Bright and Beautiful at Any Age
DaVinci Skin Care Center delivers an array of minimally invasive options to help patients of all ages achieve healthy, youthful skin in an atmosphere unlike any other.
Susan B. Forman, L.E., C.M.E., may be on the cusp of 70, but she says she has never looked better, felt better, or been happier in her vocation. She doesn’t mean to sound like a braggart; she’s just tickled with where her personal and professional lives have led her.
As the owner of DaVinci Skin Care Center in King of Prussia, Forman leads a team of aesthetic professionals devoted to helping clients of all ages, lifestyles, and backgrounds look and feel their best. The center provides a broad spectrum of aesthetic services, including laser hair removal, HydraFacials, microneedling, Botox and dermal fillers, intense pulsed light, Rezenerate Facials, and red light therapy, among others.
One of her most popular treatment modalities is Vivace, an award-winning minimally invasive procedure that combines microneedling and radiofrequency energy to stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen. By doing so, the next-generation technology can tighten the skin, alleviate fine lines and wrinkles, and otherwise help patients achieve a healthier, more youthful appearance.
“I was still having kids in my 40s, so it wasn’t until my 50s that I really started taking time for me,” says Forman, who’s not only the owner but also an aesthetician with the practice, along with Julia Frawley. “I got to a point where I knew I needed to start taking better care of myself. The technology has gotten a lot better over the years. I’ve been doing Vivace for four years, and Thermage before that, and it has really helped me rebuild the collagen I’ve lost. Fillers are great for some people, but I’ve been able to get my results without any fillers in my face.”
Each time a patient comes to DaVinci Skin Care Center, a member of the staff will start the process with a simple yet profound exercise. They will hold up a mirror and ask the patient, “What bothers you the most?” The patient’s answer will determine the next steps.
“Everyone’s different,” Forman says. “If it’s sunspots or age spots, I’ll likely recommend three treatments of intense pulsed light to get the face back to a blank canvas. If it’s wrinkles in the forehead, I will recommend Botox performed under the guidance of our physician, Dr. Andrea Hanaway. If the appearance of jowls are the issue, it’s Vivace or a dermal filler. We also help a lot of teens who struggle with acne, which microneedling can clear right up.”
While DaVinci Skin Care Center treats predominantly women, men represent an increasing part of the center’s patient population. Forman cites one patient in particular: a bodybuilder who had Vivace performed to tighten up the skin of his arms.
Forman and her team have fostered a unique culture. Rather than a stuffy doctor’s office, DaVinci Skin Care Center is jovial and vibrant. Patients feel comfortable talking about everything from movies and music to their careers and personal lives, and members of the aesthetic staff are happy to share expert skincare tips along the way. One example: When buying skincare products containing hyaluronic acid for at-home regimens, make sure hyaluronic acid is one of the first three ingredients.
“We treat everyone like friends and family, and we never push products on anyone,” Forman adds. “I want everyone to be able to afford this. We do a Fraxel [skin-resurfacing treatment] party once a month, where we host 30 to 40 women who come in to have the procedure done, and it’s less expensive because we can do a lot in a short amount of time. People just want to have a good time with each other in a fun environment where everyone feels comfortable.”
DaVinci Skin Care Center specializes in products and services designed to help patients achieve healthy, more youthful skin. Forman also has working relationships with a personal trainer and a provider of organic spray-tanning services to help patients look and feel their best through ways other than skin care.
“People should feel comfortable in their own skin,” she says. “We’re not looking to sell you on anything you don’t need. My suggestion is always to start low and slow; start small and work your way up. This is your face and body, after all, and you need to take good care of it. Sometimes people will come here with grand expectations but might be better off getting a face-lift, so I’ll be honest and say, ‘You need to see a plastic surgeon.’ I have good relationships with several plastic surgeons, so I’ll offer some recommendations and send them on their way.
“What we’re doing here is about more than just healthy skin,” she continues. “How you look affects everything else about you. We’re all about building confidence and a welcoming community. Tanya, our personal trainer, says it all the time, that a lot of how you look and feel comes back to how you think of yourself.”
By following the same advice she prescribes for her patients, Forman is proud to have retained her youthfulness in mind, body, and spirit. She has also helped her 100-year-old mother do the same, through daily exercise, eating well, and the occasional Vivace treatment.
As she looks ahead, Forman is excited about the continued advances at the intersection of medicine and technology. While the products and services offered at DaVinci Skin Care Center will likely continue to evolve, the welcoming and laidback culture will remain intact for as long as she’s at the helm—and she doesn’t intend to go anywhere anytime soon.
“I didn’t start this practice until I was close to 50, and I’m almost 70 now,” she says. “People who know me well will sometimes say to me, ‘You can’t retire!’ I shut that down quickly, because I have no intention of retiring any time soon. I’m having too much fun.”
DaVinci Skin Care Center
20128 Valley Forge Circle
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 783-7076
www.davinciskincarecenter.com
20128 Valley Forge Circle
King of Prussia, PA 19406
(610) 783-7076
www.davinciskincarecenter.com
Photo by Jody Robinson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, March 2023.
