The Future Of Beauty: “Now Skin Can Regenerate Itself” With Dr. Tanya Kormeili
I would start with inner beauty! If I could start a movement it would be one that globally helps children have the essential elements for their growth and nurture into adulthood. If given proper nutrition, healthcare, means for proper communication, and skillset to earn a living, we can make our children soldiers for peace. The planet would benefit from adults who are of healthy mind and body, and are able to resolve conflict and contribute to society with their skillset. We would be living in a world of love. Nothing more beautiful than seeing yourself surrounded by love. There is such a beauty in a that world where are children are guided into adults that are full of love and pride.
As a part of our series about how technology will be changing the beauty industry over the next five years .I had the pleasure of interviewing: Tanya Kormeili MD,FAA, Board Certified Dermatologist in Santa Monica, CA.
Dr. Tanya Kormeili is a nationally recognized board certified dermatologist and leader in the field of cosmetic medicine. In addition to her exemplary medical education at UCLA School of Medicine,she now serves as a volunteer clinical faculty and educator at UCLA. She gives back to the community through education, consulting in her field and volunteering as a dermatologist at the Los Angeles Veteran Hospital. She has contributed to advancing her field through both clinical research and publication. She is proud to have received many honors and awards for her contributions to the field of dermatology. She is a frequent speaker to the media and the public in educating others about safety as well as efficacy in various trends in cosmetic dermatology. Her passion is healthy and beautiful skin for a lifetime.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you.Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I was a first year medical student when I realized my scholarship will not pay for me while I am on summer break until the second year starts! While realizing I have impeccable education but no real life employable skills, my professor approached me. “Would you like to be my summer research student? I am writing a grant!” I obviously jumped up and down and agreed. Yet, the anxious voice in my head said, “What if your professor doesn’t get the grant? You will be homeless!” I applied and was accepted among 25 other applicants to do a research position in dermatology. I fell in love with dermatology, and couldn’t wait to learn more, and even more in dermatology. I did research, and published in the field, and took on mentors that believed in me, until I was a board certified dermatologist myself.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
As a doctor, there are so many interesting stories that have shaped my life. However, my calling for medicine began at the loss of my grandmother at the age of 8. One day, my affable beautiful grandmother could no longer speak her words upon returning from the market. I yelled and collected both my parents to examine her. To my surprise, my mother, the daughter of a natural herbal healer, knew exactly what was going on. My mother helped my grandmother until the ambulance took her away. Today, an ambulance transport for a stroke victim to a hospital intervention should be under 20 minutes. In Iran, during a war, with minimal resources, it took until the next day. I knew right then that medicine, the power to help others during their time of need was my calling.
Are you able to identify a “tipping point” in your career when you started to see success? Did you start doing anything different? Are there takeaways or lessons that others can learn from that?
My tipping point was twice: once when I partnered up with a lovely colleague to grow my practice, and again when I went my separate way years later to expand my practice. I did the same thing in both cases: focus on quality for the patients. In partnering together we were able to collect the latest in therapeutics and technology to help patients while keeping the cost manageable. This way all of the patients had access to everything without us having to cut any elements of quality. Years later, we both outgrew our space, and by separating we could both offer better care, less wait times and best quality again. I learned that there is always a creative way to provide ethical and quality care to others, while building a thriving business.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person to whom you are grateful who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Becoming a dermatologist is so incredibly competitive that I would have to thank dozens, literally! It takes a village to make a doctor- an entire village of parents, friends, cousins, mentors, professors and students contributed to me graduating top of my medical class at UCLA. I then had many colleagues, friends and family that supported me to be where I am since my residency days.
Ok super. Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. The beauty industry today has access to technology that was inconceivable only a short time ago. Can you tell us about the “cutting edge” (pardon the pun) technologies that you are working with or introducing? How do you think that will help people?
I think rejuvenation is the name of the game! Thirty years ago, you would undergo the knife for every little concern. Today, we can get the skin to regenerate itself, the fat to reduce in thickness, and the muscles to increase in number and strength. What this means is that the cutting edge is about the art of getting the body to heal itself, layer by layer, until true beauty and health in achieved. My practice has evolved from looking at the human body like an onion composed of many years. When I look at what creates beauty for that individual, I think of which layers I need to maneuver and how to get the best results. Using various tried and true technologies to achieve a great global results is the name of the game.
Today, we can use light (lasers) to remove brown spots on the epidermis, use injections and light treatments to thicken the dermis, use sound waves tighten the deep subcutaneous structures and use electromagnetic impulses to increase muscle mass. All these technologies can be paired together in various orders to create a healthy and youthful appearance without anesthesia or surgery!
So what does all this mean to you as a patient? This means that your average person can look great for every decade while restoring their own anatomy and physiology. This means that radical painful surgery could be avoided for longer. This means short to no recovery periods with much less risk involved. This also means that if you undergo the knife, you can also use various technologies in combination to get even better results!
Keeping “Black Mirror” and the “Law of Unintended Consequences” in mind, can you see any potential drawbacks about this technology that people should think more deeply about?
It think while the technologies are making treatments safer, we have to exercise the highest ethnics to keep them safe. It may look like “simple fun” procedures, however, all the technologies still have innate risk and complications. Some procedures cannot be performed if you have certain medical conditions. For example, if you have a hernia you can not do Coolsculpting, and if you have an implant such as a copper IUD you should not do Emsculpting. This means that you still need a good exam and history to make sure you don’t have a hernia or other reasons making any technology not safe for you.
Furthermore, we need to keep a very healthy psychology about cosmetics and rejuvenation. The goal here is not to look 20 years old for an eternity. The goal is not to look for faults in our bodies or seek perfection in our appearance. The goal should only be to maintain our best selves and create a great balance between looking and feeling beautiful, without compromising our health. In fact, in my opinion, healthy skin is beautiful skin.
Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the “beauty-tech” industry?
- NonSurgical
- Creative treatment plans
- Creating health and beauty simultaneously
Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?
- Negative self-image: We need to treat our bodies with respect and not just chase beauty fads. We need to look for healthy not just superficial beauty.
- Non experts injecting and treating patients with little knowledge of the real risks involved: We need public education about true risks and complications. There are an incredible number of choices for device, and technology on the market. We need better safety protocols that are based on science and not media fads.
- Shopping for a “deal!” The most expensive treatment is the one that endangers your health. We obviously will take certain risks in obtaining results from any beauty treatment, but it needs to be calculated and accurate! I think advertising based on price for cosmetic procedures is a great way we endanger patients. Often the too good to be true deals are truly just that! We need to educate our public on what risks they are truly taking!
You are an expert about beauty. Can you share 5 ideas that anyone can use “to feel beautiful”? (Please share a story or example for each.)
I think feeling beautiful is very different than being beautiful! There are so many beautiful people who do not feel their beauty. Yet, I have seen people who may not have the best physical features but they feel beautiful and shine their beauty on to the world. Here are my thoughts:
- If you are going to use a mirror, use it with caution! Often we look for flaws and overlook the 500 amazing features that are healthy and perfect about ourselves. Make an attempt daily to look for things that you like about yourself! For example, if you are going to look at your frown lines, also look at your beautiful eyes, smile or other beautiful features that you normally take for granted. Appreciate yourself daily and you will feel more beautiful without changing a single thing!
- Be judicious about social media! When I was a child we were told “don’t be a show off!” which meant stop showing everyone how great you have it! Images and ads on social media are literally the exact opposite! People are posting their best foot forward. It creates for others a sense of “others are so perfect!” I was so impressed when one of the fashion models I follow showed her stretch marks under her glamorous outfit! I fell in love with her strength. No one is perfect. Stop looking for perfection because it only kills your feeling of beauty. Appreciate what you have and you will feel more beautiful every day.
- Now more than ever we are asked to be on teleconference and video conference calls all day! Do yourself a favor! Please get good lightning and place your camera in a flattering angle. It is so awful to see yourself in a bad light all day. People have been calling our office every single day wanting to improve their “Zoom Face!” Allow yourself to shine beautifully if you have to stare at yourself all day!
- Shower yourself in a loving act once a day! If you were the most beautiful person in the world, surely you would take care of this precious gift of beauty, correct? What if you do that once a day to show yourself that you are worthy and beautiful? It can be a wonderful skin cream, wearing proper SPF, eating healthy, getting rest or anything you think would be a treat for you!
- If people give you a compliment on your beauty, TAKE IT! The answer should be: “Thank you!” We often get shy, or dismiss the validation of our beauty. Please accept it. I see beauty around me every single day. Every man or woman I treat for cosmetic reasons has many many beautiful features that I help restore. Most of my patients are afraid to take a compliment, including myself! Let us just be welcoming of other’s appreciation of our beauty and allow ourselves to feel beautiful!
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would start with inner beauty! If I could start a movement it would be one that globally helps children have the essential elements for their growth and nurture into adulthood. If given proper nutrition, healthcare, means for proper communication, and skillset to earn a living, we can make our children soldiers for peace. The planet would benefit from adults who are of healthy mind and body, and are able to resolve conflict and contribute to society with their skillset. We would be living in a world of love. Nothing more beautiful than seeing yourself surrounded by love. There is such a beauty in a that world where are children are guided into adults that are full of love and pride.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
That is very easy! My grandmother was a very spiritual woman. She always taught me to think: “When you are in a position to help, go ahead and help. Expect nothing back. When you need help one day, God will send you angels too.” It has inspired me to be an ethical physician, a person of philanthropy and a compassionate mother. I have always found myself helping others, and I have never been left helpless. I take such comfort in knowing that I will never be alone, and I have angels watching out for me!
How can our readers follow you online?
It would be my honor. Our website: DrKormeili.com and on social media: @DrKormeili
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
Thank you!
The Future Of Beauty: “Now Skin Can Regenerate Itself” With Dr Tanya Kormeili was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.