Relax and Rejuvenate at These Med Spas
Written By: K.W. Richardson
We at LOCALE are dedicated to keeping our readers up to date on the best spots throughout OC. Whether it be the best shop to work on your classic Schwinn, the most impressive new art installation, or the best al fresco dining, we’ve always got you covered! But what happens when you’ve had too many mimosas on that coastal patio and are starting to see some sun damage? We’ve got you covered there, too! We polled our readers to find the top five medical spa pros in Orange County, and came up with a list that can help bring out your radiant, glorious self!
Q: How is technology changing your industry and how are you keeping up?
Dr. T.J. Tsay: There is big demand now for more and more non-invasive cosmetic procedures such as body contouring and face lifting, so there is now a plethora of technology applications that can accomplish this non-surgically. I am always attending seminars it seems, like, almost on a monthly basis, to keep up with new trends and also get ideas and techniques from other leading experts in the field. This also gives me an excuse to travel and witness what other practitioners are doing in other parts of the world.
Q: What are some of your best selling treatments?
TT: The most common procedure that we do on a daily basis is a liquid facelift. This uses neurotoxins such as Botox or dysport and other various fillers to give volume replacement for people that have lost significant fat volume and to lift the aging face. For those that don’t need volume replacement we can use absorbable threads to non surgically re-drape the skin on the face and pull the excess skin back. For people that fear looking “overdone” or obvious that they have had cosmetic work done, I can ensure that they are delivered results that are very natural and tasteful.
Q: What was the most life-changing procedure you’ve performed for a patient?
TT: Once upon a time I performed a non-surgical nose job on an adult patient who, as a child, had an autoimmune disease that destroyed the cartilage of her nose and left her permanently disfigured. She had never considered any surgery for her nose before and had very low self esteem because of her nose. After I performed the procedure and gave her the mirror, she was in tears and couldn’t believe her nose was now normal in appearance after all these years.
Q: Are there also therapeutic effects of your treatments, or are they primarily aesthetic?
TT: There are a lot of secondary therapeutic benefits to some of our treatments. For example, Botox not only relieves wrinkles, but can help with migraine headaches, teeth grinding and hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating. PRP which stands for “platelet rich plasma” and is used in our Vampire Facelift procedure, can be used in women to help with stress urinary incontinence and in men to improve their symptoms of erectile dysfunction and for hair loss.
14001 Newport Ave
Tustin, CA 92780
888.885.1901
Julianne Trinh, N.P.
Q: How is technology changing your industry and how are you keeping up?
Dr. Julianne Trinh: It’s amazing when I look back at what I had available to me back in 2005 when I started doing fillers and B otox, to what is available now. We have so many different fillers and neurotoxin choices now that allow us to better custom tailor treatment recommendations for our patients that are natural and long lasting results. As aesthetic medicine continues to evolve, so does our injection techniques as we gain a better understanding of the aging process. A good injector never stops learning, it’s the pursuit of perfection that leads to excellence.
Q: What are some of your best selling treatments?
JT: My best selling treatments are Botox, lip augmentation and the Liquid Beauty Lift, which utilizes a combination of Botox and fillers to rejuvenate the face and restore youthfulness by replacing lost volume, lifting sagging areas of the face, smooth wrinkles, and restore harmony and proportion to the face.
Q: What are the benefits of injection-based treatments versus topical treatments?
JT: Topical treatments are very important to your beauty routine, but they can never provide the kind of significant improvements that injection based treatments can. For instance, there is no eye cream in the world that can plump up hollow under-eyes like a filler can, nor is there a cream that can lift and shape cheeks the way a filler can. The list goes on and on for what injection based treatments can do that topical treatments can’t.
Q: Are there any topical products or treatments that you recommend in conjunction with your treatments?
JT: I always encourage patients to use good skin care products to augment their anti-aging regimen. If you are spending hundreds of dollars on injectables to look younger, why wouldn’t you spend money on good quality skincare products to prolong and maintain your results? My three most favorite products I recommend to everyone is Liquid Beauty’s Retinol Complex, Liquid Beauty’s Vitamin C Complex Serum and Lifeline Daily Defense Complex (stem cells).
18377 Beach Blvd, Ste 328
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
714.800.3091
Marichelle Stoppenhagen, N.P.
Q: How is technology changing your industry, and how are you keeping up?
Marichelle Stoppenhagen, N.P.: As they say, there’s nothing more constant than change. Our industry is evolving so quickly that we’ve fiercely committed ourselves to staying ahead of the curve. Our team does a lot of research and we pride ourselves on our ongoing collaboration with colleagues and competitors who help us maintain familiarity with the latest in invasive and non-invasive options for our clients. I personally attend as many conferences as my schedule permits to be the best medical spa. Least invasive to least expensive in still my motto!
Q: How does your practice stand out from the rest of the crowd?
MS: My clients will tell you it’s my honesty and the concern I show for our clients. I have built a solid reputation of identifying aesthetic potential in the faces of those who come for my services, and delivering as promised.
Q: What has been the greatest obstacle you have overcome on your way to success?
MS: Keeping up with social media. As a business owner and passionate professional, it is so important to keep up with it to generate interest and to keep clients informed of new options. It has taken me a little longer than some of my savvy competitors. I am so old-fashioned and still lean heavily on attracting new business through satisfied referrals and word-of-mouth.
Q: You’re an expert in gerontology. How does that expertise translate to your practice of aesthetic medicine?
MS: It takes a very special individual to handle the needs of the more mature clients ‘60s, ‘70s and older because they are living longer. Men and women want to continue to look their best. I believe I help push these boundaries for my more mature clients and hold to the opinion that it is never too late to make oneself feel and look their best at any age. My hospice experience helped me realize that every person at every age wants to look and feel their best.
711 W 17th St, Ste C2
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
949.209.8953
Dr. Brett Florie
Q: How is technology changing your industry and how are you keeping up?
Dr. Brett Florie: Technology has allowed The Hydration Room to thrive through social media and patients sharing their experience. Vitamin IV and injection therapy used to be something that was only available to the elite few, but now it’s available to the masses to help them with their preventative health journey.
Q: What are some of your best-selling treatments?
BF: Our most popular therapies consist of our Cold and Flu Remedy IV Therapy, Immune Support IV Therapy, Fitness Recovery IV Therapy and B12 Shots. These therapies are designed to help fortify the immune system and help with common symptoms such as fatigue, dehydration and mental fog.
Q: One of the two principles that you bring to your practice is osteopathic, or helping the body heal itself. How do your treatments help the body heal itself?
BF: We can offer a more holistic/Eastern approach with vitamins versus taking antibiotics and medications. There is a time and place for medication and antibiotics and there is a time for natural techniques that can often help us avoid going to this step. I want to help the body be and stay as healthy as possible. Most people are living in a constant state of dehydration. This can lead to irritability, fatigue, mental fog, skin aging and nausea (amongst other things). IV infusion helps by giving your body electrolyte balanced fluid that is physiologically like our own blood makeup.
Q: Are there also aesthetic and/or rejuvenating effects of your treatment, or are they primarily therapeutic?
BF: Regarding aesthetics, we can help with skin health, acne, color lightening and hair health. From the inside, we can bolster one’s immune system, mood and well-being. Many people today are seeking longevity and quality of life. Today’s patient is much more involved in their health and are open to thinking in new ways. We work with patients individually at an initial consult that discusses their needs and wants. We then work with them to get to a healthier state. I’m so happy that people are taking a stronger role in their health. It’s your body, take care of it!
1617 Westcliff Dr, Ste 105
Newport Beach, CA 92660
949.791.8102
Dr.Tonya Boudreaux
Q: How is technology changing your industry, and how are you keeping up?
Dr. Tonya Boudreaux: We are constantly at conferences and aesthetic shows ensuring that we have the most up-to-date machines and treatments to not only provide excellent results, but consistently reproducible results. While there are lots of fads out there, not every fad is all it’s cracked up to be. We do our best to filter through all the hype and find the treatments that we know will give patients results.
Q: What are some of your best selling treatments?
TB: In the past three years, we have grown our medical spa from an empty space to a practice that has over 5,000 customers. One of our most popular treatments is definitely Coolsculpting. This is a non-surgical option to permanently remove fat in treatment areas by freezing stubborn fat pockets. Patients love the treatment because there is no surgery involved and they are able to return to their routine without interruption. In addition to Coolsculpting, we do quite a bit of IPL and Resurfx treatment.
Q: How has your practice in treating traumatic wounds and infectious diseases helped you develop your practice now?
TB: My background in emergency medicine has given me a special insight into the overall health of every patient. While we are focused on improving appearance, that doesn’t mean that we forget the ABC’s of medicine. Not a week goes by that we are presented with a patient who wants to improve blemishes on their skin but really they have skin manifestations of an underlying medical condition such as diabetes or cancer. Those patients are first referred back to their physicians for further investigation, prior to starting skin treatments, and on numerous occasions have come back to thank us for being so focused on the patient as a whole rather than just trying to “cash in” on the improvement of the skin manifestations.
Q: You’re a huge fan of athletics, especially spin class. What sorts of activities do you recommend to your patients in addition to the treatment you provide, and why?
TB: While we have various options to improve body shape and help patients lose weight, nothing beats good old-fashioned diet and exercise. We offer patients that are seeking more help in structuring their diet and exercise plans access to personal trainers and registered dieticians when necessary. But, for the everyday patient, we emphasize 30 minutes of energy focused on exercise. If your heart’s not racing a bit, then you really aren’t exercising.
2626 Dupont Dr, Ste A-10
Irvine, CA 92612
949.387.6118
