The Problem With the Aesthetics Industry: Who Can You Trust? | Scalpel and Skin

How can patients tell what is legitimate, what is overhyped, and who they can actually trust in the aesthetics industry? In the first episode of Scalpel and Skin, board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Algie LaBrasca and cosmetic dermatology Physician Assistant Mistica LaBrasca share the professional journeys that brought them together and explain why they decided to start a plastic surgery and skin health podcast. Algie and Mistica look back at how cosmetic dermatology, injectables, provider training, and med spas have changed over the years. They discuss why training and real-world experience matter, how the rapid growth of aesthetic medicine has created more confusion for patients, and why not every treatment being marketed is necessarily worth the investment. They also explain the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon, one of the most common misconceptions patients encounter when researching a procedure or provider. With more than 30 years of combined experience, Algie and Mistica bring honest opinions, medical insight, and sibling chemistry to conversations about plastic surgery, skin health, cosmetic dermatology, patient safety, and the aesthetic treatments everyone is talking about. In this episode, they answer: •⁠ ⁠How has the aesthetics industry changed? •⁠ ⁠What should patients know about provider training? •⁠ ⁠What is the difference between a plastic surgeon and a cosmetic surgeon? •⁠ ⁠Are all med spa and injectable training programs created equally? •⁠ ⁠Why do some cosmetic treatments make patients look unnatural? •⁠ ⁠How can patients make smarter aesthetic decisions? •⁠ ⁠What can listeners expect from Scalpel and Skin? Chapters 00:00 Looking fake is a provider problem. 00:34 Welcome to Scalpel and Skin. 01:10 Meet Mistica LaBrasca. 01:29 Mistica’s path into cosmetic dermatology. 03:34 Why Algie and Mistica joined forces. 04:00 Working together as siblings. 06:06 Mistica’s experience treating melanoma patients. 06:58 Sibling dynamics and who is really in charge. 09:02 How injectables and aesthetics have changed. 09:43 The rise of med spas. 10:12 Training before performing injectables. 11:16 Mistica’s first hands-on injectable training. 12:00 Why not every training course is equal. 13:10 Choosing experienced aesthetic providers. 13:49 Dr. Algie’s journey into plastic surgery. 20:38 Plastic surgeon vs. cosmetic surgeon. 22:38 Residency, sleep, and sibling banter. 24:05 Breaking the stigma around aesthetic work. 24:22 What is legitimate and what is worth the investment. 25:33 What to expect from Scalpel and Skin. 25:57 Send us your treatments, trends, and questions. Follow Scalpel and Skin on Instagram, Tiktok and Facebook! Send us the treatments, trends, or questions you want Dr. Algie and Mistica to break down next. This is Scalpel and Skin. Let’s go! #ScalpelAndSkin #PlasticSurgeryPodcast #SkinHealthPodcast #CosmeticDermatology