photography by SAIL OFF PHOTOGRAPHY
Your 16th birthday – do you remember how exciting that was? Finally getting your driver’s license, feeling like a new season of life with more independence and more adventure was just around the corner? For Dr. Leigh Summer and her team at Lewisville Laser & Aesthetics, the practice’s 16th birthday is just as exciting and holds just as much promise.
“It’s hard for me to believe it’s been 16 years since this journey began,” said Dr. Summer, founder and medical director of LLA. “I remember when a practice entirely devoted to aesthetics and wellness was just a dream!” After spending almost two decades in family medicine, she’s glad she made that leap to aesthetic medicine in 2008, and she’s never looked back.
As part of the celebration of this milestone birthday, Lewisville Laser & Aesthetics has unveiled a new, more streamlined logo and a more neutral, understated color scheme for the office. And while the practice has a new look, the philosophy of care remains the same: a commitment to helping patients look and feel their very best.
“We have what you might call a ‘philosophy of authenticity’ at LLA,” said Dr. Summer. “Our goal is always to work with the unique and beautiful framework of each patient’s face, being mindful to never over-treat or over-fill. We aim for a natural outcome with all of our facial aesthetic treatments, and our patients have come to trust us for those natural-looking results.”
Educating patients on how to care for skin and proactively fight the signs of aging are also of paramount importance to the patient experience at LLA. To make that process a little simpler, Dr. Summer often speaks of the processes of facial aging using four categories: the impact of muscles pulling repetitively on the skin; bone and volume loss; loss of elasticity associated with age and changing hormones; and the pigmentation and texture issues that aging and sun damage cause.
“I think it’s really vital that our patients know what’s happening to our faces as we age in order to know the best ways to subtly treat those changes,” said Dr. Summer. For example, it’s the consistent use of proven-effective neuromodulators (that’s the clinical terms for products such as Botox and Dysport) that helps to keep frown lines and crow’s feet smooth by gently relaxing the muscles that constantly pull on those areas. But, it’s as much art as science when it comes to making those results look natural.
According to Dr. Summer, “neuromodulators are one of the most powerful tools in our arsenal for aging gracefully.” Just enough Botox or Dysport, injected in just the right areas, will give a relaxed and refreshed look. Too much, however, can lead to the face looking frozen or unexpressive. In order to ensure that each patient retains their unique facial dynamics, Dr. Summer and fellow injectors Kristen Murphy, PA-C, Katie Warren, RN-BSN, Sheila Anderson, RN and Alisha Childress, RN stay up-to-date on the very latest techniques and knowledge.
“Continuing education is so important to what we do,” said Dr. Summer. “I’m so proud of our team and the way they are always welcoming the opportunity to learn and grow in their injection techniques.” It’s one of the reasons Dr. Summer feels particularly excited to have welcomed Sheila Anderson to join her team in 2023. “Sheila has been teaching and training physicians, PAs and nurse injectors all over North America for more than 20 years about the very latest and most impactful injection practices for both Botox and dermal fillers. We are ecstatic, and frankly honored, to have her as a member of our team. She brings a wealth of knowledge to bear for both our injectors and our patients.”
The LLA team’s injection philosophy is vitally important to the use of fillers, as well. “Fillers are one of my very favorite aspects of practicing aesthetic medicine,” said Dr. Summer. “Used judiciously, there’s just nothing like dermal filler for a dramatic yet natural effect on the face.” She continues, “I love the way a biostimulator like Sculptra can add volume to the temples and jaw area in an incredibly subtle way. And I love the way my patients’ faces light up when they see the instant results of a lip filler like Restylane Kysse to plump and hydrate their lips.”
There’s more to maintaining a healthy, youthful look than injectables, Dr. Summer is quick to add. Energy-based treatment options such as fractional CO2 laser skin resurfacing, Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Ultherapy are just a few of the options LLA’s team utilizes to create a unique and customized treatment protocol for each patient’s specific needs. “Tackling skin laxity and sun damage with energy treatments has gotten so much more effective in the last decade, with much less intense downtime” said Dr. Summer.
It’s another reason patients have come to trust this team’s guidance when it comes to skin rejuvenation. Dr. Summer explains, “Before I was a physician, I was an engineer. Learning about the ways different energy-based treatments work gets me back in touch with those engineering roots, and I think it helps our team make decisions on treatments that really get results for our patients.” Multiple laser, ultrasound and radiofrequency treatment options are all available at LLA, operated by a team with a combined 50 years of aesthetics experience.
As she looks back on the 16 years since Lewisville Laser & Aesthetics’ founding, the thing that makes Dr. Summer proudest is the relationships that have been built and sustained. “My team and my patients – that’s what brings me joy and makes me glad to come into the office each day.” said Dr. Summer. “Around here, we say that the ultimate compliment a patient can pay us is to recommend our services to a friend.” The team agrees with her and works to continually provide an atmosphere where patients feel warmly welcomed, and have the time and attention they need to share their specific concerns.
“I love what we’ve built here, and I love what I do,” said Dr. Summer. And she’s inviting everyone to keep on the lookout for some of the fun (and potentially embarrassing!) ways the practice plans to celebrate turning 16!
