Feeling and looking good isn’t just vanity — it’s an investment in our overall well-being and self-confidence.
And all of this translates into the quality of the work we do every day.
The health and wellness industry has been growing in Chattanooga for years, and for many people, prioritizing their appearance and overall health is worth the money in order to live a long, active life.
Chattanooga offers options for every taste and need, from highly skilled doctors specializing in reconstructive surgery to luxury medical spas offering minimally invasive treatments like cryotherapy and infrared sessions. Additionally, the area is home to a collection of unique businesses that address specific concerns, including salt cave therapy, cold baths, herbal and nutritional stores, and yoga and massage studios.
With a wide range of services to choose from, residents can easily find the treatments and solutions that best suit their health and wellness needs.
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Dr. James Shire, Shire Facial Plastic Surgery
Photo provided by Dr. James Shire and staff“Today, when I perform surgery, I don’t even prescribe painkillers, because surgery is no longer painful. I don’t use bandages, because bandages are no longer needed. This is because of medical advances. The results are better and last longer.”
But I’m talking about techniques that are trained and licensed by skilled physicians. These procedures are not as easy to do for everyone, and in my opinion, we’re already reaching the limits of what some of the new machines being developed can do.
These are less invasive and easier to recover from. But it all depends on the patient. Younger patients are naturally more elastic. As you get older, you lose elasticity and there’s only so much a machine can do.”
Dr. Mark Brzezienski, RefinedLooks Plastic Surgery
Photo by Jennifer McNally/Mark Brzezienski, MD, of RefinedLooks Plastic Surgery.“I think AI will have an incredible impact on cosmetic surgery and healthcare in general. I believe the delivery of care at the hospital level will be improved with the introduction of AI, smoothing the relationship between both insurance companies and hospital providers.”
As our industry continues to grow, more and more people are realizing what plastic surgery actually does. Previously, plastic surgery was simply thought of as cosmetic surgery, but it affects a person’s life from the moment they are born until the moment they die.
A concrete example of how plastic surgery will grow is gender reassignment surgery. Eventually, I think every state will have a center that does these surgeries.”
Dr. Deborah DiStefano, Co-Owner, NorSpring DiStefano MedSpa Wellness Center
Photo by Jennifer McNally/Dr. Deborah DiStefano of NorSpring MedSpa Wellness Center.“As we look ahead to 2030, I see us not only enhancing outer beauty, but slowing or stopping inner aging. For us, the future is about finding ways to treat aging at a cellular level. For many years, the focus has been on outer beauty, but with modern advances, we are finding ways to literally slow or stop aging at the cellular level.
We do this through processes such as hyperbaric chamber sessions and cryotherapy. In addition, we study skin aging through supplements developed in our laboratory. Our offering includes a wide range of treatments and services, including acupuncture, physiotherapy, and exercise and nutrition consultations. These services are complemented by a range of wellness treatments. Combined, these constitute our approach to reversing aging and, ideally, preventing disease.
In our current health care system, most of the time we wait until people get sick and then we treat them when they are sick. Our goal is to keep people healthy.”
Cora and Tracy Lessard, Alchemy Med Spa + Wellness Center
Photo provided by Cora and Tracy LesserAbout a year after earning her communications degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Cora Lessard had a clear idea of her true calling in life.
“I wanted to help people on their journey, and acne was one of my passions,” recalls the now co-owner of Alchemy MedSpa + Wellness Center. “I’ve suffered with acne since I was 13 years old.”
Soon after, her mother, Tracy Lesser, found her own realization: she, too, enjoyed working in the medical aesthetics field.
“So one night we decided to go for it,” Cora says. They made a business plan and asked Dr. Chris Lesser (Cora’s father and Tracy’s husband), owner and head surgeon at Chattanooga Vascular Institute, to become the hospital’s director and medical director.
Alchemy is now in its third year of business with two locations, with a third in the planning stages. Like the Vascular Institute, there is a strong focus on patient education, Tracie LeSar said.
“We take a holistic approach to patient care,” she says, “looking at the underlying factors…where they are, where they want to go, and what they’re going to do to get there.”
“I never imagined I’d end up working with my mother,” Cora Lessard says, “but I’m honored to call her my friend, my partner and my mother.”
