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Meet Shelley Plescia, NP-C, Expert Medical Aesthetics Provider

November 2021


Take Advantage of Expert Neurotoxin Injections and Other Cosmetic Dermatology Treatments

Optima Dermatology’s Macedonia, OH team is excited to welcome our newest medical aesthetics provider, Shelley Plescia, NP-C. Shelley brings more than 17 years of experience in dermatology and aesthetics, with advanced training and experience with neurotoxin injection treatments, dermal fillers, hair restoration, and microneedling. 

Shelley has treated patients across the country from South Carolina and Michigan to Orange County and Beverly Hills, CA. With each transition, Shelley sought more training to gain greater experience, and has even provided training to health care providers in aesthetic injection, neurotoxins, and HA fillers. 

A Commitment to Excellent Patient Care

Shelley’s approach to patient care reflects Optima Dermatology’s commitment to treating every patient the way we would want our friends and family to be treated. 

Shelley’s patients can expect custom aesthetic treatment plans tailored to their needs. She is passionate about making a positive impact in her patients’ lives and strives to build long-term relationships with her patients.

We recently had the opportunity to learn more about Shelley, her approach, and the path that led her to pursue aesthetic dermatology.

How/when did you know you wanted to be a nurse practitioner? Were you always interested in medical aesthetics? What was your path to this career?

I was interested in aesthetics when I was 21 and started getting acne facials. I loved my aesthetician and she made me feel so much better about myself, which made me want to make others feel the same way. My aesthetics career started when I became an aesthetician working for a dermatologist and a plastic surgeon doing facials, peels, microdermabrasion, laser hair removal, IPL, Fraxel, and more. Working with physicians and nurses, I was able to see a lot and I learned so much from them. Given this opportunity, I wanted to go back to school to expand my knowledge and skills to have the ability to provide my patients with more advanced treatments. I then decided to go back to school for nursing to expand my scope of practice and to be able to do cosmetic injections, assist in surgeries, and much more. Fast forward a few years – I worked in Orange County and Beverly Hills as a nurse injector and laser specialist prior to moving to Ohio. I then returned to school to pursue my nurse practitioner degree so I could expand my scope of practice even more.

What do you enjoy most about treating your patients and what is unique about your approach?

I enjoy making my patients feel more confident. First, I make sure to thoroughly consult with my patients to understand their cosmetic concerns and goals. My approach is conservative and natural. I provide my patients with a treatment plan to address their concerns. Each patient is unique; what I recommended for one patient may not be my recommendation for another. To achieve optimal results, a variety of treatments may be recommended, as well as a series of treatments. I make sure my patients have realistic expectations; patient education and communication are key.

What are some common treatment areas for neurotoxin injections, and what technique do you typically apply?

  1. A couple of units of a neurotoxin can create a subtle flip of the top lip for those that are not ready for filler. If a patient has a “gummy smile” we can inject just a few units to keep the top lip from rising too high and showing the gums when smiling.
  1. For vertical lines around the mouth, a neurotoxin can relax the muscles and decrease the “pursing” around the lips that end up creating the lines. Patients will still be able to eat, drink, talk and smile, since the muscles are still active, just not as strong as they were prior to treatment.
  1. There is a muscle that causes the corners of our mouth to turn down, contributing to a “sad face” look, and over time can cause what we call marionette lines. This muscle is the depressor angularis oris (DAO) and can be treated with a few units of neurotoxin to keep the mouth from turning down. The smile is not affected when treating this muscle.
  1. We all know you can treat the “crow’s feet,” and decrease lines around the eyes. But did you know we can create a subtle “brow lift” and open up the eyes without causing a “surprised look”? We do this by treating the tail-end of the brow with a small amount of neurotoxin, as well as a few units between the brows.
  1. The texture of the chin can change over time and cause an “orange peel” or golf ball texture, which is caused by the mentalis muscle that sits in the ball of the chin. This muscle also creates the horizontal line above our chin, which can deepen over time. Treating the mentalis muscle can cause the ball of the chin to come down and prevent it from turning upward, which can cause uneven skin texture and deepen the horizontal line.
  1. The nasalis, aka “bunny lines”, are the small lines on the side of the upper part of the bridge of our nose. Some people scrunch this area when smiling or laughing and lines form. This muscle can be treated with just a few units on each side.
  1. We have superficial muscles in our neck called platysmal bands. The more these muscles are used, the stronger they get, which can cause unwanted skin laxity in the neck and under the chin, making the bands appear more prominent.

What kind of medical conditions can neurotoxin injections help with?

Neurotoxins not only treat lines on the face from repetitive expression and muscle movement but can also help with migraines. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), and teeth clenching and grinding can also be treated by injecting the masseter muscle. In addition, neurotoxin injections can address hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating under the arms. Blepharospasm, or eye twitching, can also be treated by neurotoxin injections to decrease the muscle contraction that’s causing the spasm or twitch near the eyes.

What are the most common areas you treat with filler?

Cheeks are a common area for filler since we lose volume in our cheeks as we age, which in turn causes the fat pad of our cheeks to flatten over time. This volume reduction can also occur with weight loss or simply having a thin face. 

Another common area is the lips. Patients often want to add more volume to the lip area or to treat the fine lines around the lips called perioral rhytides.

Where are some unexpected areas that you treat with filler that produce great results?

Common areas many people don’t realize that can be treated with filler and make great improvements are the temples, chin, and hands. As we lose volume in our cheeks, we lose volume in our temples. If we only treat the cheeks with filler, we may not have the balance needed for a youthful look. Having filler placed only in the cheek area can make the temples look even more hollow. Treating the chin can help create more balance in the face.

The skin on our hands is thin. Over time, the veins and the tendons become more prominent. We can inject filler to add more volume so that the veins and tendons are not as noticeable, and the skin appears thicker as it once was.

Which patients would you recommend a SkinPen® treatment for? What are the benefits of incorporating PRP into the treatment?

The SkinPen® is a great treatment for improving acne scars, large pores, fine lines, and uneven skin texture. Microneedling done with the SkinPen® is a non-invasive, in-office procedure that helps stimulate collagen, also known as collagen induction therapy. This non-invasive treatment has minimal downtime and can be done on any skin type. We all lose collagen over time, so the SkinPen® is a great way to stimulate the collagen in the skin.

The benefit of incorporating PRP with the SkinPen® treatment is to stimulate even more collagen than the SkinPen® alone can and to promote healing and skin rejuvenation. The PRP contains growth factors that allow more collagen to be stimulated and help with tissue repair. In addition, PRP can also be done in the scalp area for hair growth.

What do you like to do when you are not in the office?

I enjoy getting outdoors, being active, and love to hike with my husband and our two mini-Goldendoodles, Luna & Cali. I also enjoy cooking and spending quality time with family and friends. You can also find me running, biking, biohacking, wine tasting, and traveling.

Answer this question: If you know me you would know…

Gymnastics was my first love. I adore my two mini-Goldendoodles. I love the outdoors, especially the mountains and the beach. I always have my sunscreen! Balance is key.

What to Expect From Cosmetic Treatments From Shelley and Her Team

If you’re considering a cosmetic treatment such as HALO™, BBL™, or Botox®, it’s important to understand your options and explore the best treatments for your specific goals. 

Our expert team of specialized medical aesthetic providers, like Shelley, have advanced training and experience for a range of procedures and treatments. These include:

  • Neurotoxin injections, such as BOTOX® or Dysport®
  • Other injectable procedures, including Kybella®
  • Dermal fillers (including Juvéderm®, VolumaTM, Vollure, Volbella, and Restylane®)
  • Laser treatments
  • PRP hair restoration
  • Microneedling
  • & More

Come in for a free consultation to learn what will work best for you. Shelley is accepting new patients at Optima Dermatology’s Macedonia, OH practice, serving the Cleveland area.