We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamie Gatewood a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jamie , so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Being a minority in my industry has actually been a huge motivating factor for me! I started my own practice to celebrate natural beauty and to diversify the injectable patient population. Everyone deserves to feel confident regardless of ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, or economic background. I continue to invest in private trainings with industry leaders on injectable trainings to learn evidence-based practices, stay up-to-date on current techniques, and be able to provide my patients with quality work. My strong work ethic and passion for aesthetic medicine have helped me succeed thus far. Success to me would be making aesthetic injectables accessible to everyone, including people of color, as well as seeing more providers of color join the industry.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a nurse practitioner who specializes in cosmetic injectables and owns a small clinic in Uptown Phoenix called Rise Aesthetics. My work consists of smoothing wrinkles with neuromodulators and using hyaluronic acid fillers to define and plump lips, soften aging lines or folds, and sculpt cheeks, chins, and jawlines. I also use Sculptra to maintain or restore natural volume loss, as well as Kybella to dissolve fat. 2023 is an exciting year for Rise because I am finally offering skincare products and services, such as microneedling.
My specialty is delivering natural-looking results through facial balancing. Facial balancing is the art of treating the face as a whole so that one facial area does not dominate over another. When all areas are in harmony, the work looks undetectable. My goal with every patient is simple: to help them feel like the best versions of themselves while preserving their natural beauty.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Knowledge of anatomy is key to patient safety. Anyone, medical professional or not, can poke a person’s face with a needle. However, there are risks with these cosmetic procedures. Anatomy should guide techniques to not only help minimize these risks, but also achieve the best results for patients. 2. Being teachable has enabled me to keep an open mind and constantly further my education through trainings. Aesthetic medicine is a constantly evolving field with new products, technology, and techniques so I can never become complacent.
3. I took initiative long before I started a small business. When I was an injector for other companies, trainings were very limited so I sought them out myself. On my days off I studied anatomy and techniques through research papers.
For injectors who are early in their journey, my advice is to not rush the process. Work for other companies so that you develop hands-on experience. How can you safely treat patients independently if you do not have experience treating hundreds or thousands of patients first? Invest in your learning! Yes, training in this industry is not cheap but it is absolutely necessary to provide your patients with the best outcomes.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone who wants to enhance or preserve their own beauty through facial balancing and someone who desires an injector for the long run, meaning many years. Clients who want to look like an Instagram/Snapchat filter, an influencer, or a celebrity are a better fit for other injectors. The clients who have been with me the longest appreciate that I will tell them ‘no’ if they do not need a treatment or a specific area of their face treated. I do not take my responsibility lightly and patients feel that genuine care through my honest and ethical treatment recommendations.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://riseaesthetics.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeautyrefresher/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebeautyrefresher/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jamiegatewoodnp
Image Credits
Headshot by Elisa Valdes
