HER STORY ⟡ Jill Collins
Today, we are meeting Jill Collins of LexEnhance Aesthetics & Wellness!
My name is Jill Collins. I live with my husband and our holland lop, Dhalia, in Historic Downtown Lexington, Kentucky. I am from a small town in Western Maryland along the Appalachian mountains, but spent most of my life in Northern Virginia, just outside of DC (Which we lovingly call NOVA). I met my husband in 2014 in rural Eastern North Carolina, and his career brought us here to Lexington, Kentucky just over two years ago. We LOVE this city! We feel fortunate to have found a home that still brings the big city life, but is surrounded by the most beautiful rural farms and nature.
When I moved here, I had just lost my grandfather who I was caring for in NOVA and I was recovering from a very difficult surgery. I spent almost twenty years as surgical nurse, registered nurse first assistant (RNFA), and then an advanced practice provider (APRN). My entire world revolved day and night around operating and providing care for cardiac, transplant, robotic, pediatric, urology, and general surgery patients. Being an APRN and RNFA in complex patient surgeries was my identity. It was a dream that I saw slip away as I fought to overcome my own chronic health and autoimmune conditions.
It was shortly after moving to Lexington that I found the world of aesthetics and plastic surgery. And Aesthetics is Medicine! The skin is the largest organ in the human body, and as we age, it is what we visually see change over time. Age, genetics, metabolism, hormones, environmental conditions, nutrition, and health disparities all impact our health. After surgery, your overall health impacts how quickly you heal or recover. As I developed a medical weight loss program within a plastic surgery clinic, I listened to what my patients concerns were, I looked at their laboratory values, and examined their physical health. What I found was a group of beautiful individuals who sought care for more than just their appearance. Many of whom wanted less invasive approaches to weight loss, or facial rejuvenation, or body contouring, and long-term care plans to look and feel their best.
I dedicated my life to caring for people so they would not have to see their loved ones suffer. And here I was in a new field of medicine, with patients proactively seeking out change without all the resources they needed. I could not control my own genes or health disparities, but I could create a place for my patients to flourish. We all want to glow from the inside out!
Why I Started:
What LexEnhance Aesthetics and Wellness represents to me, is strength. It is a health and wellness facility open to anyone who wants improve the quality of their life. A place where you can be vulnerable, treated as an individual, and have access to innovative medical technology and services that take a 360-degree approach to enhancing your life. From preventative skincare to weight loss, mental health therapy, physical therapy, non-invasive body and facial rejuvenation, and hair loss and restoration, we try to extend the miles in your years.
What I love about being a business owner:
Being a business owner gives you creative freedom. To my core, I am first, and foremost, a provider and patient advocate. Aesthetic centers are not traditionally viewed the same as primary care offices, and yet patients choose to see you. That is powerful. As a business owner, I can change the narrative for my patients - we can be both an aesthetic center and a medical practice. And I can honor my commitments to my patients by bringing in a group of professionals that share similar values and push for best practices and are open change.
What type of impact do you hope to have on those you meet and/or who you sell your products to?
I hope that when people come to LexEnhance they leave feeling empowered. Our patients are the captains of their own ship, and we are a team that helps navigate them towards their goals. I want each person to feel like their concerns are addressed, there is an agreed upon plan in place, they feel better after every visit.
Who or what inspires you?
My patients inspire me! When a weight loss patient meets their goal or their labs are normalized, there is a look of confidence and self-assurance that is intangible. When a patient has slept through the night after a series of EMSELLA or EXOMIND treatments for the first time - there is energy. And when a patient sees that their skincare products are actually treating their concerns - they glow. And when our patients see changes, they are excited to continue their journey of preventative aging and wellness. Those successes for my patients, are inspirations for me.
What is your favorite piece of advice you’ve ever received or favorite quote?
“There are two things people hate, change and the way things are” - (My husband)
What does BEAUTY mean to you?
BEAUTY is truly in the eyes of the beholder. It’s tangible and intangible all at the same time. But what is beautiful about this group of women, is that they are all here to grow and support each other in a community of collaboration, not competition. I am thankful to be a part of the Beauty Boost in Lexington.
What advice would you give your self before starting a business?
Educate and learn as much as you can about being a business owner from those around you and the resources available in the community.
What would you like our Beauty Boost Members to know about you?
I love learning! Whether that is about my community or practice, I am a lifelong student!!
Where our community members can find you?
Instagram: @lexenhance
Facebook: LexEnhance Aesthetics & Wellness
