From brides to high school graduates, registered nurse Wendy Brown has seen Fairlawn-based Aspire Skin and Wellness boost the confidence of a plethora of clients.
“By the time we’re done, and they touch their skin, they’re like, Oh my gosh, it feels like a baby’s bottom,” she relates. “Just to see that look on their face — that glow, that happiness — is enough to make me feel good about what I do, and it encourages me to keep going.”
Brown, who has nearly 30 years of experience in the plastic surgery field, runs the medical spa out of the office of ear, nose and throat doctor Jeffrey Masin. Aspire offers services such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, body contouring and Botox injections. As opposed to a dermatologist’s office, a medical spa focuses on aesthetic and preventative care, rather than the treatment of disease.
“A lot of times, people come in because they have a concern about their skin,” Brown explains. “They don’t like how their skin is aging, and so they want to improve the overall texture, feel, of their skin and make it look healthier and brighter.”
Though services obtained at a medical spa may not be medically necessary, they improve self-perception and quality of life for many clients. The appearance of acne, wrinkles, sun damage and more can be addressed through a visit.
“My goal is for you to walk out of my office and go, Wow, I love my skin,” Brown says. “When you feel comfortable in your skin, you act better, and you walk around with a happiness to you.”
Brown discusses some of the services offered at Aspire that can help boost your self-esteem.
Fibroblast Plasma Skin Tightening
For those who desire tighter, younger-looking skin, Aspire offers a Fibroblast Plasma Skin Tightening lift procedure, which is designed to smooth fine lines and improve skin texture without surgical intervention. Some clients may even experience an improvement in their field of vision due to a reduction in sagging skin near the eyes. Fibroblast is a great alternative to a more traditional blepharoplasty — a surgery that removes excess skin, fat and muscle from the eyelids — requiring much less downtime.
“You get a spark of plasma that touches the skin. It causes just a little burn to the skin, and in putting those little burns together in a nice pattern, you cause the skin, as it heals, to pull and tighten together. And often, while I’m doing the procedure, I can actually see that tightening happening,” explains Brown. “It takes it about a week to heal. After a week, they’re always amazed at how much tightening they can get from it.”
Those interested in receiving Fibroblast must first go through a consultation to discuss the procedure. During the procedure, which usually takes 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the area being treated, the practitioner uses a handheld mechanism to deliver the plasma spark to the skin. There may be a warm sensation, which can be calmed with an ice roller. Aftercare includes lightly washing the area with a cleanser twice a day, allowing the skin to heal itself.
“You will start to see some of the results immediately afterward, and then, of course, by the next day, you’re going to get some swelling … but that’s part of the healing process,” explains Brown. “As that skin continues to heal, usually within four to eight weeks, you’re seeing some nice improvement, but you’ll continue to see improvement in the area for up to a year.”
Some clients require more than one treatment, and some may see improvement for a longer period of time — it all depends on the person. Choosing Fibroblast Plasma Skin Tightening means you can expect an easier, less complicated recovery process than with surgery.
Sclerotherapy
If spider and varicose veins are preventing you from wearing your favorite dress or pair of shorts, Aspire’s Sclerotherapy nonsurgical procedure may be the perfect solution.
Spider veins, damaged blood vessels caused by pregnancy, extended periods of time spent standing, excess weight, hereditary influences and more, appear as visible, web-like patterns under the skin. By injecting a sclerosant solution into the affected vein to roughen its interior — then wearing compression stockings or support hose to force it to stay closed — the spider vein can collapse, essentially disappearing.
“You need to wear the stockings for a minimum of three days, or as much as possible for three weeks. And that helps the vessel to collapse, and then the body will absorb the vessel on its own,” says Brown. “Spider veins really aren’t carrying blood in the way that they should, and so the valves are compromised, so the blood has a tendency to just keep coming back down into the lower vessels. And so, if we can get rid of those vessels and make the appearance look better, then it generally makes everybody very happy.”
The procedure typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. The practitioner determines how many problem areas can be addressed during the visit and uses a 32-gauge needle to deliver the solution.
“It usually takes three to four weeks before you’ll actually start seeing some of the vessels start to disappear,” says Brown. “Sometimes we do get some pigmentation in the skin, and so … you may need to come back, and we’ll do a little skin peel to get rid of that pigmentation. But most of the time, it just completely disappears.”
Other Services
Aspire offers a host of services, including chemical peels and microdermabrasion. These treatments exfoliate the skin, helping to reveal a fresher look. While chemical peels use acid solutions to attain this goal, microdermabrasion utilizes a special hand tool to manually remove dead cells. This can help with hyperpigmentation, sun damage, acne scars and more.
“Chemical peels … the chemical goes into the skin, and it causes the body to bring new skin cells up to the surface. And micro-dermabrasion … it’s like sand blasting, where you’re taking off that top layer of dead skin cells, and that encourages the body to make new skin cells,” says Brown. “Sometimes we just need to do a few things to help establish that routine. To get the body actually working toward improving its own texture.”
Treatment with fractional laser technology, known as Clear & Brilliant, can also help with exfoliation. Clients who want to reduce the appearance of wrinkles can opt for Botox, Dysport or fillers, while Kybella injections can break down excess fat under the chin. Aspire also offers permanent makeup, assists those working on weight loss through SculpSure Body Contouring and the SHAPE ReClaimed program and more. Initial consultations are free.
“I always tell patients: Don’t ever do the procedure because somebody else said that you should do it,” Brown says. “It has to be because you want the improvement. When you look in the mirror, you’re the one that has to make that decision. You have to feel good about yourself.”
3085 W. Market S., Suite 102A, Fairlawn, 330-703-1880, aspireskinandwellness.com
