About once a year, I freak out about my face. I’m trying to age gracefully with as little intervention as possible, but I’m at the point where, when I look in the mirror, I’m surprised by who’s staring back at me. So, I made an appointment with Suzanne Arcuni, APRN and owner of Refine Medical Aesthetics, to talk about what a woman of a certain age can do without too much pain or downtime.

I was wowed by the chic and fresh white space at her new location in Westbrook (down to the Serena & Lily palm frond wallpaper in the bathroom; yes, I asked!). Even the treatment rooms are decked out in white leather with elegant John Derian vases and trays. Turns out first impressions DO matter, especially when you’re strolling into a medical aesthetics office.

We gabbed about my lifestyle (downtime is especially tough) and my intention to age with minimal interventions. I revealed what bothers me most: that H between my eyes and the lines around my lips and jowls. (I’m hanging on to my forehead wrinkles; I’ve earned those).

What I liked most about my consultation was that Suzanne carefully explained all the treatments she offers, from Botox to fillers to Morpheus 8. She has extensively researched the products she uses and stays on top of what works, what doesn’t, and what’s coming down the pike with frequent continuing education courses. She believes that less is more, prefers to underdo, and always intends to refine the look, not redefine it (aha!). We discussed the end goal, budget, and downtime.

Suzanne has a gentle way about her, which added to my comfort level, and none of her suggestions seemed extreme. I’ve been afraid to do anything about my lip lines as years ago, I had Botox in the fine lines, which was a HUGE mistake. She suggested a very light filler and promised it would not affect my ability to pronounce letters OR change the shape or look of my lips. She showed me patients’ before and after photos, and I was all in. She also recommended a week of arnica tablets beforehand to help eliminate bruising.

She suggested Morpheus8 for jowls and wrinkles in that area. The process combines medical-grade micro-needling and radio frequency energy that achieves smoother, firmer skin. I’ve had it before and LOVED the result. It takes some time for the collagen to regenerate, so it’s not an instant fix. And, yes, it hurts, but numbing cream and Pro-Nox (if you need it) make it tolerable, and there’s no downtime.

Fast forward to after the lip treatment, and I’m delighted with the result. Two tiny bruises were easy to cover with concealer and lasted only a few days. We have a plan in place for a fresh face for spring without breaking the bank or too much downtime. Learn more about offerings here, and mention The E List to take 10% off Morpheus8 packages purchased by 3/31.

refinect.com/
Suzanne Arcuni, APRN

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