Each year The Aesthetic Awards recognizes the work of the pioneers in the industry — from physicians and practitioners to medical device manufacturers and service providers. The culmination of this event is the annual Aesthetic Awards Gala where the industry gets all dolled up and comes together for a good cause — to celebrate the best of the best, revel in an evening of fine dining and fun, and give back to Angel Faces, a non-profit organization that provides intensive education, healing retreats and ongoing support for girls and women with burn/trauma injuries.

This year, The Aesthetic Awards Gala took place on July 8, 2023 at the Wynn Hotel and featured Josh Weiss (Galderma) as the master of ceremonies, and co-hosts Sheila Barbarino, MD and Kian Karimi, MD. Finalists in all categories were highlighted throughout the night and three winners were announced during the gala: Lifetime Achievement, Best Aesthetic Practice and Best Overall Patient Enhancement. The remaining winners have been kept under wraps, until now. Congratulations to the 2023 winners!

BEST OVERALL PATIENT ENHANCEMENT

SUVINA ATTAVAR, MD
BANGALORE, KARNATAKA, INDIA

Overall patient enhancement was achieved with the following treatments:
■ An initial Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) surgery with a total of 3187 grafts transplanted to address the frontal to mid-frontal region of baldness
■ A second round of FUE six months later with 2,432 grafts transplanted to address the mid-frontal to vertex area
 ■ Each round of FUE was followed by six sessions of Platelet-Rich Plasma therapy
■ A scalp micropigmentation procedure was performed in the vertex area six months after the second round of FUE to create the illusion of greater scalp coverage
■ The patient was also simultaneously prescribed topical minoxidil 5% and oral finasteride after the hair transplants

BEST AESTHETIC PRACTICE AWARD

SAVING FACE
AUSTIN, TX

Saving Face was established in 2013 as a one-woman, injectables-only boutique out of a one-room carriage house in Austin, Texas. It has now expanded to two locations between Aesthetics and Saving Face Body & Mind, their new wellness division. In just this last year, they have doubled their team to 24 amazing women who consistently show up and serve Austin with unmatched hospitality and precision. Saving Face has restructured under the supervision of their medical director, Marcelo Antunes, MD, and plans to expand to Palm Beach, Fla. by the end of 2023. They have onboarded executive coaches who have helped create processes and develop leadership teams to give them the foundation and values in which to expand successfully without losing its “sparkle.” Being able to operate in heart coherence with each other on the daily, translates to the most outstanding customer experience available.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

MICHAEL J. MCNEEL, MD
PLASTIC SURGEON
MARIETTA PLASTIC SURGERY
DELRAY BEACH, FL

Michael J. McNeel, MD, has been serving the greater Atlanta, Ga. area since 1997. He always puts his family, community and patients first. Dr. McNeel and his wife Natalie share a passion for aesthetics. In fact, Natalie joined the Marietta practice and brought her vast experience in dermatology as a certified physician assistant. She has created a loyal client base, as well. Dr. McNeel graduated with honors from the University of Florida before pursuing his medical degree from the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami. He then pursued plastic surgery at Emory University through a plastic and reconstructive surgery residency. During his fellowship, Dr. McNeel shared his expertise as an instructor with other plastic surgeons, focusing on endoscopic plastic surgery. Dr. McNeel has achieved membership in the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. He is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the Medical Association of Georgia, and the Cobb County Medical Society

BEST NONSURGICAL FACIAL REJUVENATION ENHANCEMENT

PAUL HESTER, MD
BE MEDISPA
LEXINGTON, KY

Nonsurgical facial rejuvenation was achieved with the following treatments:
■ Mixto Fractional CO2 Laser
■ Intense Pulsed Light
■ Injection of Xeomin, Restylane Lyft, Restylane Defyne and Radiesse to the tear trough, midface, perioral, lower face, lip lining
 ■ Injection of Belotero, Radiesse, Restylane Defyne, Restylane Lyft and Xeomin in the lips, tear trough, medial and lateral cheek, perioral, and lower face

BEST SURGICAL FACIAL REJUVENATION ENHANCEMENT

MELINDA LACERNA, MD, FACS
LA PLASTIC SURGERY
BRADENTON, FL

Surgical facial rejuvenation enhancement was achieved with the following:
■ Necklift with platysmaplasty
■ Subdermal treatment of the neck with Renuvion RF-helium plasma
■ Right upper eyelid ptosis repair
■ Fat grafting to full face, neck and chest

BEST NONSURGICAL BODY SHAPING ENHANCEMENT

SHEHNAZ ADAM
SAINTS EUROPEAN SKIN CARE CLINIC & SPA
SYLVA, NC

Nonsurgical body shaping enhancement was achieved with the following treatments:
■ Alma Accent XL Unilarge handpiece set to 150 power, reaching a temperature of 40° and a total of 100 KJ
■ Accent XL Bipolar handpiece set to 60 power and a total of 108 KJ for tightening

BEST SURGICAL BODY SHAPING ENHANCEMENT

DANIEL CRANE, MD
INSPIRE AESTHETICS
DELRAY BEACH, FL

Surgical body shaping enhancement was achieved with the following treatments:
■ Abdominoplasty
■ Liposuction of the flanks and back
■ Renuvion treatment of the subcutaneous flank tissue

BEST BOTCHED PATIENT REVISION

JAMES CHELNIS, MD
MANHATTAN FACE AND EYE
NEW YORK, NY

Botched patient revision was achieved with the following treatments:
■ Transcutaneous lower lid blepharoplasty creating a skin muscle flap across his lid into his tear trough
■ Elimination of errantly placed globules of fat, along with an orbicularis sling that could tighten patient’s lids across his midface

NONSURGICAL INNOVATIONS

ULTRALUX PRO THE GLOBAL BEAUTY GROUP
MOORABBIN, AUSTRALIA

The UltraLUX PRO is an ultimate all-in-one, multifunctional technology delivering IPL hair removal, IPL dual-mode hair removal, SHR hair removal, IPL vascular therapy, IPL pigmentation correction, IPL photorejuvenation, IPL acne management, ultrasound body contouring, ultrasound skincare infusion, radiofrequency-based skin tightening, tattoo removal and carbon facials. This results-driven treatment powerhouse supports clinics in gaining a competitive edge, growing their client base and delivering clinically proven treatment outcomes.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS

REPEATMD
HOUSTON, TX

RepeatMD is a leading mobile shopping platform that ties together ecommerce and fintech solutions, providing aesthetic and wellness practices with a personalized shopping experience for patients. The RepeatMD mobile app can be customized to the branding of any provider in the aesthetic and wellness space to offer patients a familiar experience while browsing, purchasing and financing treatments anytime, anywhere.

BEST PRACTICE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

NEXTECH
TAMPA, FL

Since 1997, Nextech has delivered intelligent, intuitive, integrated solutions that empower providers to maximize efficiency, optimize charting accuracy and increase overall practice profitability. Nextech services more than 16,000 providers and 5,500 practices. Their mission is to simplify the delivery of excellent patient care by offering providers the opportunity to level up their practice with an end-to-end solution that includes lead management, patient engagement, electronic health record (EHR) and practice and photo management platforms.