Story by Ron Bukley
Photo by ???
Dr. Bao T. Doan is a well-known interventional radiologist, but she was looking for a more gratifying practice that brought happiness for her patients through cosmetic medicine, so she entered into a partnership with Tipsy Salonbar, which has five locations, including one in Wellington.
“I do intervention and surgeries through the arteries and the veins,” Doan said. “That’s my profession. I do biopsies, and basically any endovascular surgery.”
She has been in practice for 12 years and is prominent in her profession, but she also finds cosmetic medicine very gratifying. “I like everything that looks beautiful, like design,” Doan said.
She has taken training in cosmetic medicine over the years to pursue her interest in making people feel good about themselves through their appearance.
“Mostly women, but more and more men, feeling beautiful, it’s all about aesthetic,” she explained. “I got interested in Botox, particularly, about 10 years ago, so I went back and took several classes. I wasn’t ready to leave my job as a radiologist, so it was a balance.”
Doan started out with a clinic to do Botox treatments, but it was in a medical building, which was not her concept of a spa. This led to her partnership with Tipsy owner Beth Nguyen to practice cosmetic medicine in her spas.
“I think it should be a one-stop,” Doan said. “It’s all about beauty. You can come here, feel good about your hair, feel good about your nails, your skin and Botox while you’re there. Botox and fillers is what I do most here.”
Botox treatments, once controversial, have become more widely accepted, she said.
“People spend all this time and money on makeup, which does work… but when I do Botox, it really helps the patient feel younger and more confident,” Doan explained. “I don’t think Botox is for everybody, but for people who believe in it, I think I’m always happier to give that joy to them.”
Doan said that the spa environment is not as intimidating as a medical environment, and patients feel at ease talking with her about beauty and things that will make them feel better.
“It’s a new vision, and I think it’s unusual for a doctor to be in a salon/spa setting, but I think that’s going to be the future, because Botox is becoming more of a commodity than a sterile surgical procedure,” she said.
One of her most successful procedures is lip augmentation to give volume.
“As a physician and an interventional radiologist, I know the anatomy, I know where the arteries are and know to avoid them, so I think I get good results by being very intrinsic with all the muscles of the face and how they move and mostly how the arteries and veins are, to avoid the bruising and other issues,” Doan said. “I’m very comfortable with my hands, because that’s what I do all day long.”
Doan can also prescribe low-cost, pharmaceutical-quality sunscreens and anti-aging creams, and can give medical-grade chemical peels. She said that there are many ways to treat wrinkles, and plans to expand into new cosmetic treatments, including laser, high-intensity light and minimally invasive liposuction.
“There are many ways to treat wrinkles, and I want to be there for all of it,” she said. “I’m hoping to have a clinic where people can come and sit with me and talk, and together we can build a beauty plan,” Doan said.
Doan received her degree from the McGill University Health Center in Montreal, and has done extensive postdoctoral training. She is the author of numerous research presentations and publications in her field.
Tipsy’s Wellington location is at 10120 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Suite 100, in the Pointe at Wellington Green near Stonewood Grill & Tavern. Call (561) 791-5603 or visit www.tipsysalonbar.com for more information.
