New in town

It’s hard work to look good. With all of the microdermabrasion facials, body waxing, laser hair removal, vein treatments and cellulite management casting the allure of eternal youth, it can be a considerable investment of both time and money.

But as technology in the field becomes more prevalent and accessible, the professionals at the recently moved (and newly renamed) medical cosmetic care facility Advanced Esthetics M.D. are offering a card that’s increasingly more affordable — and less invasive — to punch.

“We’re just helping Mother Nature out,” said company CEO Donna Mickley. “With the latest advances in technology, (procedures) that used to be expensive and could be quite painful have gotten much cheaper and are practically painless.”

Advanced Esthetics M.D. isn’t a day spa; no massages, hair or nails here. Instead, the focus is on medical esthetic care that requires a doctor’s supervision: skin tightening, acne scar treatments, chemical peels and Botox injections, as well as a whole slew of new procedures.

“BodyFX is huge right now,” Mickley said. “It’s non-invasive, it’s fast and it really targets and kills fat cells. It’s great for people who’ve tried everything else to get rid of fatty areas but can’t quite get that last little bit.”

After finding success with her original Ann Arbor location, Mickley opened the Grand Ledge Advanced Esthetics location in 2012. She developed a base of about 200 clients in Grand Ledge, but she was looking for numbers closer to what she had in Ann Arbor.

“We have about 4,000 (clients in Ann Arbor), and I thought moving the Grand Ledge office closer to Sparrow (Hospital) would be beneficial,” Mickley said. “We appeal to a lot of people in the medical profession, who know all about the procedures but feel uncomfortable or shy doing it at work. So they take a day off, come to us, and go back to work the next day.”

Mickley said that by targeting the faculty of Sparrow, recommendations will trickle down to the rest of the community, including that giant resource down the street: Michigan State University.

“We see a lot of U of M students in Ann Arbor, and I want to emulate that success in Lansing,” she said. “We have the potential to get very, very busy here.”

Mickley recently ascended to the CEO position, allowing Dr. C. Randall Chube, the new owner, to step in and handle the day-to-day duties. Chube will be based out of the company’s newest location in Indiana, but will have hours in both Michigan locations. He’s a former family practice physician, but he said he’s always been interested in dermatology.

“I was looking to see what I could do with medicine that didn’t have to do with disease,” he said. “I actually spent a year of my residency with a dermatologist and that time had always stuck with me. At a certain point, I thought this emerging field of non-invasive cosmetics was a perfect thing to switch my focus to. Then I met Donna at a conference in Detroit last September, I expressed interest in changing in the esthetic field, and a year later here we are.”

Chube has been training and attending for three years in preparation for his switch. He said he plans to continue to take courses to stay abreast of the latest developments. He’s also hired Lisa Metler, a physician assistant who serves as his eyes, ears and — most notably — hands when he’s not in the office.

“Lisa is my extension why I’m not here,” Chube said. “We can Skype about any issues that come up. It basically allows me to be in Indiana (and Lansing) at the same time.”

Advanced Esthetics recently started offering 24/7 scheduling via its website, allowing clients to book appointments in the middle of the night and show up the next morning. It also recently started carrying its own line of pharmaceutical skin care products.

“I’ve been in this business for 25 years now,” Mickley said. “I’m a specialist, and I know what to look for in the best products. I’m very into education, and I make sure my staff is very educated. This is a changing industry and it’s important to stay on top of the latest information.”

To mark the grand reopening, the Lansing office will have an open house from 2-7 p.m. Thursday. There will be raffles, demonstrations, discounts on certain services and hors d´oeuvres. The event is free and open to the public.

Advanced Esthetics 1824 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing Services by appointment only (517) 627-7546, advancedestheticsmi.com