In Spring 2024, QP shone a spotlight on 31 women who are going above and beyond to set high standards and foster growth within the industry. These Distinguished Women in Medical Aesthetics are not only driven to be the best, but they also strive to bring out the best in those around them and provide the best to every patient they see.

Read on for the full interviews with these incredible women, as we present them in a series of five blog articles.

Cary Christensen Deuber, CRNFA, CANS, Lemmon Avenue

Born in Connecticut and spending her early years on the East Coast and in Ohio, Cary Deuber, CRNFA, CANS, moved to Texas for high school and attended Baylor University, where she earned her BSN. She went straight to work at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where she initially settled into vascular and trauma surgery. Deuber then went back to school at UCLA and got her CRNFA degree. She finally transitioned into plastic and reconstructive surgery and started working for a plastic surgeon who mentored her and taught her in her mid-20s. Shortly thereafter, she met her husband, Mark Deuber, MD. Today, Cary works with Mark, who is a highly sought-after plastic surgeon in Dallas, at their growing practice, Lemmon Avenue, which now has three locations.

Q&A

• When did you begin practicing aesthetics? I have been practicing aesthetics for 23 years. I began my career as a CRNFA in plastic and reconstructive surgery. I have been injecting for 21 years.
• What do you love about medical aesthetics? I love the combination of art and science. The profession is so multifaceted and allows me to express creativity through my work.
• What obstacles have you encountered because you are a woman? In my earlier years as a CRNFA, I was operating with a surgeon and trying to be sure that the needs of the patient and the surgeon were met. I spoke up because the proper instruments and setup were not as it should have been. About two weeks later, the surgeon that I was working with got a letter from the chief of surgery saying that he needed to “muzzle his dog”… the “dog” being me. I feel that the world and industry have progressed and moved beyond the idea that women should not speak up.
• What kinds of support have you received from other women in the industry? So many of my colleagues offer support through encouraging words of wisdom, as well as education.
• What would you change about your experience in the industry if you had the chance? I would change nothing about my experience because experience is how you learn.
• What advice would you give to other women in the industry? Keep seeking education and rise above the fray. Be mindful of every interaction you have and be sure you do everything in your power to make a positive impact.

Kay Durairaj, MD, Beauty by Dr. Kay

Kay Durairaj, MD, is an internationally renowned head and neck and facial plastic surgeon practicing in Los Angeles. She completed her surgical training at UCLA and is a member of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, as well as the American Board of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Durairaj also serves on multiple advisory boards for aesthetic industry organizations, including Merz, Allergan, Evolus, Prollenium, and Galderma.

Q&A

• When did you begin practicing aesthetics? My love for medical aesthetics began in the year 2000.
• What do you love about medical aesthetics? I love the intersection of artistry and science that medical aesthetics represents. What I love most is witnessing the transformative power of treatments to enhance natural beauty.
• What obstacles have you encountered because you are a woman? Being a woman in a field mostly dominated by men, I have faced unique obstacles such as gender stereotypes and biases. I have had to juggle my profession with family life and my personal well-being. I believe challenges are opportunities in disguise, and these challenges have only strengthened my determination in this industry as well as my personal daily life.
• What kinds of support have you received from other women in the industry? Women supporting women in aesthetics fosters a fun and collaborative environment. There are great benefits to sharing innovative techniques. Support between women in any industry can lead to more mentorship opportunities and long-lasting friendships.
• What would you change about your experience in the industry if you had the chance? Professional accreditation and credentialing. Prior to practicing, individuals should undergo a rigorous validation of their capabilities to ensure they meet the highest standards of care and patient safety. I would also like to take a deeper dive into holistic treatments and focus on technology integrations such as AI tools.
• What advice would you give to other women in the industry? The advice I would pass onto other women in the aesthetics industry would be to pursue continuous knowledge as the aesthetics field is evolving daily. I would also advise them to stay in the loop of technology advancements as well as advocate diversity and inclusion.

Kimberly L. Evans, MD, FACOG, Sugarland Med Spa

Kimberly L. Evans, MD, FACOG, is a board-certified OB/GYN with more than 20 years of experience in feminine health. She has revolutionized her practice to specialize in treating women with sexual dysfunction, low libido and other feminine wellness issues. She offers surgical and non-surgical options to address common issues experienced by many women throughout the world. She is a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Med Spa Association, the Aesthetic Multispecialty Society, and the Cellular Medicine Association, and is a Biote Platinum Partner with the International Society of Cosmetogynecology. Evans looks forward to introducing new technology that has revolutionized women's health care and maximizing how they work together to get the best effect.

Q&A

• When did you begin practicing aesthetics? 2014
• What do you love about medical aesthetics? Being a medical provider and specializing in wellness and aesthetics allows me to help women like never before. Some of the best therapies extend beyond the medical realm of writing a prescription. One of the best patient quotes involves them speaking about complaining to their current doctors for years about these symptoms and the doctor either brushing them off or telling them they will just have to live with it rather than offering alternatives.
• What obstacles have you encountered because you are a woman? I dealt with so many obstacles that I could write a book. From seeing male surgeons joke about how heavy the patient was on the table or teasing her about her skin color, I had times I had to mentally block myself from the current situation because I know this patient looked just like me. Later in life, focusing on my aesthetic dreams and building a successful private practice, I had to use the same blocking mechanism with what was unseen in my community. I was teased and culturally looked down upon, and my ideas were often overlooked because they were out of the norm of what should be expected from a medical practice. Now, I have colleagues that look at me in awe, asking how did I do it.
• What kinds of support have you received from other women in the industry? Unfortunately little in my local area because they did not like someone with different ideas or values. I found the best support from AmSpa and like-minded cosmetic gynecology groups.
• What would you change about your experience in the industry, if you had the chance? I would have changed to private practice sooner.
• What advice would you give to other women in the industry? Follow your dreams no matter the sacrifice and dare to be different. That’s what patients want and will pay for.

Gretchen Frieling, MD, GFaceMD

Gretchen Frieling, MD (“Dr. G”), is an internationally recognized, Harvard-trained, triple board-certified dermatopathologist, with more than 18 years of experience in medicine, dermatopathology and aesthetics. She is the founder and owner of GFaceMD, a multimillion dollar medical aesthetic practice with locations in Boston and Cape Cod. She is also the founder of GFace Academy, The Soyier Skin Collection, and FACEit Virtual/Live. She is a global educator and trainer for many pharmaceutical companies, including GAIN/Galderma, Merz, Skinstylus, and Benev. She has been featured on numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Oprah Magazine, Elle, Real Self, Bustle, MSN, Shape, NBC News and various radio stations.

Q&A

• When did you begin practicing aesthetics? As a triple-boarded dermatopathologist, I have had exposure to dermatology, pathology, dermatopathology and aesthetic medicine. My initial exposure was in fellowship at the University of Vermont Medical Center, where I lived in the dermatology department every day. At the completion of my fellowship, I returned to Boston and worked in several pathology labs reading dermatopathology slides. I wasn’t offered a full-time position, but was per diem at two locations, not realizing what a blessing this was. Fast forward—I was able to concurrently develop GFaceMD without any contractual pushback. I pulled the trigger on a tiny 150-square-foot room in the back of a nail salon for a whopping $300 per month while working as a dermatopathologist in two locations, and the rest is history!
• What do you love about medical aesthetics? In one word, I love the progressivity of this field: rapidly growing and evolving with new treatments and technologies, arguably every couple of months. I truly believe beauty, confidence and success are deeply intertwined. It is from within that we develop our confidence and skills to interact with the outside world. Through non-surgical rejuvenation and enhancements, I am not only able to increase my patients’ self-confidence, but I am able to improve their success and interactions with the world. I have also been able to fuel my passion to create. I created my skin care company, Soyier Skin Collection, GFace Academy Training Center, the FACEit with Dr. G Podcast, and the FACEit Live SonoAnatomy Ultrasound and Anatomy Conference. I am a firm believer that words do not teach. It is through experiences that you truly learn. Textbooks are essential for the foundational building blocks, and then you need more. I love being “more.”
• What obstacles have you encountered because you are a woman? Being a woman is extremely empowering, but is still fraught with inherent gender bias, stereotypes and inequality. It is not my nature to think this way, and I continue to push female strength in all ways. I continually learn how to hold my own when it comes to standing up for my worth. While this can be perceived as “being aggressive,” I have learned (and continue to finesse) how I interact in a way that is consistent with strength and compassion. Work-life balance is not necessarily something I fully believe in, because as a multi-entrepreneur, there really is no separation between work and life. However, the guilt of never giving 100% to either my business or my family is always a nagging emotion. As a female-dominated field of medicine, aesthetics does fully support women and is a wonderful area to be a part of.
• What kinds of support have you received from other women in the industry? I have received unbounding support from women in the way of public praise, support and love. I have met some of my best friends in the aesthetic field. I have been able to collaborate and train many other female entrepreneurs that are also injectors, and this bond is phenomenal. They say, “It’s lonely at the top,” but I choose to change that to read, “It may be lonely at the top, but not if I take them with me.”
• What would you change about your experience in the industry if you had the chance? I wouldn’t change anything in the past, but I have made some changes moving forward. I would be more diligent about my bookkeeping and organization at the beginning, even when I was seeing one or two patients per day. As we grew, the company became very complex, and I had to stop and catch up. I would realize sooner that my individuality was my superpower. I am the only pathology-trained dermatopathologist in the space, and I suffered with imposter syndrome very early on. I was so unique that no one knew what to do with me, but that was my superpower!
• What advice would you give to other women in the industry? Determination, drive and enthusiasm are the characteristics that I believe are essential to success. If you possess these, you will be able to achieve your biggest goals and dreams. It is also important to remember that we learn from our failures, whatever you perceive a “failure” to be. The most extreme growth I experienced was after the master plan did not go “my way.” I have learned to not sweat the small stuff and understand that this journey of life is the exciting part. Once we are at the end, the excitement ends—at least for me. Now, cheers to your journey!

Ann Frossard, SkinSpirit

Ann Frossard is currently the chief operating officer and chief people officer for SkinSpirit, a national medical aesthetics business. In this role, she leads the team in charge of the day-to-day operations and talent management for SkinSpirit’s clinics. Frossard joined SkinSpirit in April 2018 in the role of chief growth officer, bringing strong experience in multi-unit management and scaling of businesses. In this newly created role, she was responsible for developing SkinSpirit’s growth strategy and leading the SkinSpirit team in the execution of this strategy, ultimately leading an expansion from eight west coast clinics to the national footprint that exists today. Prior to joining SkinSpirit, Frossard worked for Starbucks Coffee Company for 15 years and, before that, spent 10 years in the consumer packaged goods industry working for Nestle, Clorox, Procter & Gamble and E & J Gallo Winery.

Q&A

• When did you begin practicing aesthetics? I entered the aesthetics industry in 2018 after a long career innovating at bigger companies, such as Starbucks and Nestle. I joined SkinSpirit to help to scale our operations as we grew.
• What do you love about medical aesthetics? I love the mix of science and creativity—both in medical and in business. The industry is so dynamic. It takes creative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit to stay ahead of it.
• What obstacles have you encountered because you are a woman? While gender roles are definitely changing at work and in the home, there are still some biases and expectations for women at home that men don’t experience. My husband and I joke that when he shows up at school as a volunteer dad, he is celebrated. (“What a good dad!”) When I show up, there is often judgement—“Oh, so good you could make it this time.” Balancing family and career has been challenging. I think, as women, we could all be kinder to one another.
• What kinds of support have you received from other women in the industry? This industry has been amazing. I came from companies where the senior leaders are mainly men. It has been such a boost to see and work amongst such competent, interesting and successful women making it happen in all aspects of their life. This industry in the first where I have seen women truly able to have it all.
• What would you change about your experience in the industry if you had the chance? I would have moved into the industry sooner!
• What advice would you give to other women in the industry? Learn from those around you, be grateful for your amazing community and pay it forward for the next generation of professionals. Be kind, welcoming and generous to other women trying to make their way. There are enough clients for us all in this growing industry.

Meredith Harris, MS, WHNP, New Life Aesthetics

Meredith Harris, MS, WHNP, is the owner and founder of New Life Aesthetics in Raleigh, North Carolina. After spending 10 years focused on women's health, she found the blend of her artistic gifts and her passion of serving women in the field of medical aesthetics. Harris is a highly sought-after educator and trainer in the medical aesthetics market. When she is not seeing guests in the office, she can be found hosting injectors for training, traveling to medical practices throughout the country to educate and consult, speaking from the main stage of live medical conferences, and serving on advisory boards for Allergan Aesthetics. Detailed care, in-depth knowledge of facial anatomy, and a passion for education and safety in medical aesthetics is notable through every touchpoint of Harris's work.

Q&A

• When did you begin practicing aesthetics? 2008
• What do you love about medical aesthetics? The creativity, ingenuity and endless possibilities.
• What obstacles have you encountered because you are a woman? I was the first female to practice aesthetics in the Florida town where I got my start. This proved to be advantageous, as many of the female consumers were looking for a trusted female provider who could appeal to their desire for a softer and slower approach to aging. I really do not feel as though I encountered any obstacles as a result of being a female.
• What kinds of support have you received from other women in the industry? My mentors and friends in the medical aesthetics community have been nothing short of amazing. They have taught me to be a trailblazer, to be kind and to be generous.
• What would you change about your experience in the industry if you had the chance? Sixteen years ago, the training for new injectors was very limited. We were not taught anatomy as it relates to injectables, and we did not have cadaver courses available. If I could change one thing, it would be that I would have had the wealth of learning resources available that are available to new injectors now.
• What advice would you give to other women in the industry? Be true to yourself, be authentic, take nothing for granted, care for others the way that you would want to be cared for, and love big.

Join us next week as we continue this series celebrating AmSpa’s Distinguished Women in Medical Aesthetics! Catch up with Part 1; read on for Part 3, Part 4 & Part 5.

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