oftime whether it's physical
activity or whether it'saesthetics, whether it's
relationships you're going tohave a better outcome long-term
instead of once, and there'sreally no one-term, one-time fix
(31:02):
.
And I think, kind of circlingback to our whole conversations
about surgery, that is a greatoption for a lot of patients,
it's a necessary option, but itstill isn't a one-time fix.
And if you have a commitment tofeeling great and feeling
empowered and feeling like thebest version of yourself and
truly wanting that kind ofunderstanding and coming to
terms with the fact that that'snot something that you can just
(31:24):
fix in one appointment, isreally beneficial for your
long-term aesthetic journey.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Oh my gosh, that's such a great wrap up to think
about it, right, because Ididn't know that Botox was a two
week thing.
When I first got it, Iliterally thought that I was
going to walk out that day witha finished product.
By the same token, you, thefirst time I had injectables
done, nobody really let me knowthat that was instant and that
(31:50):
it was like swollen and needed acouple of days to kind of
become yours.
Yep.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
So it has to integrate into the tissue and
your body's doing what it should.
Yes, it's going to have aresponse, and being able to walk
that journey again with mypatients and help them know that
this is something that willintegrate, this will soften,
this will be the result thatyou're looking, you know you're
we're going for, but your bodyis doing what it should be and
(32:19):
there is sometimes a time whereyou feel a little bit more
swollen or you're gonna havethat few day period where you
really may have a little bruise,but that's okay, oh, my God,
you are so wonderful and I hopeyou don't mind that I'm a
groupie for life.
And I'll follow you everywhere,anyone's lucky to have Susie.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
I have been changed by everything that you taught me
.
You taught me you didn't justwork on me, which is what I'd
previously thought.
Same thing, by the way, that Ideveloped a relationship with my
I don't call her my, my, mystylist.
I call her my hairapist, andthe reason is because she also
asked me the question what isyour long-term goal, do you?
(32:58):
If you want to go blonde, it isnot smart to do it all at once.
Like you, she was honest andsaid it will make me less money,
but it will make you more happyand long-term we will have a
relationship, and I'm not doingthis for the profit, I'm doing
this for the person.
And it changed everything,because now transparency equals
(33:22):
trust.
I trust that when I go to younow, I can pop into your seat
and, even though I still say,okay, do whatever you need to.
That's what she does.
She laughs just like that everysingle time because she forces
me to become educated about myown empowerment, and I love that
.
You are part of this tribe ofproviders, women, community
(33:47):
members, uplifters, builders,who see the benefit in not just
providing a product or aprocedure, but in a whole human
approach.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Yeah, thank you, susie.
I I want to, um, I think somesometimes you you got to ask
where do you start with this?
Um, I, personally, I think we,as you mentioned, we love to
educate, but, um, I see patientsat a lace medical spa and um,
we, I love that we have ummedical spas and we I love that
(34:22):
we have rebranded and created alittle bit or more of a
inclusive brand which welcomesreally anyone.
Share some more about that forme, yeah, so we have taken the
experience and that luxuryexperience of what Amara is and
really opened that to welcomingmore individuals and making this
feel like a great, like safespace to receive elite care by
providers that cumulatively havesignificant experience.
(34:43):
So really proud to see patientsthere.
And I think, just create back towhat you were saying talking
about with, like that two weekfollow-up and having that
opportunity to relook at my workand be able to have my patient
take that break out of their dayand go.
Okay, let's like focus on youand let's make sure that your
result is what you're lookingfor and let's like let's adjust
it if needed, but if not, let'sjust get a plan for the future
(35:05):
and, um, uh, that's yeah, that'swhat, that kind of what, that
two week follow-up is really allabout.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Well, thank you so much, Audrey, for sharing your
wisdom, your wit and yourwonderful skills and for being
part of my team, and it's apleasure.
Pleasure is mine.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
So I think, and then with the you mentioned community
, I think I want to see we'realso in a movement of just
supporting each other asaesthetic injectors, even
outside of our own practices,and that's I love that too,
because being a resource tohelping other providers provide
the best like the safest and thebest outcomes, and knowing what
just prioritizing that overallin their treatments is really, I
(35:44):
think how I'm slowly but surelytrying to make a bigger impact
in this aesthetic industry.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
And as much appreciated.
Thank you so much for coming intoday.
Thank you, susie, for having me.
I will see you again soon.
If you know of someone who isthe kind of mensch who should
get an honorable mention, sendme a note at schmoozewithsuesorg
or drop me a line on Instagram.
That's going to do it for ustoday.
(36:10):
Thanks for sticking around.
Make sure to subscribe toSchmooze with Suze on YouTube
and follow me on Instagram toget your daily dose of chutzpah.
I'm Suze, your well-informed,smart ass who's not afraid to
stand up and speak out.
Because what's an envelope ifnot for pushing?
Hey, stay inspired andinspiring.
I'm getting a facelift, my mother announced
she had been staring at herselfin the mirror for years and the
most drastic measure was herfirst instinct.
Why don't you try using Botox,I asked.
I don't like needles, so Ibegan already seeing where this
(00:24):
was headed.
You want to slice your face offwhile you're unconscious?
That's your first choice.
Fine, she would try Botox, shesaid.
And two weeks before mysister's wedding, at a dentist
in Queens, from one friend, theonly one who was willing to
(00:45):
admit her connection, she gotthe Botox, that album and the
face that she had that day twoweeks later, from someone she
didn't know, has been laid torest along with my late
brother-in-law.
So I couldn't understand.
(01:05):
If you know a secret that'shelpful, shouldn't you share it
with everyone?
And that's what we're going totackle today.
Hi, I'm Suze, coming to you witha dose of culture, values and
global citizenship and where wemight tackle those topics others
may consider off-limits.
A little about me.
I'm a busy Gen X mom who, quitefrankly, wanted to grow up like
(01:28):
the Brady Bunch.
But how could I, being raisedin the shadow of Schindler's
List?
So this means I've spent alifetime navigating these mixed
messages we get hit with daily.
You know those conversationswhere we wonder if it's safe to
speak our minds.
Can we share our experiences,voice our fears and concerns, or
(01:50):
should we just keep our mouthsshut?
Well, too bad, I need to know,but I'm no expert, so I'm going
to schmooze the experts and gettheir thoughts.
Why so?
When we engage with our kids,colleagues or the countless
committees we interact with, wecan do it with competence,
kindness, confidence and maybe abit of humor.
(02:13):
If this sounds like your cup ofcoffee, welcome to Schmooze
with Suze.
Nobody talked about it.
To this day, my mom's friendsstill don't share their
resources.
They deny and deny, even thoughtheir faces are stretchier and
stretchier, and still my motherscreams from year to year I need
(02:34):
to get a facelift.
She stopped getting injectablesbecause at some point the
injectables just don't workanymore if you've never prepped
the palate prior.
So I figured I would be theopposite.
I would be a guinea pig Sorry,I meant a pioneer, a pioneer for
(02:55):
my generation and as soon as Icould afford to get something, I
sat down and got it.
I didn't ask about it.
I went to the place that wasmost well-respected and renowned
and asked for an appointmentwith the first available
practitioner.
I sat in her chair.
She looked trustworthy, shesounded knowledgeable, and so
(03:16):
she poked at my face Veryconservatively.
She said I start veryconservatively, but I need you
to make an appointment in twoweeks for a follow-up.
I said what?
Start very conservatively, butI need you to make an
appointment in two weeks for afollow up.
I said what follow up?
I thought two weeks later is mysister's wedding and you just
get to see what your face lookslike.
Later, surprise, she laughedand she said that's not how we
(03:37):
do it here.
You come back in two weeks andif we need to do any touch-ups,
it's complimentary.
We have to learn how your faceworks.
We have to learn what works foryou.
Wow, that was in my thirties andsince then I have skeptically
(03:59):
stared at aesthetics from adistance, thinking that I only
needed to go every six monthsfor that touch up, but it wasn't
getting the effects I desireduntil I made an appointment with
Audrey.
Hi, audrey, hi, susie, thanksfor coming in today.
I really appreciated that.
(04:19):
When I came in and I sat to,hopped into your chair, actually
like I had done on every visitprior with every other
practitioner, they gratefullyactually were so happy that I
would take whatever they wouldgive me.
And they didn't explain and Ididn't ask and I didn't know I
(04:40):
could or should.
And I sat in your chair and Isaid, okay, so make me beautiful
.
And you laughed and you said,let's talk first.
So let's talk a little bitfirst about what led you to this
field of aesthetics.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, thank you for having me, susie.
It's really a privilege tospend some time with you today
talking about a true passionI've had for years.
Aesthetics is, um, aestheticsis something that um I I
cultivated very early in life.
Um I was, I enjoyed art.
Um I enjoyed skincare.
Um I loved painting, but I alsoloved finding the products that
(05:15):
were best for my skin and whatthose ingredients look like and
the long-term outcomes of that.
And so, um, from there, um Ipursued, um pursued a degree in
biomedical science and moved onto become a PA.
I was really fascinated by theskin and the aging process and I
spent some years working indermatology and oculoplastics
(05:36):
but really sharpening myaesthetic eye and creating a
systematic approach tounderstanding the aging changes
of the face and what treatmenttreatments we can provide
patients like myself andaddressing some of those.
So what I love and I hear thisstatement and it really
resonates I'm going to share itagain Aesthetics is really a
combination of that science andthat artistry and really
(05:58):
marrying those two, and I sharethat with my background and kind
of that artistic side, becauseit really is something I like to
have precision with, but I alsolove that.
It does you have to reallythink outside of the, think
bigger and think of theunderlying layers of change to
the face.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Right, right, I mean, I'm not going to laugh.
My eight year old has anighttime face routine.
I'm so glad you read about thistrend.
So there's this trend amongstyoung children and we're talking
about as young as eight, aseight where they have this 20
minute nighttime facialcleansing and rolling and all
(06:37):
the things that they werewatching their moms do.
They're now modeling thatbehavior.
So for teens, I understand youwant to get to that.
You know acne prone skin or thechanging hormones.
But to see kids understand thatwe should take care of what we
have is such a beautiful thingand it comes from people like
(06:59):
you, who I love that you saidmarried Mary, education and
aesthetics it's not just make mebeautiful, because you could
just do that.
So I'll tell you a little bitabout how I started and then
where I ended up with you.
After a couple of times of Botox, just in the forehead, I was
getting okay results.
(07:20):
I was, you know, frozen enoughthat my kids still knew when I
was mad.
That was the goal.
But my lower face was just now,the upper face, the lower face.
Somebody had said, okay, you'regoing to eventually have to do a
facelift and I kept thinking tomyself straight to facelift.
I'm 45.
That seems a little extreme.
So they kept saying you can doa little tweak here and there.
(07:41):
And then there was the offer todo injectables.
And so they gave me in one daylike four injectables, four
syringes, two on one side of mycheek and two on the other side
and one in my chin, and it was alot of stuff and I left looking
(08:01):
okay, it was thousands ofdollars, there was no
explanation, and so I wasterrified and I didn't go back
for another two years.
And that's when I met you and Ijumped in and I was like, okay,
make me beautiful.
I was cause when people show up, sometimes they make an
appointment and they're late totheir Botox appointment.
So let's talk a little bitabout how somebody who is coming
(08:24):
from where I am in themid-stage okay, before the
preventative.
What are the common types ofquestions you get when someone
walks in and says okay, I wantto do something and I need help
understanding what my optionsare?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
yeah, so, um, I love having this, having this
conversation, because I thinkthere's so many things to dive
into here.
There's, um you mentioned, anawareness of aging changes and
almost we're in an age ofempowerment, and I really love
that because I think we'reseeing it um, just in our social
media, just amongst our friendgroups, and even as we're like
(09:03):
you're, you're advocating toyour children or to um prevent
and to embrace the, the, thefact that we we are changing and
we have having these proceduresthat we can do as simple as
washing your face and putting ona skin cream can also can can
make you feel good, and that'sthat's a good thing, um, anyway,
(09:23):
so the biggest thing I love todo with a patient um such as
yourself is truly educate, andthat's that's a good thing,
anyway.
So the biggest thing I love todo with a patient such as
yourself is truly educate, and Ithink that I'm really
passionate about that.
I've been in aesthetics foreight years, so it's not about
having a lot of patients andmaking a lot of money.
It's about having a long-termcommitment with the patients
that I get to see and trulyempowering them with
(09:43):
understanding, which I was soproud you did the other day with
truly understanding the waythat their face is changing and
almost being able to go home andgo.
I see that I get that and Iunderstand and I think, aligning
with that, like I said, thatage of empowerment is truly
feeling like you are.
We're not just.
You don't have to just takeeverything that anyone just says
, oh, you need this, well, whydo I need that?
(10:05):
And I think that regardless ofthe age whether it's middle age,
late age or early or morepreventative care I think coming
to a provider that truly wantsto provide that for you and help
you understand is kind ofreally the foundation of really
where you want to begin.
That's what I really love toprovide and I always think about
I know you mentioned your ownmother I often find myself
(10:28):
thinking of what would the carebe that my own mother would want
to receive?
And that's the way I proceed.
Speaker 1 (10:33):
So let me ask you for women who are coming to you
with okay.
We have the age of the internetand all of that information is
out there, and so people willfirst have heard things right.
It starts with the horrorstories.
Everyone loves to tell youhorror stories.
If you're telling them, you'regoing in for any procedure.
They tell you about the thingsthat went wrong with someone's
cousin's, dog's, uncle's friend.
(10:54):
And when it came to aesthetics,there were certain things that
had been talked about for years.
But, as we know, in thebackground, where you are in the
world of laboratory, ofsciences, of testing, research
and development, you're seeinghands on what that effect is and
what the latency periods are.
So when we came in, I was readyfor a facelift at 47.
(11:18):
No, I'm 47 now.
So I was ready for a faceliftat 45.
And I said to you, like let'sdo it.
And you were like, so I'llbring the doctor in to look at
you and we'll call this abaseline assessment.
You were so kind, you didn'tlaugh in my face Like I just
laughed out loud.
Okay, so please don't think thatthat's how this happened.
She was so sensitive andunderstanding that she got.
(11:40):
What I'm saying before ispeople who call for a plastic
surgery appointment have usuallybeen thinking about this for a
very long time and they wantthat appointment yesterday.
Is that typically because Imean, tell me to people like
schedule this, do they like saywhen I hit this age and that's
when I'm going to do this?
(12:01):
Or do you find people come inand they're like ready to go or
they have to be talked into?
I?
Speaker 2 (12:07):
think that this all boils down to expectation, and
this is why I stress thateducation component so um so
strongly on the front end,because if you have the
expectation that you want theskin laxity more so gone, yeah,
that is a possible solution isto treat that with the
appropriate.
You're ultimately trying tofind the most appropriate
(12:30):
treatment modality for thepatient presentation at hand and
almost the diagnosis of thetissue changes.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Oh, so good.
So that's something that peopledon't take into consideration.
They assume it's one size fitsall, absolutely so.
If I come in and this is myother question Botox parties,
right, we're talking aboutranges of ages, ranges of sun
exposure, ranges of you know.
So if we think of it from thatway, I don't want to be a
(13:00):
Groupon shopper when it comes tothis.
Like you just said, myintention is to build a
long-term relationship.
So you're watching how the skinand the yeah, it changes.
Speaker 2 (13:14):
And so you're to kind of make a generalization.
I think we I hear this often,it's my friend had a facelift.
I think I need like I've hadone, I need one now and
ultimately that's.
That could be possible.
But you have beautiful volumein your face and you have some
subtle shape changes, like weall will have, that it's going
to become more square.
(13:34):
It's becoming more square likeit's losing because you have a
volume deficiency in certainareas.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I'm taking my headset off so you could actually poke
at my face.
So people when they see thisvideo will understand.
Yeah, and what I'm going tocome in in the next week for
Sounds great.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
So when I first look at a patient, I'm looking at
that facial shape and if theyhave that squaring, I'm going to
ultimately diagnose this facialshape with a possibility that
there's going to be mid facialvolume needed.
Now let's address this head on.
I mean, there is a lot ofpeople that are overdone and I
think we're moving out of thattime slowly but surely, because
(14:10):
a lot of private priorinjections and techniques were
focused on treating the largestpart of the face, meaning the
anterior cheek and then movingon and kind of line filling down
here.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Oh, that's what I'm doing.
It was horrible, I look like alittle Muppet.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
It's so true because they're basically boxing out the
bottom portion of that squaringof the face.
So then we ultimately lookheavier, we don't look like
ourselves.
And then we we kind of were,were, were then like one of
those people that have hastreatments done and our friends
like the cat lady.
So then it was kind of becomingthis vicious like cycle of okay
, we didn't want to have peopleknow about it, but now we really
(14:46):
don't because, right, like it'sgot, it's created, it's got
such a stigma around it.
So when you lift up in the midphase, then I'm thinking how am
I going to best, best align yourfeatures in your profile and
provide a little bit of of thatfeminine projection to the chin,
keeping inside the ranges ofthat feminine projection to the
chin, keeping inside the rangesof our feminine, our really
golden ratios of beauty, thatthe nasolala, the widest part of
(15:06):
the lips, and all of thosethings have to flow and those
proportions have to be in line.
And so for you you have subtlevolume loss and so we treat it
with some volume and verystrategic areas.
And so, and back to youroriginal question on do you go
to, do you go to surgery and dopeople come in and just like,
(15:27):
want that surgery appointmentpossibly, and if they do, I'm
going to direct them to get theanswers that they need.
I know what I can do and I knowthat I can treat with X amount
of volume and if I see thatdeficiency I'm going to go.
I need this amount of productto get this desired outcome.
What are your thoughts on that?
Is that something you'd like todo over the course of time?
But it's really the best.
(15:53):
Outcomes are ultimately, ormost most often, not an either,
or they're an, and yeah, becausewe're, we are.
There is often tissue laxity,but there is also there's volume
loss as well.
Speaker 1 (15:59):
So so that was another thing that I was
thinking about when youdiscussed the possibility.
So when we talk about theoptions, first of all, I had
heard non-surgical faceliftright, that's the catch-all
phrase, and so I didn't knowwhat that meant and I asked
(16:20):
those questions out loud so thatmore of us can feel less alone.
You said to me that's what thisis, that's what I'm doing, and
I was like, wait, but there's no, you didn't slice my face off
Right Cause.
Then there was.
So let's, let's get some of thethings out of the way that I
really like to take off thetable.
(16:42):
The people have said somethingabout you put a string in your
face and you pull it up.
What you discussed about theinjections more in the lower
face to fill in lines, this isjust for educational purposes.
You're not prescribing foranyone in particular out there,
(17:04):
but I'm just curious thenon-surgical facelift right, the
idea of creating the volume andthe lift right, because it's
not just volume.
The loss of volume is because,yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
So there are.
There's aging changes to manylayers of tissue's going to be
bone changes, deep fat, muscular, muscular changes, which is
where that discussion ofneuromodulators can come into
play and how we treat some ofthe depression and kind of
negativity that comes around oureye area and the heaviness.
That's what we call heavinessand so that brow position is
going to experience a changeover time.
(17:42):
And so there's muscle changes.
There's also superficial fat,so there's deep fat, muscle,
superficial fat, and thenthere's dermal and epidermal
changes.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
So I'm going to attach a link that you're going
to send me of this picture intothe show notes.
Speaker 2 (17:56):
I love this and I use this mother daughter image from
Allergan often in my consultsand I think you've seen it.
It's this, this comparison ofnot only the facial shape
changes from the silhouette ofthe face over time, with a
mother versus the daughter, butthe fat pad aging changes on an
(18:17):
animation.
What are we really seeing?
And so I love describing thatand showing that.
Because when you were talkingabout liquid facelift and yes,
there are the opportunity, thereis the possibility of having
threads or biostimulatories mystrong suit and the
recommendations I foundextremely successful is treating
some of that volume loss withdermal fillers and so in very
strategic areas now, what areexamples of dermal fillers,
(18:41):
because names are confusing tous.
It's going to be like Juvederm.
Okay, juvederm is a is a dermalfiller and it has longevity on
it of either a year or two years.
So when I create a plan, Ishare with my patients what's
possible, and we can break theseinto sessions similar to what
we did, and then we from there,depending on where you go, and
it doesn't mean you have to dothe whole thing, but it aligns
(19:03):
with that expectation.
Am I able to provide you withthis amount of volume in these
strategic areas, what you'relooking for and how far do we go
with that?
And there's things that limitthat Right.
Budget's a big, big one.
Yes, fear Right, and so I thinkaddressing those fears head on
but also being willing to likego and walk the distance with a
patient and be on the journey isjust such a privilege.
(19:25):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
I feel lucky that you're able to do this.
So I'll give you an examplewith my lips.
Right, you said something thatwas really changed my life.
You said would you like them tojust look moist?
Would you like them to justlook moist?
Because the big fear with lipswe all look at them right over
years and we see that the shapehas changed and the volume loss.
And I'm almost 50, and the fearI have is duck lips.
(19:53):
I think that's the fear ofevery woman that I talk to, that
it's going to be overdone.
But you didn't say do you wantto fill your lips or do you want
lip filler?
Lip filler, by the way, givesme a completely different
connotation.
That's very.
You said would you like them tolook moist and natural,
hydrated, absolutely Hydratedand moist?
(20:14):
And I was like so that's reallyall I needed.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Yeah, I'm, I'm love that you shared that, and I
think that we as providers and Ithink this is one of the
reasons I'm so passionate aboutnot only educating patients but
educating providers and do a lotof trainings with Allergan
Medical Institute Because Ithink it's really it's not, it's
not the products, I mean, it'sit's what we as providers are
doing with them, and are weprioritizing safety's a number
(20:40):
one?
But then are we keeping inperspective the balance of
facial features, from theforehead to the brows, to the
nose, and how that aligns withthe lips and the chin and the
cheeks, and all those thingshave to have a harmony to them.
Otherwise, we're just basicallyeither caulking a line or like
a crack in a wall, or we'reputting a decorative chair in a
room that needs to be redoneRight.
(21:01):
So and so.
Oh my God, those are such goodanalogies.
Thank you, yeah, so it's.
That's really where the lipfiller gets.
So our patients are coming inand they're wanting, they're
seeing the aging changes intheir lips and they're thinking
that's what made me lookyouthful before.
But really it's not.
It's that creates a focal pointon something that really is a
bigger conversation.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
Yeah, that's exactly it, and so you introduced me to
the difference between someonewho is poking and a calendula
right, A cannula Cannula cannula.
I don't know what a calendula is.
I hope it's not, but that wasit.
It changed the difference,because the next person I met
who had told me she had her lipsdone, I noticed the difference
in how it was done.
I felt like mine with thatcannula.
(21:41):
It really did look more naturalthe whole way around.
Same thing with and now I youknow cause all I do is look at
my face and I have to make anappointment.
And you know now, between yourtraining schedule, this is the
other part that I think isexceptional.
Something that I always foundfascinating is people who are
continuing to obtain educationin their fields, but then
there's a level up, there's theeducating of educators, and
(22:05):
that's something that takes aspecial skill, because your
bedside manner for lack of abetter word, even though I'm not
laying in a bed with you isexceptional, because one of the
things that you said that makeyou right, it's not just the
work that you're going to do.
That's going to create thisrelationship, it's the
transparency that will buildtrust, and you're very
(22:26):
transparent.
You gave me an option of theeither or.
You said here we're going towork out the numbers.
This is what it would cost youevery 18 months this way.
This is how much the plasticsurgery costs.
And then you gave me theopportunity to do a cost benefit
analysis.
I did.
I met with the plastic surgeon,who gave me their information,
(22:48):
and when I took a look at whatthat was compared to the comfort
and the relationship I hadbuilt with you, I felt I could
hold off on that second, muchmore aggressive step because it
wasn't necessary.
In real life I had developed arelationship with someone who's
(23:08):
growing with me in my comfortlevel.
I want to talk about that whenwe talk about empowering women.
So it used to be like I said.
My mom not one per everyonedenied it.
They denied that they had anywork done.
They wouldn't share who didtheir work.
The better you looked, the lesslikely you were to give that
referral to other friends.
I feel completely the opposite.
(23:30):
If I think someone is great atwhat they do, I want everyone to
know.
I think you are exceptional asan artist and I want everyone to
be worthy of this experience,right Cause you don't charge me
any more than you charge anyoneelse.
(23:50):
Everyone has the access to this.
So I'm curious what has beenone of the most transformative
patient experiences that you'vehad?
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Yeah, that's a great question.
I think there's been so manymoments of joy that I've
experienced in this consult roomwith my patients and our
treatment room with my patients.
It's not even physical, I mean.
There's some really amazing umbut before and afters that I've
been able to have, but reallyit's, it's supposed to be the
signature.
That's not there.
So when I'm thinking of, likecrazy transformations, I'm
(24:31):
thinking I don't want that, Iwant something really subtle
that I'm seeing.
The transformation that's crazyis the person on the inside
that's feeling alive again, andthat patient that comes back and
is sharing with me howconfident they felt at their
wedding or the reunion, or thatthey just like come in and have
makeup on that day or dress welland they're like I just feel
(24:51):
good, like I feel like this, andso I had really some some um,
great moments that patients likeare really brought to tears by
just the way that, that they areso disexcited by the version of
themselves that they're findingagain.
So I think that.
Back to empowerment, I thinkthat you mentioned that we were
moving towards.
I love that you, you share.
(25:11):
If you find something good,you're you, you, you share about
it, and I think we're, as womenmoving towards.
We just we want to have goodpeople on our team and that's
going to be with friends.
That's what.
Who does my hair and that'salso who it does my treats.
To have these intimate momentswith my facial rejuvenation plan
.
Right, have to share it.
(25:41):
If you do it either, it's avery private, a private thing,
and that's the relationship thatmy patients and I have.
Yes, they want to talk about itGreat.
If not, that's okay too.
It is, but I think that I lovebeing a part of that.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I love it.
I love it.
I think that the culture hasshifted from you making the
personal choice to keep your owninformation private to this
whole ideology that those whoare elite or worthy don't want
to give any opportunity to thosebeneath them to find the same
opportunities.
And that's changed over time,because I think, as women,
(26:13):
hopefully, we're learning toadjust each other's crowns
without calling out that it'scrooked in the first place.
So there's some questions thatI want to address, just basic
ones.
Botox is it a toxin?
Right Cause I like to joke andsay I'm going to put botulism in
my face.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
So if we think, about where Botox comes from, and
this is true of really many mostmedications that we have.
They're going to come from abacteria, as does Botox.
So if we think about bacteria,it replicates exponentially and
that's going to be problematic,right.
But Botox is a protein derivedfrom a bacteria that prevents
(26:54):
the release of acetylcholine bycleaving a particular protein
within our muscle, and it'stemporary, and those proteins
grow back.
So when the drug is placed in amuscle, it's going to
temporarily cause it to have arelaxation to it over the course
of about three to four months.
So is it a toxin?
Well, that's a protein, really.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
So the way I see it is, it's toxic for my frown line
.
You got it, there you go, letme ask you this when I started
getting it, they would hold forlike six months between
treatments.
Why is it less over time?
Speaker 2 (27:26):
I do think the muscles have some degree of
hypertrophy over time.
I mean they do get stronger.
I think oftentimes our musclesand our expression becomes more
noticeable because we also havevolume loss.
That's present.
So some of the same thingsaren't holding in the same way
they were.
I know from personal experience.
I've had some of my you know,crow's feet Botox or Botox that
(27:46):
is around the eye area inparticular.
It doesn't seem to hold quiteas much, but I also was losing a
little bit of that tissue tointegrity around the eyes so it
just wasn't quite the same as itonce was because of that.
That's the finest skin.
Yeah, I also feel like thereare.
I also see that there's a lotof underdosing.
So dose does equal duration.
So, um, when you're not gettingthe appropriate dose of the of
(28:08):
the muscle that needs to betreated if it is stronger, um,
it's just going to over timejust not.
That muscle just kind of comesback sooner and sooner.
Um, so I'm big on justdiagnosing that muscle strength
and kind of treating that withthe muscle the drug that it
needs.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Good answer.
What about starting younger?
Does that mean that you'repreventing yourself from those
muscles getting so deep overtime that you inevitably don't
need to fight against thatmuscle with that high dosage?
Speaker 2 (28:37):
Yeah, I think starting younger where spining
is is going to be it just helpsone.
The big thing it helps keep thebrow position where it is on
the orbital rim and keeping thatbrow high instead of pulled
down over time.
Yeah, I think there's it's.
It's really helps with skinquality and starting sooner.
But I'm not saying everyonejust needs to jump in and do
(28:59):
that, but there's conversationsthat can be had to meet our
patients where they're at,whether that be skincare or
having hydrofacial or justwearing sunblock.
I mean having that importantdiscussion about how are we
protecting our skin long-term.
Speaker 1 (29:11):
Oh my gosh, such a good point that you're making
about the long-term protectionof our skin.
So, hydrofacials, let's talkabout that for a second, because
I thought it was an either or,until I met you and you said no,
it's an, and you have to getall that schmutz schmutz is dirt
out of the things.
(29:31):
Like imagine, imagine that I'mgoing to be altering your dress
and you didn't take it to thedry cleaners first and it was
like wow, okay.
But then also the understandingthat as much as you can keep
(29:59):
that skin in its most integritythat was that wasn't even
English in the in the highlyintegrity you know, maintains
the integrity of the skin.
And then, using those productsCause I used it, my grandmother
used oil of Olay, her whole life.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
I know it and that they.
I think the consistency was thething and she used it
consistently, consistently everysingle day.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
That's true, that's, that's it, so it's when you use
Nivea, the Nivea cream, ponds,ponds.
I still have a thing of pondson my counter at all times.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
I don't know why no, I think it's just.
There's some nostalgia theretoo I agree, using ponds myself,
but, um, I think that, um, whenit comes to aesthetics, we look
at it so differently than anyother thing, so let's kind of
use.
Let's talk about training for amarathon.
Right, it's not something youjust run and it's not a one-time
thing.
You don't run a marathon andbecome fit.
(30:42):
You also don't do one aestheticprocedure and just become
rejuvenated, so it's like youhave to look at when you're
doing things over the course oftime whether it's physical
activity or whether it'saesthetics, whether it's
relationships you're going tohave a better outcome long-term
instead of once, and there'sreally no one-term, one-time fix
(31:02):
.
And I think, kind of circlingback to our whole conversations
about surgery, that is a greatoption for a lot of patients,
it's a necessary option, but itstill isn't a one-time fix.
And if you have a commitment tofeeling great and feeling
empowered and feeling like thebest version of yourself and
truly wanting that kind ofunderstanding and coming to
terms with the fact that that'snot something that you can just
(31:24):
fix in one appointment, isreally beneficial for your
long-term aesthetic journey.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
Oh my gosh, that's such a great wrap up to think
about it, right, because Ididn't know that Botox was a two
week thing.
When I first got it, Iliterally thought that I was
going to walk out that day witha finished product.
By the same token, you, thefirst time I had injectables
done, nobody really let me knowthat that was instant and that
(31:50):
it was like swollen and needed acouple of days to kind of
become yours.
Yep.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
So it has to integrate into the tissue and
your body's doing what it should.
Yes, it's going to have aresponse, and being able to walk
that journey again with mypatients and help them know that
this is something that willintegrate, this will soften,
this will be the result thatyou're looking, you know you're
we're going for, but your bodyis doing what it should be and
(32:19):
there is sometimes a time whereyou feel a little bit more
swollen or you're gonna havethat few day period where you
really may have a little bruise,but that's okay, oh, my God,
you are so wonderful and I hopeyou don't mind that I'm a
groupie for life.
And I'll follow you everywhere,anyone's lucky to have Susie.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
I have been changed by everything that you taught me
.
You taught me you didn't justwork on me, which is what I'd
previously thought.
Same thing, by the way, that Ideveloped a relationship with my
I don't call her my, my, mystylist.
I call her my hairapist, andthe reason is because she also
asked me the question what isyour long-term goal, do you?
(32:58):
If you want to go blonde, it isnot smart to do it all at once.
Like you, she was honest andsaid it will make me less money,
but it will make you more happyand long-term we will have a
relationship, and I'm not doingthis for the profit, I'm doing
this for the person.
And it changed everything,because now transparency equals
(33:22):
trust.
I trust that when I go to younow, I can pop into your seat
and, even though I still say,okay, do whatever you need to.
That's what she does.
She laughs just like that everysingle time because she forces
me to become educated about myown empowerment, and I love that
.
You are part of this tribe ofproviders, women, community
(33:47):
members, uplifters, builders,who see the benefit in not just
providing a product or aprocedure, but in a whole human
approach.
Speaker 2 (34:01):
Yeah, thank you, susie.
I I want to, um, I think somesometimes you you got to ask
where do you start with this?
Um, I, personally, I think we,as you mentioned, we love to
educate, but, um, I see patientsat a lace medical spa and um,
we, I love that we have ummedical spas and we I love that
(34:22):
we have rebranded and created alittle bit or more of a
inclusive brand which welcomesreally anyone.
Share some more about that forme, yeah, so we have taken the
experience and that luxuryexperience of what Amara is and
really opened that to welcomingmore individuals and making this
feel like a great, like safespace to receive elite care by
providers that cumulatively havesignificant experience.
(34:43):
So really proud to see patientsthere.
And I think, just create back towhat you were saying talking
about with, like that two weekfollow-up and having that
opportunity to relook at my workand be able to have my patient
take that break out of their dayand go.
Okay, let's like focus on youand let's make sure that your
result is what you're lookingfor and let's like let's adjust
it if needed, but if not, let'sjust get a plan for the future
(35:05):
and, um, uh, that's yeah, that'swhat, that kind of what, that
two week follow-up is really allabout.
Speaker 1 (35:11):
Well, thank you so much, Audrey, for sharing your
wisdom, your wit and yourwonderful skills and for being
part of my team, and it's apleasure.
Pleasure is mine.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
So I think, and then with the you mentioned community
, I think I want to see we'realso in a movement of just
supporting each other asaesthetic injectors, even
outside of our own practices,and that's I love that too,
because being a resource tohelping other providers provide
the best like the safest and thebest outcomes, and knowing what
just prioritizing that overallin their treatments is really, I
(35:44):
think how I'm slowly but surelytrying to make a bigger impact
in this aesthetic industry.
Speaker 1 (35:49):
And as much appreciated.
Thank you so much for coming intoday.
Thank you, susie, for having me.
I will see you again soon.
If you know of someone who isthe kind of mensch who should
get an honorable mention, sendme a note at schmoozewithsuesorg
or drop me a line on Instagram.
That's going to do it for ustoday.
(36:10):
Thanks for sticking around.
Make sure to subscribe toSchmooze with Suze on YouTube
and follow me on Instagram toget your daily dose of chutzpah.
I'm Suze, your well-informed,smart ass who's not afraid to
stand up and speak out.
Because what's an envelope ifnot for pushing?
Hey, stay inspired andinspiring.
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