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FreshSkin: Medical Spa & Wellness Center

Dec 26, 2018 ● By Carrie Jackson

Dr. Josie Tenore, MD, MSc, BCIM

FreshSkin Medical Spa & Wellness Center, in Highland Park, is a multidisciplinary practice committed to healthy aging, founded in 2011 by Medical Director Dr. Josie Tenore. Her focus on functional medicine and disease prevention helps patients achieve optimal wellness inside and out. “Our biggest goal is ensuring our patients are living their best quality of life. We want them to feel, look and function at their best, so they can truly live well,” she says.

        FreshSkin combines innovative and scientifically proven, non-surgical treatments, advanced diagnostic tools and a knowledgeable and compassionate team of providers. The staff, which includes a laser specialist and licensed acupuncturist, is equipped to treat a wide variety of internal health and external skin conditions. They have extensive experience and training to address skin issues such as rosacea, sun damage, varicose veins, scars, wrinkles, volume loss, sagging skin, cellulite and acne. FreshSkin offers specialized wellness solutions for weight loss, hormone balancing, low energy, food sensitivities, metabolic disease, urine leakage, hair loss and low libido.

        Tenore, who completed medical school in Canada and also holds a Master of Science degree in Public Health from Harvard University, has worked with world-renowned specialists practicing state-of-the-art medical care. “General practitioners do not have the luxury of time to spend with patients, and are forced into a process that only allows them time to order certain labs and prescribe medication to temporarily fix the situation. At FreshSkin, our philosophy and experience is rooted in functional medicine, not just treating symptoms,” she says.

        One of the most common complaints Tenore hears is nondescript symptoms of malaise. “Often, patients will come to us and say that they went to their doctor and everything looks normal, but they aren’t functioning well. They’re fatigued, have poor digestion, trouble concentrating, acne or pain. We usually begin with extensive, in-depth micronutrient testing, which is a simple blood test to identify nutritional deficiencies that often go undetected with routine testing,” says Tenore. “This gives us the information we need to optimize your body’s ability for health and wellness.”

        FreshSkin also offers comprehensive treatments to balance hormones and thyroid. “Hormones have been shown to regulate energy, weight, mood, sleep, mental clarity and libido. Both men and women begin to lose testosterone and estrogen in their 20s, and this can lead to a number of vague symptoms. Our hormone program includes a medical consultation, body analysis, lab tests, a personalized hormone optimization and balancing regimen, hormone monitoring and one year of visits. Some patients may be candidates for BioTE, a hormone replacement method that uses plant-based compounds specifically formulated to match the structure of human hormones,” advises Tenore.

        Another important focus at FreshSkin is intimate health for women. “We try to find out what is truly bothering our patients. We have women in their 30s who say their orgasms aren’t what they used to be, they have regular bladder leakage or their libido is low. The vagina is an organ that can be affected by factors such as stress, childbirth and hormones, as well as general lifestyle. Vaginal tissue is made up of collagen fibers, just like skin. As we age, or with trauma, the collagen can lose its strength and shape,” explains Tenore. FreshSkin is one of the only centers in the area to offer Viveve procedures, a non-surgical radiofrequency treatment that rebuilds vaginal tissue and stimulates the body’s own renewal response to restore healthy collagen in as little as one 40-minute treatment.

        FreshSkin’s integrative healthcare practice also includes Eastern medical modalities such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, meditation, and lifestyle and nutritional counseling. Dr. Ryan Lombardo, DAOM, combines ancient practices with modern technology and data to create physical and energetic balance, and foster healing and longevity in all aspects of life. “Dr. Lombardo is unique in that while he is thoroughly trained in traditional Eastern medicine, he also has a background in biotechnology and is board certified in integrative medicine. His updated approach is tailoring the traditional practice and treatments to respond better to our modern bodies and environments,” says Tenore. Lombardo specializes in pain relief, longevity, weight loss, inflammatory conditions and cosmetic acupuncture.

        Feeling better physically can be a catalyst for positive change in other areas, and might be the most valuable part of Tenore’s work. “My patients say that they’re more confident, have improved self-esteem and better quality of relationships. They feel beautiful, and to me, beauty is vitality, health, energy and positivity, inside and out,” she shares. “To be able to say that I transform lives is incredibly rewarding.”

 

FreshSkin Medical Spa & Wellness Center is located at 595 Elm Pl., Ste. 208, in Highland Park. For more information, call 847-681-8821, email [email protected] or visit MyFreshSkin.com.

Carrie Jackson is an Evanston-based writer and frequent contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine. Connect at CarrieJacksonWrites.com.