SPEAKER_01: 1:01

My name is Maggie Sanders. I'm an aesthetic nurse practitioner and I own Modern Medesthetics and Wellness in Ruston, Virginia. It's a med spa practice, and I serve all ages, usually from mid-20s all the way up to 70s, even. And pretty much anybody who has skin looking to improve themselves and either through weight loss, Botox fillers, and just in general.

SPEAKER_00: 1:32

Amazing. I can't wait to learn more about all the fun stuff that you offer. So take me back to how you got started in all of this. Tell me how you got to where you are today.

SPEAKER_01: 1:43

Oh, well, I feel like it's taken such a long time. It's been about a 10-year process for me to get this going. I knew I wanted to get into aesthetics when I was probably 10 or 12 years into working as an ER nurse. And I knew that I didn't want to stay in that field forever. I somebody had introduced me to injecting, and I was like, I think I really want to do this. But I was an RN at that time and I didn't want any limits set on me. So I kind of put that on the back burner a little bit and said, well, let me go back to NP school so I have a little bit more autonomy in being able to do that.

SPEAKER_00: 2:23

Okay. Very interesting. You kind of knew it was your calling, right? I know. And clients often say that you take your time, you create a reassuring environment and thoroughly guide them through the entire treatment process. Why is that level of communication and intention so important to you as a provider?

SPEAKER_01: 2:44

First of all, I think it's really important to gain that trust with any of my clients because I'm also going at them with a needle in my hand, right? Straight to their face. And it takes a lot for even myself to allow somebody to get with a needle to my face, right? I mean, that's probably the first thing that anybody sees of us, right? So I really just to take my time, explain everything. Usually I'll answer a good 20 to 30 questions from my clients before we even get started. And if that's not enough to put them at ease, you know, with me, then we'll just keep asking questions. And I say, okay, are you ready? If not, I can answer more questions and go as slow as you need to go.

SPEAKER_00: 3:32

Absolutely. I love the point you make about just kind of going at their pace and making sure that they feel comfortable and they feel informed throughout the entire process, but especially the beginning when they are just trying to figure things out and have a bunch of questions.

SPEAKER_01: 3:46

Yes, that's important. You know, information and knowledge is power. And, you know, I do feel like I have a lot of information to share. And when I'm able to share that with my clients, it's empowering for them, right? And I'm in the business of making somebody feel good, look good, and really take self-care very seriously. So just taking that time to really empower them with knowledge is a huge difference.

SPEAKER_00: 4:14

Beautiful. And kind of to add on to that, what inspired your transition into aesthetics? And then and when did you realize this field allowed you to give patients something deeper than cosmetic results?

SPEAKER_01: 4:28

Yeah. So funny thing, I got into injecting when I worked in plastics, and I was given the opportunity to learn how to inject sculptra um for HIV clients. Um, that's primarily what sculptra is made for. Um, HIV clients, um, HIV patients in general, they take medication that causes them to lose fat in their face and their whole body. So giving them that, trying to think of the word what when I give them, you know, that ability to be able to put life back into their face, not just for cosmetic reasons, it's life-changing for them. And, you know, they're so grateful for that. So to be able to see that side of injectables was a real game changer for me because if I can make a difference in somebody's life just, you know, in three sessions every two years, and they're grateful, right? So I can translate that into the aesthetic world where, you know, we don't know what somebody's dealing with, right? They'll come to me. I know nothing about them. They carry a whole other baggage that I know nothing about. And, you know, they come to me wanting to feel good, to feel better. And I'm able to give them that just for a short bit of time. So if I'm able to do that to HIV clients, to moms, grandmas, dads who even come for Botox, you know, that makes it very rewarding for me.

SPEAKER_00: 5:58

Absolutely. And kind of going back to your experience with HIV patients, being able to give that normalcy back. Um, I remember speaking to you earlier, and you were like, it's not just the vanity, but it's also giving that normalcy back. I think that is just such an amazing thing to be able to help with.

SPEAKER_01: 6:16

It is.

SPEAKER_00: 6:17

And how does being both an aesthetic nurse practitioner and a longtime medical professional allow you to support patients in a more well-rounded, confidence-centered way?

SPEAKER_01: 6:30

Yeah, I mean, being a nurse for over 20 years, I feel like I have a lot of experience under my belt. I worked in the emergency room where I dealt with emergencies and traumas. I learned to anticipate before somebody crashes, right? Using that experience in aesthetics, you know, I'm able to deal with complications if, you know, they happen and let them know that they're in good hands and that I can keep a calm demeanor just to make sure that they don't escalate and get panicked.

SPEAKER_00: 7:02

Absolutely. You know, there's strong building blocks in your background of all that professionalism within the medical industry. And the aesthetics field is constantly evolving. What are some of the most common questions or curiosities patients come in with? And how do you guide them towards choices that truly support their long-term goals?

SPEAKER_01: 7:23

Yeah, regenerative medicine is big in aesthetics right now. And it's all about using the body's natural healing capabilities by using peptides and growth factors to be able to stimulate collagen and elastin and allow the skin to heal from within. So I use things like biostimulators to inject into the neck or the face or hands and even knees, right? Um, if somebody has creepy skin. So it just injects that goodness, as I call it, to allow the body to take that to build more integrity in their skin and build more collagen and elastin.

SPEAKER_00: 8:03

How prostinating. That seems like a really great option for somebody wanting to really do it in a very natural process.

SPEAKER_01: 8:10

Yeah. I'm all about keeping things very natural, not overdoing things. And, you know, I would hope that they see me and say, well, you look like you haven't any haven't had anything done, which I have, you know, I'm happy to share what I've had done. But, you know, when they see that, they're like, okay, well, I think I can be on board with that.

SPEAKER_00: 8:35

Absolutely. And kind of going into that as well, aesthetics can impact so much more than just appearance. It can influence confidence, emotional well-being, and identity. What have you personally witnessed through your patient's feedback?

SPEAKER_01: 8:52

Yeah, I mean, when clients come to see me in the office, sometimes they just spill everything without even me asking them about it, right? I mean, like I said, people come with a whole lot of baggage that I know nothing about. But for them to be able to share what's going on in their lives and show some vulnerability takes a lot, right? I mean, just coming in for self-care takes a lot of effort for some people. Some people don't know how to do it, right? So when they come into my chair, I say, wow, thank you for taking the time to see me, but also even more so, taking time to take care of yourself because that's so important.

SPEAKER_00: 9:34

Absolutely. What a wonderful way to just make new friends as well. I'm sure you have um lifelong clients that are just they keep up with you and Yeah, I'm very lucky for that.

SPEAKER_01: 9:45

You know, they do keep coming back and I'm so grateful.

SPEAKER_00: 9:48

Wonderful, wonderful. And I know you have a holiday event coming up where you'll be celebrating the launch of your highly requested hydrofacial service. What can guests expect and why is this treatment such an exciting addition to modern med?

SPEAKER_01: 10:04

Yeah, so I'm super excited. I'm gonna have the first holiday event at my med spa. And it's open to anybody and everybody. At first, I was gonna open it up to just the guys, boyfriends, husbands, what have you. And, you know, they can come in and have some cocktails, um, have some light bites, appetizers, and shop either for themselves or for their mom's girlfriend, sister, brother, whatever. It's super fun. And I'm also launching a new hydrofacial service. It's something that my clients have been asking for. Um, initially, I really only wanted to be, you know, doing injectables, weight loss, things like that. But my clients are like, well, you don't do facials. And I'm like, well, no. So I chose Hydrofacial because it's a widely recognized brand and it's not only relaxing, but it actually shows results on their skin. So I'm all about results.

SPEAKER_00: 11:04

Wow, I want to come. Absolutely. Come on in. Sounds like a really exciting event. I'm like, I'm really just excited to hear the outcome of it. And, you know, Modern Med is known for enhancement that looks natural and authentic, as you said. How do you help patients achieve subtle results that honor their features while still feeling refreshed?

SPEAKER_01: 11:25

Yeah. So, you know, aesthetics is a journey. It's not about coming in and getting a bunch of things done all at once. Um, not everybody really has the budget to do X, Y, Z, A, B, C, D, E, F, G that I've created in their treatment plan when they first come to see me. So I tell them that it's a journey. Um, it's not just about one thing. It's not just about Botox, it's not just about fillers. Um, it's really also taking care of the skin because 80% of what the outcome is has to do with what they do outside of my office, right? So just taking care of their body, um, watching what they put in their body, what they do, um, and what they put on their skin. So that makes such a huge difference. And if they can allow me to share the products to use, they come back so much happier because they are seeing results.

SPEAKER_00: 12:20

Sure. It's kind of working in like a duo way, taking care of your body, your health, your skin. Absolutely. And then also getting these really fun treatments to you to really just enhance it all.

SPEAKER_01: 12:29

Yeah, it's a process. It's not just a one-day thing.

SPEAKER_00: 12:32

I got it. And Fairfax County has a growing aesthetics community. How do you see modern med uniquely positioned within your local market?

SPEAKER_01: 12:42

Yeah, so I'm I'm actually quite lucky that Reston does not have a lot of med spas, right? Um, whereas in Loudoun, I feel like they're popping up left and right. There's one right across the street from here. You know, sometimes I really just have to quiet the noise and just work on being the best provider that I can be with my clients. And that's being authentic, showing my vulnerability and telling them, you know, what I know. And also advancing my knowledge, right? So it's all about training and doing more injectables training, more wellness training, because in order to share more knowledge with my clients, I need to pour into myself as well. So it's just continuing education just to provide more services and more knowledge for my clients.

SPEAKER_00: 13:32

That's a great point, is always expanding your knowledge. We're always learning, we're always growing. And it's so important to do your homework, especially in a field like this. So I think that's awesome.

SPEAKER_01: 13:42

Yeah, it's my form of self-care.

SPEAKER_00: 13:44

It's so important. Awesome. And what do you think is one of the most valuable qualities an aesthetic provider should embody in order to build long-term trust with their patients?

SPEAKER_01: 13:56

Uh, really, it's just transparency, telling them all the risks, you know, because people have to know that there are a lot of risks with aesthetics. There's a lot of benefits too. So just knowing what could potentially happen, whether it's bad and all the good. There's a lot of benefits too.

SPEAKER_00: 14:16

For sure. Just kind of being informed. Yes. Wonderful. And as the aesthetics space continues to evolve, what advancements, services, or philosophies are you most excited to bring to modern med in the near future?

SPEAKER_01: 14:31

Well, in the near future, I would hope to bring more wellness, such as um bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, which is so important nowadays for perimenopausal women like myself who, you know, deal with all these changes happening in our bodies. So it's really important to help clients and men too, right? Because they will suffer from declining testosterone levels and not feeling, you know, 100%. So that is a growing field that I want to tap into in order to provide the best health for my clients.

SPEAKER_00: 15:07

How fascinating. That's really exciting to be able to provide something like that in the future. Yeah. And what inspires you most about the work you do, especially on the days when you see a patient walk out feeling more confident than when they did walking in?

SPEAKER_01: 15:24

I think even just that short amount of time with somebody just it gives me hope that I've brightened somebody's day or empower them in some way, shape, or form. Because I don't know what goes on outside of my office, right? They could be dealing with other things. So just that small glimpse of smile, that happiness, I'm it just really fuels my soul.

SPEAKER_00: 15:48

Absolutely. I feel like this is such a rewarding occupation to have.

SPEAKER_01: 15:53

It is very much so.

SPEAKER_00: 15:55

And for someone listening who may feel nervous or unsure about starting their aesthetics journey, what message of reassurance or encouragement would you want to share with them?

SPEAKER_01: 16:06

Do a lot of research, ask a lot of questions. If you feel like your provider isn't giving you the answer that is putting you at ease, then find a different provider. You know, sometimes it's not always about the before and after pictures that you see on their social media, right? I have a lot of clients who don't want their pictures shared on social media. You know, how is somebody going to be able to come to me just through my social media alone, right? It's not always the place to go. But word of mouth, other clients sharing how they felt in my chair, how my bedside manner is. I would hope that that stands out. So, you know, just ask the questions.

SPEAKER_00: 16:49

For sure. There's always a a good fit for everyone. Absolutely. And if anyone asks me, I know who I'll be recommending. Thank you. I appreciate that. So as we wrap up, is there anything you'd like to add that I haven't touched on today?

SPEAKER_01: 17:03

No, I think that's it. I just want to say thank you so much for this opportunity and thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00: 17:09

Thank you, Maggie.