It’s not uncommon to hear about dermatologists or estheticians that create a line of skin care products; or even people who aren’t in the skin care industry, but turn their kitchen chemistry into profitable and well-loved products available for sale. How often; however, do you hear of a plastic surgeon delving into the realm of skin care product line creation? It makes perfect sense, though. If you’ve sustained an injury and you don’t want a nasty scar, you’d prefer for a plastic surgeon to be the one to stitch you up. Why? Because of their understanding of skin- its intricacies, its delicateness, and the care that skin deserves and demands. Plastic surgeons know how to respect the skin so that your injury looks less like a Frankenstein experiment and more like…well…skin. Why not apply that understanding of skin to an actual skin care line?
Dr. Sybile Val, whose practice is on the campus of Northside Hospital, has done just that. She started her surgical training in 2004, first began her plastic surgery training in 2011, and has been in private practice since 2015. Dr. Val always knew she wanted to be a doctor. While in medical school, doing her ER rotation, she became infatuated with trauma, and that’s where her interest in surgery began. She thought she would be a trauma surgeon; however, there were signs that trauma may not be a good fit for her. See, she was very detailed-oriented. In a field where the main focus is to stitch, stop bleeding, and keep people alive, she would always make sure the incision was closed nicely and the dressing was applied just so. With these characteristics, she slowly began to convert over to plastics. Now, Dr. Val says it is the best thing for her because it allows her to do a lot of things she wouldn’t otherwise be allowed to do. As a plastic surgeon, she can do trauma, cosmetic surgery, skin care, and even laser hair removal. It’s that freedom that Dr. Val loves.
Dr. Val explained that plastic surgeons train “from scalp to toe”. She attended a plastic surgery program that focused a lot on breast reconstruction, so she is very well trained in that area, as well as in fat grafting and cosmetics. However, she spent extra time learning about skin care, including spending some time with dermatologists. Dr. Val stated, “People tell you all the time to ‘put your best face forward’; the first thing people see about you is your face.” When people talk to her about beauty, they often talk to her about their arms, their belly, or their breasts, but she believes that if there is something going on with your skin, that should bother you more than anything else because that’s what people see first.
Dr. Val’s philosophy about good skin care is that everyone should be on a good skin care regimen as early as possible. The basics really do matter and they start at home, when you are young. For example, she makes sure that her 4-year-old daughter does not go outside without sunscreen. Dr. Val explained, “She knows the rules. That’s just the way it is.” She continued, “A lot of people don’t start thinking about skin care until they see wrinkles coming in. The truth is, that’s not when you should start thinking about skin care.” However, Dr. Val can relate. She stated that she didn’t start thinking about skin care until she was older because she didn’t really know. She didn’t have someone telling her to wear her sunscreen. She said, “Once you know better, you do better.” So, now that she knows, she promotes healthy skin and healthy living to everyone, her children included.
When a patient visits Dr. Val, she assesses their skin to see what their concerns are and what they’re doing to ensure that they are aging gracefully. One of the questions she asks everyone is whether or not they are using sunscreen and what the SPF is, to make sure that it’s appropriate. Then, she asks them how they want to look in a couple of years; are they satisfied with the look they have now; and what would they like to improve?
Her skin care line, Simply You Beautiful, launched in April and addresses everything from hyperpigmentation to fine lines and wrinkles. According to Dr. Val, if she can catch a patient early enough, she can reverse the hands of time and get them back to a look they desire or help them maintain the look they have. Like dermatologists’ lines, her skin care line is medical grade. That means that you have to have a prescription in order to use it. The products in the line are tailored to the person, so patients get a customized regimen containing products with ingredient percentages specifically for them. Dr. Val is very passionate about ensuring that everything is personalized. Although the goal is always growth and expansion, she is also results-driven. In order to broaden her reach to more people, she would have to decrease her ingredient percentages (making her products no longer medical grade) in order to sell them over-the-counter. Dr. Val values quality over quantity, and so, her products will remain only available by doctor.
Simply You Beautiful offers everything from retinol, SPF of 50 or greater, hyaluronic acid, peptides, natural brighteners, as well as hydroquinone. Dr. Val explained that retinol is really key, but a lot of people don’t understand the importance of it. It has been found that not only does retinol help you age well, by preventing fine lines and wrinkles, but it also protects you against skin cancer.
Dr. Val believes that the foundation for having beautiful skin and aging gracefully is having quality skin care. “It’s really important if you’re thinking about things like fillers or laser hair removal, or even something simple like Botox, it’s important to understand and know that all of those things look better and you get greater results when you have a great foundation and that foundation is quality skin care.” That’s doctor’s orders!
Kina DeWitt graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Aesthetics in October 2016. A Hampton, Virginia native, she has resided in Atlanta, Georgia for 3 years, after having left her mark in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD along the way. She’s a self-proclaimed foodie, movie buff, fashion lover, and water baby. A country girl with a love for urban life, she enjoys exploring the city for festivals, shows, concerts, and exhibits. Kina also loves to read; hike; spend time on the water; make natural body products; and, of course, write. One of her great passions is skincare and she enjoys “transforming faces” at her Atlanta salon, FACES by Kina. You can follow her on Instagram and Facebook.
Copyright © 2024, Atlanta School of Massage. All Rights Reserved.
Apply Online