Latest / Skin Anarchy / The Truth Behind Chemical Peels, Lasers, and Skincare Treatments for All Skin Tones ft. Megan Francis

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The Truth Behind Chemical Peels, Lasers, and Skincare Treatments for All Skin Tones ft. Megan Francis · Skin Anarchy

• 0:02
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Skin Anarchy.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: This is your host, Ekta, and I'm really excited about our episode today because we're gonna be diving into the world of aesthetics, which I think is kind of a gray area for a lot of us because there's so much to learn and there's so much to know and just not enough information out there.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: So um with me today, I have the very talented Megan Francis, who is a board certified nurse practitioner and the founder of NM Aesthetics and Wellness, which is the top-rated privately owned and operated medical spa in the Arlington, Virginia area.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_00: And so I'm super excited to host Megan and learn from her today.
• 0:38
  SPEAKER_00: So welcome to the show.
• 0:39
  SPEAKER_00: I'm so excited to host you, Megan.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 0:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks for having me.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to talk about all of this with you.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I would love to get started, but to learn more about you and really what got you into the aesthetic space.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: If you could tell us a little bit about yourself.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I've been a nurse since 2010.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_01: I've been a nurse practitioner since 2018.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_01: I've worked in a variety of settings.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: I worked in cardiac ICU, neuro ICU.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_01: I did home health, home health, wound care, but the regular traditional healthcare system unfortunately does take its toll.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_01: It kind of breaks you in so in a lot of ways, like the brutal schedule, the death and dying, private equity buying up all the hospitals, making staffing really bad.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_01: That's a whole nother issue that we could talk about on a whole nother podcast.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_01: But I wanted a way to still help people.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: I got into nursing to help people.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'd been in and out of doctors' offices my whole life, physical therapy, and I had back surgery, and I was like, oh my god, these nurses are amazing.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: I want to do this.
• 1:38
  SPEAKER_01: So my why has always been to help people.
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_01: It just looks a little bit different now.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_01: And aesthetics was a way to help people feel good without all the rest of the traditional stress and insurance and death and you know all of that that comes with it.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, yeah.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that's really cool.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: I'm glad you I mean you brought up a lot of really, really important points, though.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_00: And and it's very valid what you said.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: I think also when it comes to like patient care, like it's easier when you do it on your own, you're right.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Let's it's kind of like okay, I can take more control over this stuff.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: So that's I I resonate a lot with that.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_00: So for sure.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_01: And that's why I actually started my own practice though, because even in aesthetics, unfortunately, there's a lot of people in it for the wrong reasons.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: So you really want to find a provider that cares.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_01: And for me, going out on my own, starting my own practice, I know that everyone who works for me feels the same way, and we can always strive to do the right thing, and it's always patient first, which is what medicine is supposed to be.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_01: So for me, that was like a no-brainer that I had to do it this way.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_00: So, how was that transition for you?
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like going from this, like, you know, the mainstream hospital life into creating your own business and your own practice.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, what was that transition like for you in terms of just all the details that come with it?
• 2:59
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, well, I think my experiences helped.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_01: I went from the hospital, then I transitioned to home nursing.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_01: And before I was a nurse practitioner in home nursing, you're very autonomous, actually.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_01: You're alone a lot, 99% of the time.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_01: And the collaboration with doctors, you know, you're kind of leading the way, you're the one in there.
• 3:19
  SPEAKER_01: So that was a really nice stepping stone to becoming more autonomous.
• 3:23
  SPEAKER_01: And in the ICU as well, nurses are pretty autonomous, more so than other units.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_01: So those nursing positions helped me.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_01: And but I will tell you, starting your own business is not for the weak.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_01: It is definitely a lot.
• 3:38
  SPEAKER_01: And you've got to have a really good lawyer and you've got to have good consent.
• 3:42
  SPEAKER_01: And oh my God, the amount of licensing I have for business licensing, insurance licensing, all of that.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's a lot, but it's so worth it.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I just try to take it one step at a time.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: I did grow pretty quickly, so it was really vital to get staff in to help me with that growth because I actually started as a concierge provider out of my car and traveling from house to house, and that was a way that I could do it with, you know, low overhead.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_01: And then I worked out of my home, and then I worked into a little solo salon, and now I'm in my big practice in Arlington, which is right over the bridge from DC, and we're expanding that now.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, it can get overwhelming, but I think if you just take it one step at a time, you know, you can do it.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_01: It's just gonna be 90-hour work weeks, but it's worth it.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_00: No, that's really cool though.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, and congratulations for you know, really having the grit to do that.
• 4:34
  SPEAKER_00: I know that it must be so much work, and you know, especially, you know, with aesthetics, I have so many questions because I feel like, you know, like I said earlier, it's it's really a great area for a lot of consumers and including me, you know.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: And so when it comes to the approach, I would love for you to shed some light here in terms of how do you approach, like in terms of skincare, how do you approach your patients with different ethnic backgrounds and different needs?
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, what are the what are the steps that you have to take to make sure that you're able to provide that care, you know, to a wide audience?
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, so here we call the the DC metro area the DMV, DC Maryland, Virginia.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: And here in the DMV, kind of like New York City, we're very, very, very diverse.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_01: And I didn't realize how lucky we are to have that diversity until I started speaking and training around the country.
• 5:21
  SPEAKER_01: Like this area is very diverse, and it's really important to treat all skin types.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_01: So everybody gets the same approach in that if you walk through the door, no matter what it is you're walking in for, we give you a full assessment, we talk about skincare, we tailor it to your needs, whether that you know you have acne or just anti-aging.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_01: But when you get into any kind of skin of color, it really becomes important when you're doing lasers, microneedling, those kinds of procedures.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_01: So we have systems in place where how to analyze your skin and you know different settings on these devices to make them safe.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_01: I actually speak for a company called Cartessa, and I love them because traditionally with lasers, like I'm Middle Eastern, I'm uh Persian and Brazilian, and I couldn't even use lasers.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: My mom had a laser used on her back in the day, and she has hypopigmentation, which is you know, lack of color, if you will, in layman's terms, permanent because of improper laser use.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: But this company now, Cartessa, we have these devices that can be used on the darkest skin types, which was unheard of because I'd be right in the middle and I couldn't use the lasers of yesteryear.
• 6:32
  SPEAKER_01: But it's all about having the right device that's capable, then the right setting, because you can have an amazing device and not a competent provider that's never been trained, right?
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_01: You can buy these machines with a medical license and technically don't need training, right?
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, nobody trains more than my office.
• 6:50
  SPEAKER_01: I am a national trainer, but I still train all the time as well.
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm always seeking out thought leaders and my colleagues and always trying to be better.
• 6:59
  SPEAKER_01: But we have a whole systematic approach on what to do.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_01: We may treat you with certain like creams and things to prevent any issues down the line.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_01: We also have aftercare that's included, so a lot goes into it.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_01: But the main thing I want people to know is you need to find a provider that knows that and ask them.
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_01: You know, there's something called the Fitzpatrick skin scale, where people are rated on this scale from one to six, but it's just not as good as some of the other tools that we have that take in ethnicity into account.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_01: Because technically I would be a three on the Fitzpatrick scale, but I'm actually a four when you're doing like something called the Lancer scale, which takes in ethnicity.
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's so interesting because I think when it comes to darker skin types, you know, and just different skin types, I should say, it's very hard to find information out there.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, not to mention to do your homework, you know, before you go into like aesthetics for a med clinic.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Because for me personally, you know, I've tried that before where it's like, you know, what do I really need?
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: What does my skin type need?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: What's going to actually help versus not?
• 8:11
  SPEAKER_00: So it's good that you have this background and that you're constantly pushing forward with the training and and whatnot, because I I really believe in that, you know, it is a lifelong learning process in the medical space.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: So that's very cool.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_01: But unfortunately, so many people aren't like that.
• 8:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they're not.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_00: And and it baffles me, like across disciplines, too.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, especially in aesthetics, because you guys have so much coming out, I feel like there's always like a new machine or a new laser, you know?
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_01: You know what's even crazier is I have a lot of patients that come to me, they go to providers that look like them, you know, with darker skin types, and they're going to those providers who don't know how to treat their own skin.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_01: And then they end up in our chair.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_01: We're fixing problems, we're fixing issues.
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_01: You really, really have to have a passion for it.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_01: And you would think if you look, if you have a darker skin type, you'd be passionate about it, right?
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_01: But people aren't.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I, it's very important to me.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_01: Honestly, my life would be boring if I only treated blonde white girls all day, right?
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I love the diversity.
• 9:16
  SPEAKER_01: I love everything that we have here in the DMV.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_01: And my suggestions when going to an aesthetic provider, including including if you're getting injectables, is asking them what do they do for training?
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_01: Like, how often are they and how often are they doing it?
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: Have they ever had an ultrasound safety course?
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_01: Do they have an ultrasound in their office?
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: Do how when was their last cadaver course, anatomy cadaver course?
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_01: Because we'll go to these cadaver courses where we're injecting and dissecting to make sure we're safe, and then asking them how they treat anyone with skin of color differently.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: I love Cartessa, the company, because they have something called skin inclusive, and it is a way to step-by-step assess everybody.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_01: Because even if you're like, you know, someone with lighter skin, if you've been out in the sun or burning, you're you're you move up on the scale.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: It's really nice, and it's something to also keep track of.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_01: Like, don't take for granted your lighter skin tones.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_01: What if they're on a medication that makes them sun sensitive, like doxycycline, or you know, it really encompasses treating, looking at everybody's skin every single time because there are genetic factors and lifestyle factors that change what your skin is going through at that moment.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_01: So those are my main things that you should ask.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: And anyone worth their salt is not going weight and salt is not going to be offended for asking that.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_01: I don't get offended.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_01: I always say all day, it does not the letters behind my name do not as matter as much, as much as like the the training.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_00: No, I love that.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's so refreshing to hear because I won't lie, you know, I think I'm a very annoying patient, you know.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_00: They always say they always say that about us in medical in the medical field that we make the most annoying patients.
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's it's true to some degree, but I always ask so many questions.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know if anyone listening out there is similar to us, but I mean for me, I feel like if a practitioner can't answer your questions, you know, or if they're not able to like even direct you in the right place or or whatnot, it just makes you think yeah, or gets annoyed, right?
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Or just acts like they're irritated by you asking for I mean that's a red flag, and it may mean that they don't know what they're doing, you know.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I hate to say that, but it's that's what it feels like, you know.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Or they know what they're doing, but they don't care, and that's worse.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_01: Not caring to me is worse than anything, right?
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_01: No one's perfect.
• 11:44
  SPEAKER_01: You may like back when I was learning, people would ask me, and like, I don't know how to do that yet, but I will.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: I remember someone asking me to do neck filler, and I was like, I don't know it yet.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: She went on maternity leave, she came back, and I was like the neck queen.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I have no problems when I was coming up through this, saying I don't know how to do something.
• 12:00
  SPEAKER_01: Once I'm trained, I will do it.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: Or I don't know, let me just double check, right?
• 12:05
  SPEAKER_01: That is to me like being a human, right?
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_01: Versus not caring.
• 12:11
  SPEAKER_01: Not caring, you know, that just goes against everything.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: Because if you care, you're gonna do everything you can to make give everyone the best result, but also know when to walk away if that's what you need to do, if you're not appropriate for that.
• 12:26
  SPEAKER_01: And we say no all the time and or tell people no.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_01: We won't make you look like a crazy Kardashian or something like that with migrated filler.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: We just won't do it.
• 12:34
  SPEAKER_01: And there are providers in the area that will do those things, right?
• 12:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, no, that's really that's really cool that you you're able to speak so openly about that because I know that that is a you know a concern that many people have had recently.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_00: I've seen it all over social media where you know something went bad, or like exactly what you said, like the fillers, like there's not enough information, especially, you know, I wonder this a lot about the younger generation because they like they're opting in now.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know if you've seen this in your practice more and more, but from social media, it seems like they're coming in more for aesthetic like treatments, and you know, whether it's filler, whatever that might be, any injectables, and they're not well versed in what to expect.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_00: And then if there is like any movement of anything, like it's like you can see it on their face, but it just makes me wonder like, did someone not properly educate you about like what to expect later on, like in terms of maintenance care or whatnot?
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_00: So it's a very, I think, buzzworthy topic, you know, to kind of put this out there that what there needs to be an understanding between you and your provider that you know what what can you expect?
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_00: What should you expect, you know, going forward?
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like even when you get your procedure done, you know.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, like I said, we definitely do all of that.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_01: I send you so much paperwork, it's annoying.
• 13:54
  SPEAKER_01: But I see with like the Gen Z, we get two types of patients.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_01: One that want that crazy fake look that we send people away.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: I also we also screen for body dysmorphia.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: We definitely have said no to some really young kids, but I also understand some people, you know, we unfortunately live in a society where looks matter.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, I think there's a lot of things that can be done for young people tastefully, conservatively.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_01: You know, I had a girl come in.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_01: I normally do not treat younger patients.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: She was 18 and she came in with her mom and she wanted lip filler.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, we've sent plenty of 18-year-olds home.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: Her lips were so, so thin, and she was getting picked on.
• 14:38
  SPEAKER_01: And we gave her a very small, natural lip, and she just looks like a normal person.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: And to me, I find that I still sleep at night just fine treating a patient like that, but making someone look like back in the day a Playboy bunny or something crazy, again, or Kylie.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_01: Kylie way overdid it and looks 15 years older than she should because of improperly placed filler and filler placed too much, right?
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_01: I think there is an absolute difference.
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_01: And it's just kind of how different people age.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: I have some people in their 20s that look older with nothing done to them because of their genetics, and some people in their 40s that haven't needed anything yet because of their genetics.
• 15:18
  SPEAKER_01: So I think, you know, you just have to, everyone is case by case, but I think if you just again patient first, less is more, you know, if you just keep your ethics, it's okay.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think there's like a clear-cut rule, okay, you can't get anything until this age.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: But I do think Highly Jenner and the Kardashians in in general are, I just use them as the biggest example because everyone knows them, but they are like exactly what not to do.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 15:48
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I mean, I I think it's it's important to it's important to recognize, you know, what works and what doesn't work and what's actually a healthy way to approach aesthetics.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think that's a big question I've always had as well, is I'm not gonna lie to you, I've kind of had that fear of turning into another person that looks like they're overdone, you know, because I'm I'm always scared of that because it's like, well, what if the person or what if the practitioner I'm going to, what if they overdo it and I don't know what's going on because you're in the chair, you don't know what, you know.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like a you know, look at what your provider looks like.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_01: If they look crazy, don't go to them, right?
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 16:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I actually got trademark you come to us because you don't want anyone to know you come to us, and a few other variations of that, because I just want you to look like yourself but younger.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_01: So sometimes, like, we might do like a full facial balancing and inject everyone, their entire face.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_01: And when they see the mirror, they don't have a big reaction.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_01: They're like, I don't really see a difference.
• 16:47
  SPEAKER_01: And they say that because what they're seeing is their younger face.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_01: But when I show them the before and afters, they're like, Oh my God, I had no idea I look like that.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_01: And to me, that's the best compliment because when they're looking in the mirror, they recognize themselves.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_01: It was some, it was, it's them five years ago, 10 years ago, maybe 20 years ago if you're some of our six-year-old patients.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_01: But it's really cool to do that, and that's another reason why we take pictures so people can really see the value of what they're getting.
• 17:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that makes sense.
• 17:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I I want to actually ask you about some treatments because I definitely hear a lot of words and the the names of these treatments, but just to understand them better, you know, let's talk about chemical peels.
• 17:32
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's a really popular treatment amongst a lot of folks out there, you know.
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_00: What are what should we know about chemical peels?
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_00: Or what do you usually tell your patients when they're coming in for a peel in terms of like what they should come in prepared for or what they should prepare for afterwards?
• 17:47
  SPEAKER_01: So it really depends, right?
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_01: Like a lot of people really don't come out of the gates just with a chemical peel.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_01: They're usually, if they're gonna go that route, it's usually a facial, it's usually something that we can we have time to talk to them about, prep them, because genuinely, truly, no matter what you're doing with your skin, getting on a home skincare regimen will make everything better.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_01: It'll make your results better, faster healing time.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_01: So we typically are doing a lot of pre-education.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_01: Even if you wanted to just book for a chemical peel, at least in my practice, we need to see your face.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: You can't just book a chemical peel, right?
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: Like you have to, if you're not a current patient, you have to send in pictures, we have to assess you, we have to do a whole, there's a lot that goes into it because otherwise you run in the into like you come in for a chemical peel and we determine you're not a good candidate.
• 18:38
  SPEAKER_01: So in my practice, we like to avoid that and just do a lot of like pre-instruction.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_01: So I think that's really important where anyone wants, if anyone wants to get a chemical peel to know that.
• 18:50
  SPEAKER_01: And then afterwards, it depends on what kind of peel, right?
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: You can get a very gentle peel where you're only a little bit pink and it's not intense.
• 18:58
  SPEAKER_01: You can also get a really intense peel.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_01: Where did you did you ever like sex in the city back in the day?
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, oh my gosh.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_01: You know that episode where Samantha has her face melted off.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, technically those really strong acids are an option, but honestly, I don't see the point in that.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_01: There's really no point in that when we have such advanced technology with lasers and other things that can do so much, you don't need that crazy melt your face off peel.
• 19:29
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, that makes sense.
• 19:31
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense because I feel like that's what everyone expects.
• 19:35
  SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, literally everyone I've ever spoken to is like, oh gosh, like a peel, like you know, you go in and your face just is terrible for like so many days.
• 19:44
  SPEAKER_00: And like, really, like, not every peel is like this, like you know, it's not like you know, one size.
• 19:50
  SPEAKER_01: No, you don't have to you don't have to, but that's again where you're trying to go with a good provider, yeah, that is gonna explain all of this to you.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_01: But honestly, for our patients, again, we do things differently.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of places you can book whatever you want, do whatever you want, they really don't care.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_01: But for us, we have to make sure you're the right candidate.
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_01: Then we discuss your your goals, and if you're willing to do the downtime, right?
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_01: You have to be willing to do the downtime.
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_01: If not, we have other options that are more gentle, it'll you'll still get a great result.
• 20:19
  SPEAKER_01: It might take longer to get it all gone, right?
• 20:22
  SPEAKER_01: I do like sometimes I'd rather like do a stronger one so I don't have to do as many, but everybody's different and everyone's budgets are different.
• 20:31
  SPEAKER_01: So that's why, again, you really red flag if a place doesn't do any kind of like pre-treatment education or anything like that, or at the very least, like you know, let's say someone slipped through the crack somehow, a good provider.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: If you're not the right candidate in the chair, they're gonna have you go, right?
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, you have to have a lot of education and just again being prepared for potential downtime.
• 20:54
  SPEAKER_01: But guys, you really do not need to get that melt your face off Samantha Peel.
• 20:59
  SPEAKER_01: I did enjoy that episode, but we don't we don't need it, you know.
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: CO2 lasers, I know I'm throwing words out there, but these lasers that would look like that as well, you don't have to have that either.
• 21:13
  SPEAKER_01: We have so many great options that do that same thing without melting your face off.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, see, that's that's the thing.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_00: Then that's why I like originally I had said, you know, aesthetics is a great space because there are so many options, you know, and I think that's a wonderful thing.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, don't get me wrong, I love that.
• 21:31
  SPEAKER_00: I love that there are options, and I love that there are practitioners such as yourself that are so, you know, like proactive and you're well versed and you know what you're doing, and that's uh amazing to me.
• 21:41
  SPEAKER_00: It's just that I think with from the consumer standpoint, it does get confusing, you know.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_00: So again, it like really boils down to like ask questions, you know, like just ask questions if you don't know.
• 21:51
  SPEAKER_00: And and at the end of the day, it's not gonna be a one size fits all.
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: And I think a lot of people b like believe that that it's gonna be the same thing, like.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_00: My friend got this, so I also have to go and get the same things done, you know?
• 22:04
  SPEAKER_01: We fight that all the time, even with like getting neurotoxins done.
• 22:08
  SPEAKER_01: Botox is the most common name that people know, but not really actually the one that we use anymore.
• 22:13
  SPEAKER_01: Like we use like other ones like Disport or there's other neurotoxins that are actually more popular, but like they're like, Well, my friend got this, I need that.
• 22:21
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like, girlfriend, you guys have different needs, but people don't get that.
• 22:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I also want to talk about again the devices themselves.
• 22:29
  SPEAKER_01: You know, not all devices are created equal.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_01: There's like laser companies out there that have lawsuits against them because their devices at best don't work, or some of them very painful, misleading.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_01: Like, there's not enough regulation, in my opinion, for all of these medical devices, and it's not just in aesthetics, it's in medicine in general.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it's just not enough regulation.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_01: So it can be scary, but that's why I mean, if you really those questions that I already mentioned, if you're asking that and asking about education, and you know, I post all the time, like my followers see everything that I'm doing and my staff is doing, and we're always training or having a lunch and learn, or you know, all of this stuff, those are all green flags.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_01: I feel like consumers are getting smarter and about what the red flags are.
• 23:20
  SPEAKER_01: And unfortunately, another one groupon, you should never, never, never, never, never group on your face.
• 23:25
  SPEAKER_00: I have oh god, that's so cringe for me.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_01: She never skimps out on like her OBGYN or something, her sushi and her face, like something like that.
• 23:36
  SPEAKER_01: She, I don't know the exact quote.
• 23:38
  SPEAKER_01: My real litter patient, Michelle.
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_01: I I don't know.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: It was a really funny quote, but it it makes sense.
• 23:43
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you're not gonna scrimp, you're not gonna get discount sushi, right?
• 23:47
  SPEAKER_01: And you don't want to discount your face.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly, exactly.
• 23:50
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you should never be buying a group on for no your face.
• 23:54
  SPEAKER_00: Like, please don't.
• 23:55
  SPEAKER_00: Please don't do that.
• 23:56
  SPEAKER_00: No, but I want to actually I want to shift gears a little bit because I think there's a lot of you know, there's a lot of positive messaging you could you provide for you know anyone tuning in regarding some some very common things, like for example, sunscreen, right?
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_00: We hear a lot about sunscreen, but you know, it's usually geared towards like the lighter skin tones.
• 24:15
  SPEAKER_00: I would love for you to speak a little bit on that and really educate our audience on why sunscreen is important, and maybe if you have an example you could provide, you know, uh just just to educate.
• 24:28
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I mean, okay, so sunscreen is definitely a hot topic, and I personally don't use chemical sunscreens.
• 24:38
  SPEAKER_01: I'm it's funny, I'm in this world, but I'm a very hippy-dippy crunchy person.
• 24:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I use zinc base, but zinc has come a long way.
• 24:45
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to look like that lifeguard, you know, like the white lifeguard knows they they've come a long way with zinc, but I'm just happy when people are wearing sunscreen.
• 24:55
  SPEAKER_01: There something was on TikTok.
• 24:56
  SPEAKER_01: What was it?
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_01: That sunscreen is like gonna kill you or something or poison.
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: Oh god, don't get me started on those studies.
• 25:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it was something like that.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_01: Like for me, there are brands with better ingredients, right?
• 25:08
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and every like so without getting too nitty-gritty, zinc sunscreen.
• 25:12
  SPEAKER_01: You want to look for non-nano zinc sunscreen because nano scene very, very small particles are actually a lot of plastic, and those actually can cause cellular damage, whereas regular zinc does not do that.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm everything that we carry here is safe, and that's what I personally use in my body.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: I'm very into ocean life, and a lot of those chemical sunscreens or nano zinc is not ocean safe, and there's so much greenwashing in the aesthetic or in that space where things are reef safe.
• 25:43
  SPEAKER_01: I look in the ingredients and they're not, but I I really think everyone needs sunscreen, including our darkest skin types, every skin cancer is affects everyone, right?
• 25:56
  SPEAKER_01: It does affect people's lighter skin tone more, but it is definitely a what's the word I'm looking for?
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_01: Misconception that darker skin types don't need sunscreen.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's that's the biggest one, I think.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you know, I agree with you that we don't have to be archaic with our options, you know.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of times many, many people, many consumers shy away from sunscreen because they're like, no, I have that white cast, and you know, I just can't get away from it.
• 26:23
  SPEAKER_00: And it's like, no, like I know for a fact there's brands, you know, that are now they have like the clear sunscreens now where like literally can't tell you're wearing it.
• 26:32
  SPEAKER_01: Well brand sunscreens, so there needs to well, so twofold.
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_01: I actually went on a mission, I think it was last year or year before, where even brands we didn't carry, I was doing over-the-counter brands.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_01: I was trying, I think it was Eustarine that made one that didn't have a white cast, was cheap, and on the darkest skin types.
• 26:53
  SPEAKER_01: I literally made it my mission because I got a lot of heat online saying, no, there's no mineral sunscreen that works for darker skin types.
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_01: But I have the United Nations working for me, so I tried every single sunscreen on all of my staff till I could find it because I was so passionate about that.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_01: But second thing, we need so in some ways we don't have enough regulation, and in other ways it's weird.
• 27:15
  SPEAKER_01: Our regulations in like Korea and other countries, they have sunscreen technology light years ahead of us that we don't have in this country that work on everyone, are reef safe, don't cause cancer, aren't full of chemicals.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_01: But the FDA, like they let us have food coloring and other poison in our food, but then we can't have these other sunscreens.
• 27:39
  SPEAKER_01: It like doesn't make sense, it's kind of nuts.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, medic regulations are crazy, but I'm hoping one day these sunscreens that are available abroad will be available to us as well.
• 27:53
  SPEAKER_01: But we need a lot of changes when it comes to government and government involvement in all of this.
• 27:59
  SPEAKER_01: We need more in some places and not less in others, but different.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_01: It's just like strange, weird rules that don't make sense.
• 28:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I I feel like I've seen that myself is that, you know, that the East is just, I mean, they're just excelling in this space, you know, of just finding options and technologies that are very relevant and that are very, you know, forward-minded and science forward when it comes to this.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_00: I I think it's just interesting to see how things trickle down into the West, you know, because we get some options.
• 28:32
  SPEAKER_00: Like I don't, I know for a fact there are, like you said, there are some brands that are offering some things, you know, in terms in the sunscreen space, but not nearly enough.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's like we shouldn't still be having this kind of if you ask me, it shouldn't even be a conversation about like I have a white cast, you know, like we shouldn't have that.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_01: But again, we you know, just like we shouldn't have poison in our food and all of the other things that we have, it shouldn't be allowed, it shouldn't be there, but here we are, you know.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_00: No, exactly.
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_00: And speaking of sunscreen and I guess sun exposure, I want to talk a little bit about hyperpigmentation with you.
• 29:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I know it's a really common concern across pretty much all skin tones, especially darker skin tones.
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: In your practice, how do you treat hyperpigmentation?
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_00: Like what are some of the most well well, what's your protocol, first of all, and also what are some of the more popular treatments that you have for that?
• 29:23
  SPEAKER_01: So budget is always a factor, but hyperpigmentation is you gotta attack it from a lot of different ways, right?
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_01: We skincare is the basis of everything.
• 29:33
  SPEAKER_01: So we have different creams that inhibit pigment, and we kind of work with patients to figure out what's the best one for them.
• 29:40
  SPEAKER_01: A couple new products actually just launched something from a brand called Epicutus Arctogenin.
• 29:45
  SPEAKER_01: I'm actually really excited about totally different than just regular vitamin C, and it's supposed to be really cool.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_01: We're just learning a lot about it.
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_01: I just started using it last night.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_01: So there's things coming in the skincare world, but what we have now already is really great.
• 30:01
  SPEAKER_01: Then the things you can do are microneedling, lasers, chemical peels, depending on the you know what is causing the hyperpigmentation.
• 30:10
  SPEAKER_01: Like, is it melasma?
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_01: Is it post-inflammatory?
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_01: Like, did you get like a scar or something?
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_01: But I'm really excited.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_01: Like, we have a pico laser, which is the gold standard for melasma, and so that's something we're using a lot of, and it's totally safe because it's it uses like a photoacoustic effect, which is a fancy way of saying it's not it's not heat, it's that photoacoustic goes in and breaks up the pigment, and your body kind of flushes it out.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_01: So great for all skin types, great for melasma, because a lot of people's melasma is triggered by heat, so that's really cool.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_01: And yeah, again, but it all does start with the skin.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_01: Really good home skincare routine with like a vitamin C, you know, some sort of pigment inhibitor and sunscreen is very vital, and then you just go from there, and those not only make your results better, but help prevent it from coming back again.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense.
• 31:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm glad you, I'm really glad you like are spotlighting the fact that it does matter if you have a good skincare routine, you know, because I I do get a lot of questions about this, and I always wonder to myself, I'm like, well, I guess there's no paper out there, you know, telling you like on PubMed that you have to have a skincare routine.
• 31:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I mean the proof is in the math is, you know, yeah, it's clinical.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_01: I was just speaking for Elastin, which is a skincare brand I use a lot in my own routine.
• 31:41
  SPEAKER_01: They have so many published papers on the efficacy of all of these products.
• 31:45
  SPEAKER_01: The Arctogen from Epicutis, I just told you about, they have studies.
• 31:48
  SPEAKER_01: So, you know, they're going in there and checking like hydration, they're checking like literally if you know collagen and elastin are being built.
• 31:57
  SPEAKER_01: So they're the medical brands do have the science to back it up.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm a science girly.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_01: So for me, I love these brands that have this information.
• 32:07
  SPEAKER_01: And I really want everyone to know that anything over the counter, whether it's cheap St.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_01: Ives to expensive La Mer, it's junk.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_01: La Mer is the biggest joke on earth.
• 32:19
  SPEAKER_01: And when I see celebrities endorsing it, I'm like, this is exactly why we can't have nice things.
• 32:24
  SPEAKER_01: Like, why do I need to celebrity is thinking La Mer is like the same ingredients in St.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_01: Ice Crub, same ingredients as Kylie Cosmetics.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_01: Like medical grade skincare is tested, it is proven, it's not just filled with water or alcohol, you know, or drunk elephant.
• 32:42
  SPEAKER_01: That's a big one for the millennials.
• 32:44
  SPEAKER_01: It's all junk, it's all junk.
• 32:46
  SPEAKER_01: Okay, whether it's cheap or expensive, don't waste your money.
• 32:50
  SPEAKER_01: And I used to use like natural brands, which are great, they're not doing much, they're not gonna hurt you like some of the like St.
• 32:57
  SPEAKER_01: Ives will, but they're not really doing anything for you.
• 33:00
  SPEAKER_01: So it's really important to go see, you know, an esthetician, a nurse, nurse practitioner, PA doctor that really specializes in skin.
• 33:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I think that that's that's really interesting because I I think that when skincare brands come out with these like new technologies and these new ingredients, people kind of like, I don't know, they they look over it a little bit, they're like, oh, it's just another, you know, another thing.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_00: But it's not true.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_00: Like, there's a lot of papers now, like you said, like a lot of these brands are genuinely telling you, like, no, we have the clinical data and we can show you that this works.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, it's worth looking at and it's worth reading.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm glad you I'm glad you highlighted that and brought that up because I think a lot of consumers, they kind of we tend to, I think it's human nature to lump everything up into one big box and think everything's the same, but there is a big difference between quality and just flow and you know, just pricing.
• 33:54
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, it really is.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_01: And like again, uh somewhere like here, we will find something in your budget that will work for your goals, but it's truly better to work with a professional to do that so you get the most bang for your buck and you're not wasting it on silly things.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_00: I love that.
• 34:11
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I want to ask you, kind of like, you know, and I know it's a kind of a big question, but what are some of the trends or any advancements in the aesthetic industry that are exciting you the most right now that might be up and coming, or you've seen like kind of a preview for them, or maybe something you're utilizing already in your in your practice?
• 34:29
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, trending-wise, I really love that people are into regenerative medicine.
• 34:35
  SPEAKER_01: So we're looking at all of these lasers and devices that are becoming more popular because it's all about collagen elastin or biostimulators like PRF, which uses your own blood products to again stimulate collagen elastin or things like sculptra and hyperdilute radius and without going crazy, these are just all things that collagen is the name of the game.
• 34:56
  SPEAKER_01: So I really love that.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_01: I also love that people are realizing taking care of their bodies, sleeping, eating better.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_01: It all goes into all of it.
• 35:05
  SPEAKER_01: But I would say one of the coolest things right now to me are the GLP1 medications.
• 35:09
  SPEAKER_01: So these are your Ozempics, Wagovis, Manjaro's.
• 35:13
  SPEAKER_01: These are not only helping changing people's lives when it comes to losing weight, getting rid of diabetes, they're showing it helping obviously heart disease, kidney disease, but something just came out about it helping with Alzheimer's or dementia because of reducing inflammation.
• 35:29
  SPEAKER_01: To me, whole like this regenerative medicine is so cool.
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_01: And those GLP ones that are out, I think are just life-changing for people.
• 35:38
  SPEAKER_01: But I I don't know, I think it's really cool all of the technology we have, or the fact like is that we've already said we can use lasers on all skin types.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_01: I I think is really cool.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: No, that sounds really cool, and I'm I'm excited to see what comes up, you know, more in the aesthetic space as we go along.
• 35:55
  SPEAKER_00: I think, you know, for me as a consumer, I I it's very, very interesting to see the integration between the skincare side and then the actual aesthetic with the procedures, you know, because we always see a new advancement, you know, every year or every couple of years, there's always something that comes out, and people are buzzing about it.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_00: But that's very exciting to hear.
• 36:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, there's new products, there's near new neurotoxins.
• 36:18
  SPEAKER_01: So the rest of the world, because again, our FDA process is so long and expensive, the rest of the world has more neurotoxins and fillers than we do.
• 36:25
  SPEAKER_01: But talking to my colleagues abroad, a lot of them are so unnecessary.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_01: We already have like for me, Galderma is a company, Restalin is such a complete portfolio.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know about all of these other fillers coming.
• 36:38
  SPEAKER_01: Like some new ones have come on, and I'm like, there's they're just not as good.
• 36:42
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm interested to see what's coming from Europe and the rest of the world.
• 36:47
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, does new does not always mean better?
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_01: It might be new to us, but it's been it might be old somewhere else.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_01: But who knows?
• 36:55
  SPEAKER_01: A lot of the new ones sound exciting.
• 36:56
  SPEAKER_01: We'll see, but I'm always skeptical.
• 36:59
  SPEAKER_01: You have to prove to me that the results and efficacy are there before I buy into all of the hype.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_00: That makes sense.
• 37:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm the same way.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_00: Show me the data, you know.
• 37:10
  SPEAKER_00: Show me the data and show me the science.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's the real the proof, you know, behind it.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_00: I I mean, I completely agree, and I love what you're doing.
• 37:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I I really think that we need more of you because maybe we can clone you and put you up there.
• 37:24
  SPEAKER_01: There are a lot of us.
• 37:26
  SPEAKER_01: There are a lot of us that really do care.
• 37:28
  SPEAKER_01: You just have to do the legwork and find that out.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_01: And, you know, find someone that will tell you no when you need it.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 37:36
  SPEAKER_00: No, I I really, really appreciate that.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm so glad to see that you're forward-minded when it comes to really being transparent with your patients and educating.
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_00: And I really, you know, I always appreciate that about a medical practitioner because I mean, you know how it is.
• 37:52
  SPEAKER_00: The medical space is filled with all sorts of people, and you know, God love us.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it takes a lot to get to where you are, you know, and and a lot of training, but sometimes you you can lose the way, you know, ethically.
• 38:05
  SPEAKER_00: I I really believe that, you know, and and there's a lot of people like that.
• 38:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 38:10
  SPEAKER_00: But thank you so much, Megan.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_00: If I anybody wants to kind of find you online, where can we find you if you can give us a website?
• 38:17
  SPEAKER_01: So my practice is enemies.
• 38:20
  SPEAKER_01: So it's nurse Megan, so N-M, and then A-E-S-T-H-E-T-I-C-S.com.
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_01: I'm Nurse Megan underscore aesthetics on Instagram, but all of that's on our website as well.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_01: And like I said, we're right outside DC in Arlington.
• 38:36
  SPEAKER_00: Perfect.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_00: That's awesome for everyone listening.
• 38:38
  SPEAKER_00: I hope you will definitely go check out the clinic and and definitely chime in if you have any questions.
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_00: We'll be linking all of the clinic's information in the show notes for this episode.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_00: So you can definitely scroll down and you'll see it.
• 38:50
  SPEAKER_00: But Megan, thank you so much.
• 38:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's been an honor to host you and to learn from you.
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_00: Hey guys, so I hope you love that episode.
• 38:58
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• 39:02
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• 39:05
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• 39:20
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  SPEAKER_00: So if you're a reader and you love medium blogs, check us out on Medium.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_00: We publish some really great articles on there that do deeper dives than just what's available on the podcast.
• 39:45
  SPEAKER_00: And it's really a great place for all of you science geeks out there that want to learn a little bit more.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_00: We go above and beyond with our research and making sure we're bringing you information that you usually probably won't hear about in other outlets.
• 39:57
  SPEAKER_00: So check us out, leave us a comment, leave us a review, and we'll be back next time with another episode.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.