Medical Spa Insider

How much training and experience is enough to be a safe, competent injector? This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Michelle Doran, MSN, APRN, BC, CANS, co-founder of RN Esthetics and faculty for the Academy for Injection Anatomy (AIA). They chat about her personal training journey in medical aesthetics, the importance of clinical education in facial anatomy, and what to look for when hiring a provider. Their conversation includes: What drove her to switch from palliative care to medical aesthetics; Her first aesthetic education, early mentorship, and path to training; The types of aesthetic training courses she invests in year after year; Why she finds it important to hire nurses with real world experience; Taking the AIA cadaver course and how she became a faculty member; Essential anatomy training and learning to manage complications; Her decision to partner with Alpha Aesthetics Partners. The Academy for Injection Anatomy trains injectors to be safe, competent and legally compliant. Get an in-depth understanding of facial anatomy when you sign up for the upcoming AIA Advanced Cadaver Course or add hands-on clinical training to your conference agenda at Medical Spa Show 2025: https://www.medicalspashow.com/aia-cadaver-training. Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Dr. Kate Dee, founder of Glow Medispa and author of Med Spa Mayhem: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Secrets of the Aesthetic Industry. They chat about her newly published book, the state of med spa oversight, and her goal to educate the public and affect change in the industry. Their conversation includes: Pivoting from radiologist to 10 years as a med spa founder and practitioner; Her mission to educate the public about what to look for in a med spa; Comparing the compliance processes of hospitals and medical spas; The controls, checks and balances that are lacking in the industry; Overviews of recent cases of adverse reactions and prosecution; The motivations of medical directors and the risk they take on; Concerns about aesthetic newcomers who don’t know the laws; And much more! Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, and AmSpa Director of Education, Kirstie Jackson, speak with Erika Barry, NP-C, MSN, aka Injector Bunny of Moksha Aesthetics. They discuss the challenges small med spas face with recent updates to the Allē loyalty program and make suggestions that prioritize the patient experience and your practice’s values. Their conversation includes: How med spa professionals have responded to the rollout of these updates; The ways Barry is navigating and implementing the program in her practice; Speaking with patients who ask for a product or service you do not recommend; How focusing on patient outcomes can help you maintain high customer service; Barry’s decision to add an injector fee and how it can protect your providers’ finances; The commercialization of healthcare and implications for the future of aesthetics; Why building a foundation of community is so important. For a breakdown of these changes, read the Allē Loyalty Program Update FAQ: https://americanmedspa.org/alle-loyalty-program Music by Ghost Score

How do you maintain your independence when joining a private equity platform? This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with John Wheeler, CEO of Alpha Aesthetics Partners. They discuss recent private equity activity and how Wheeler’s experience with his family’s aesthetic business has helped him become the leader of a medical spa platform backed by Thurston Group. Their conversation includes: The current M&A landscape and how Alpha Aesthetics Partners is positioned; Wheeler’s journey from pastor to aesthetic marketer to platform CEO; About his family aesthetic business and his reasons for founding Alpha; How they retain brand identity and clinical autonomy with their partners; Why they don’t approach selling as an exit strategy; Guidance on navigating acquisitions, key questions to ask, and more! Listen to our conversation with Melissa Rogne of Chapter Aesthetic Studio. Learn more about AmSpa’s Medical Spa Boot Camps and reserve your seat in the final events of 2024! Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa Membership Advocacy and Engagement Specialist, Michela Bailey, speaks with Courtney Walker, JD, co-founder and chief legal officer of Smiley Aesthetics in Nashville, Tennessee. They talk about her involvement in the AmSpa Tennessee State Chapter in this wide-ranging chat, which covers: Her motivation to join the Tennessee State Chapter; How Tennessee is ahead of the game in med spa regulations; The reason she went to law school and became an attorney; Being proactive about serving as a case study for state policy; Top 3 things she’s looking forward to in being a part of the state chapter; Her favorite skin care, aesthetic treatments, and more! Note: Episode may include explicit language. Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa Membership Advocacy and Engagement Specialist, Michela Bailey, speaks with Brad Crerar, PA-C, Co-founder and COO of CONTŌR Studio in New York. This lively chat covers a wide range of topics, including: Learning to run an efficient practice and starting CONTŌR; When and why he decided to become a member of AmSpa; What he's gained from AmSpa's Medical Spa Boot Camps and virtual education; The mission and vision of the practice; How they stand out in the Soho market; His favorite treatments and skin care routine; And much more! There are two more opportunities for aesthetic business training in 2024, so reserve your spot at the AmSpa Medical Spa Boot Camps in Nashville or Orlando today! Learn more about the growing Society for Aesthetic PAs and its PA-specific resources by visiting americanmedspa.org/aestheticpas. Music by Ghost Score

This week, AmSpa Chief Strategy Officer, Cathy Christensen, sits down with Dr. James Smartt, Co-founder and CEO of Pictoria Systems, and Samantha Pino, APRN-FNP, Founder of Face by SP. They discuss how the platform enhances patient communication through standardized photography, including how Jackie™ addresses three critical moments within the aesthetic client experience. Their conversation includes: Dr. Smartt’s inspiration for developing a tool that enhances communication with patients; Building a unique approach to standardized photography that ensures consistent results; How it addresses common challenges with HIPAA-compliant patient communication; Timing meaningful photo capture to guide patients on their treatment journey; How comparison images help patients visualize their results over time; The ways Jackie™ can help prepare practitioners to excel; And more! Music by Ghost Score

AmSpa recently launched State Chapters in California, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and Utah. AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, speaks with Florida state chapter co-chairs Michael Zanetti of Erasable Med Spa and Julie Davis-Hunter of Pure Vida Body & Mind Spa, and California chair Stacy Grissen, MSN, AGNP-C, of Aesthetically Pleasing Medical Spa. They discuss the reasons they got involved with AmSpa State Chapters, the challenges in their local communities and their plans to advance the industry in a positive way. How AmSpa state chapters aim to affect change at a state level; Why they volunteered to become leaders for AmSpa’s state chapters; How building good competition can be beneficial your practice; What makes the aesthetic environments in California and Florida challenging; The difficulties of navigating the aesthetic regulations state by state; Why organizing at the state level is not just helpful, but necessary; Strategic next steps for these chapters: resources, community and collaboration; And more! Get yourself a seat at the table and help shape the direction of the industry by joining your state chapter. AmSpa Plus Members can sign up today by visiting https://americanmedspa.org/state-chapters. Music by Ghost Score

How much longer will the popular weight loss medications be in shortage, and what happens in your med spa when they can no longer be compounded? This week, AmSpa founder and CEO, Alex R. Thiersch, JD, is joined by Sam Pondrom, JD, associate at national healthcare law firm ByrdAdatto. They talk about the recent availability status updates for tirzepatide and semaglutide, and what changes medical spas can anticipate when the brand-name medications become fully available. Listen to hear more about: What the latest changes in the status of tirzepatide availability mean and don’t mean; How the FDA determines whether a drug is still in shortage; The patent exception during shortage that clears the way for compounding pharmacies; Patent and intellectual property protection: how to safely market medical weight loss solutions; What to expect when these medications are officially taken off the drug shortage list; The future conversations you will need to have with your patients. Catch up on AmSpa’s coverage for the changing tirzepatide status and semaglutide usage in med spas. Music by Ghost Score

What can you do to preserve the patient relationship after they experience an adverse reaction? This week, AmSpa President and CSO, Cathy Christensen, speaks with Patrick Tighe, Co-founder, and Kandis Hughes, Chief Marketing Officer of Coverwell, to delve into a crucial aspect of medical aesthetics: managing credibility and adverse events in your practice. In this insightful discussion, they explore the complexities of risk management and the importance of proper handling of complications and adverse reactions. Their conversation includes: Personal stories that highlight the patient experience of adverse reactions; Proactive measures that aesthetic practitioners can take to minimize risks; Risk management strategies including proper protocols, consents and education; How hands-on care unites the patient and provider when handling adverse events; How Coverwell’s solution of extended service coverage protects medical spas; Techniques for preserving the credibility of your med spa and the industry; And more! Music by Ghost Score