As an almost full time solo female traveler for over a decade now, I know first hand how much frequent travel can wear the body down and how important maintenance is. I used to be against beauty treatments until I entered my mid-30’s and realized that it’s okay to treat yourself to treatments that will can help boost your well being and confidence. Here are some treatments I’ve tired and loved.

Microneedling with PEP factor for Hair Loss

I recently connected with the incredible Umbareen Mahmood, MD a top rated, board certified double Ivy League trained Reconstructive and Plastic Surgeon in New York City to address some problem areas that I’ve been wanted to take care of and it was truly the best experience. Dr. Umbarm is incredibly kind, patient and is the best listener, which made her easy to trust and made me feel incredibly comfortable.

I’ve always been pretty embarrassed to talk about my hair loss journey but I’m currently in my healing era and I realize I’m not the only one who battles something like this so I believe it’s important to share. Growing up, I was always the girl with thick long silky brown hair, I even won best hair in Middle School but all of that changed when I fell into severe depression when I turned 21. I hardly ate and got down to about 85 pounds and lost majority of my hair as a result. It never fully recovered and it has been a huge insecurity of mine ever since so I recently decided to do something about it by visiting Dr. Mahmood to learn about the options I have to be able to solve this problem and increase my self esteem.

While Microneedling is quite a popular treatment process for hair regrowth, an even better and highly effective method of achieving hair rejuvenation is Microneedling with PEP factor and this is the treatment we agreed upon.

The procedure was super quick and although a bit uncomfortable at times, not unbearable. The skin of my scalp was prepped by applying a solution for disinfection, then tiny sterilized needles are used to puncture miniature holes in the scalp. Finally, PEP factor is topically applied through the puncture wounds, which then promotes hair regrowth and scalp rejuvenation, once it penetrates.

Microneedling with PEP factor is definitely superior to other hair regrowth procedures because PEP factor is bioidentical, which means that as soon as the body comes in contact with PEP factor, it accepts it and starts producing proteins like collagen and elastin that causes much more rapid hair regrowth in comparison to other aesthetic procedures.

You can see the huge difference below, 6 months later. I’m super happy I decided to move forward with this procedure. Dr. Umbareen Mahmood also performs both surgical and non-surgical techniques tailored to the individual unique needs and desired outcomes of her patients and I wouldn’t trust anyone else but her when it comes to these procedures.

Nutrafol

I’ve struggled with my hair loss journey for over a decade and have tried everything under the sun but nothing worked until I found Nutrafol. I was already taking it for about four months before I received my PRP treatment which worked out great because my doctor told me that it was necessary to take a supplement such as Nutrafol in order for the treatment to work.It has been more than six months since I started Nutrafol and I’ve seen a massive difference in the thickness and overall health of my hair. There isn’t a hair expert I talk to that doesn’t recommend Nutrafol. It’s definitely my go to!

Avéli

Another procuedure I trusted Dr. Mahmood with was Aveli. To date, AVELI is the best treatment for cellulite dimples and I can confirm that it absolutely works. I’ve always been quite thin but due to genetics, I’ve always struggled with cellulite. The minimally invasive, FDA-cleared treatment lasted about an hour and although it was uncomfortable at times, Dr. Mahmood was super gentle and walked me through every step she was going to take. The treatment worked really well on my and I can honestly say 95% of the cellulite is gone. I was considered a good candidate for it because I had moderate cellulite and my skin is still pretty tight in my 30’s. The down time lasted about 34 hours and there was  mild bruising and swelling for a few weeks after which went away eventually.

Eyebrows

Chicago: Maven Esthetics®

I was in Chicago for a month and was scrambling to find an expert in eyebrows (I’m Middle Eastern so it’s quite important!) I did some research and stumbled upon Maven Esthetics® in the River North neighborhood where I met, Constance Mack Latham, the owner of the place. Constance is not only one of the warmest and kindest human beings I’ve ever met, she truly is an expert in Brows and is known around town as The Brow Maven®. I would fly out to Chicago every month if I could! Her studio is absolutely beautiful as well.

New York City: Sabria’s Brows

My go-to eyebrow expert in New York City is Sabria of Sabria’s Brows on the Upper East Side. I’ve lived in NYC for 8 years and have tried numerous Brow artists but no one has been able to shape my brows the way Sabria does. She’s incredibly kind and knows exactly how to work with thick eyebrows like mine.