Real Patient Stories Episodes

Twenty-two years ago at the age of 22, Janelle got her first set of saline breast implants and she was ecstatic. Right on schedule, ten years later she had them replaced with silicone gel. Janelle loved how she looked with breast implants, but in 2018 she began experiencing a collection of unusual symptoms including extreme fatigue, dry eyes, dry mouth, and other miserable things. Suspecting that the breast implants might be the cause, she shared her symptoms on Instagram and received a flurry ...

While looking at photos of herself about five years ago, Maria noticed that an “11” had appeared between her brows. Those pesky parallel lines were so deep that they didn’t tan with the rest of her face. That was the moment she decided to do something. Maria works as a labor & delivery nurse across the street at Scripps hospital, a friend who already had “beautiful Botox” told her where to go. So she first came to LJC to get rid of those 11’s with Botox, then for help reversing sun damage from ...

If you think the treatments available at a medical spa aren’t for you because you’re not old enough, think again. Autumn’s story will change how you think about those barely visible fine lines between your brows, around your eyes, and around your mouth. Find out which treatments have been her secret weapon since she started coming to LJC in her late twenties. From Botox to microneedling to laser skin resurfacing, Autumn shares how each of these treatments delivered a subtle, natural result to k...

Taylor’s least favorite body part has always been her arms. Working in the medical spa at La Jolla Cosmetic, Taylor knew there were a lot of ways to approach body contouring, including those arms. She had already lost 30 lbs, and plastic surgeon Dr. Swistun motivated her to lose 15 more to ensure successful results by showing her what she might look like using special imaging software called Vectra 3D. After reaching her goal weight, Taylor moved ahead with surgery. Dr. Swistun sculpted her bod...

For our patient Kathleen Lisson, an accident while hiking in the desert led to a broken nose, which led her straight to Dr. Brahme for a rhinoplasty… and while he was at it, a face lift, brow lift, neck lift, chin implant, fat transfer to her cheeks, and a septoplasty to fix her deviated septum. Not everyone seeks cosmetic surgery for aesthetic reasons; sometimes it’s necessary following an accident or injury. For Kathleen, a freak accident while hiking in the desert was the catalyst that cause...

Corey Dylan from San Diego’s KFBG BIG FM 100.7, tells her story about doing Ultherapy for her face and neck. At 51, she felt like her cheeks were looking jowly and knew there was no way to reverse that with skin care products. As a radio and tv professional, Corey chose Ultherapy because she knew it would allow her to be in and out of the office within a couple hours without anybody noticing she had anything done. Hear how she’s feeling and what changes she’s already noticing one week after her...

We catch up with Dr. Luke Swistun a week after his broadband light (BBL) & Halo laser resurfacing treatment to hear about his treatment experience and recovery process. Dr. Swistun tells us about how his treatment experience compared to his expectations, describing the pain level as “tolerable pins and needles.” At LJC we offer ProNox to our patients, also known as laughing gas, and Dr. Swistun describes this feeling as surreal, because you can make conscious decisions while simultaneously bein...

LJC’s laser expert Julia Jowett, PA-C, lets us in on her strategy for treating plastic surgeon Dr. Luke Swistun’s fine lines and sun damage. Dr. Swistun had treatment on a Friday and he was back to the clinic working with a practically healed face on Monday. To identify problem spots, Julia took photos of Dr. Swistun and his wife with the VISIA Skin Analysis system. She then combined broadband light (BBL) and HALO laser, one of her favorite combinations to address pigmentation, pores, and fine ...

It’s not every day that the surgeon becomes the patient! Moments just before his broadband light (BBL) & Halo laser treatment, Dr. Luke Swistun shares what he thinks it will be like and gives insight into why he’s having laser resurfacing. We’ll be back with more in this 3 part mini-series, including a chat with Julia Jowett who’s treating Dr. Swistun, and a follow up to hear how he’s doing in a few weeks. Links Check out Dr. Swistun’s pre-treatment VISIA photos La Jolla Cosmetic is located j...

Sandra felt self-conscious about her sun-damaged skin and dark spots on her face. Like most of us, she worshiped the sun growing up and never gave a thought to the consequences. At 57, she enlisted the help of LJC laser specialist Brittany who knew the Halo laser would turn Sandra’s skin right around. Blown away by the astounding results and little downtime, Sandra now treats herself to another Halo treatment every year on her birthday. See the progression of Sandra’s Halo before & after pictur...

Longtime patient & Instagram influencer Camille Newbern reveals her three favorite medical spa treatments, the skin care product she never goes without, and the shade of her signature lipstick. Following a necessary update on Moo Shu (her pig) and Pip (her papillon), Camille talks freely about the pitfalls of being “professionally pretty” and explains how she got to 107k followers on Instagram. She shares openly about the treatments she’s had at LJC, including Botox, fillers, threads, Halo lase...

Eight weeks after surgery, Laura Cain reflects on her breast augmentation results, her surprisingly easy recovery, and why she regrets waiting so long to move forward. In the third and final conversation of this three part series, Laura reflects on how much she’s changed throughout her breast augmentation experience at LJC. She shares how the decision to trust Dr. Swistun’s eye to choose the right size and shape for her body was the best choice she could have made, and how happy she is with the...

Lesa is a patient of La Jolla Cosmetic who had breast augmentation at the age of 57. Since then, she returns regularly for treatments and services to maintain a vibrant look that matches her spirit. Lesa takes us through her journey with La Jolla Cosmetic and how she learned to invest in herself. Lesa discusses why she chose La Jolla Cosmetic and Dr. Lori Saltz for her breast augmentation, what her consultation was like, and why she recommends you “just go for it” if you’re on the fence. With h...

Three days after surgery, we check in with Laura Cain to see how she’s feeling after her breast augmentation with Dr. Luke Swistun. Missed part 1? Listen to the first installment in Laura’s breast augmentation mini-series Listen to the Laura Cain After Dark podcast Follow Laura on Instagram See LJC’s breast augmentation before and after photos La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway at 9850 Genesee Ave, Suite 130 in the Ximed building on the Scripps Memorial Hos...

Before padded bathing suits were invented, 15-year-old Laura Cain’s mom sewed stuffing into her swimsuit tops to give her some curves. Decades later, Laura’s about to have breast augmentation at LJC with Dr. Luke Swistun and we’re talking to her about her thoughts and feelings before surgery and what led her to finally make the decision to get breast implants. Listen to the Laura Cain After Dark podcast Follow Laura on Instagram La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freewa...