The Women Behind Clinic 42

We know cosmetic medicine is a journey, and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Because the best you, is what we do.

 

Clinic 42 had its origins in pioneering doctors, but the last four years has seen it grow from a four-woman team to eight injecting practitioners, along with a team of support staff. So how did this happen in an era where chain clinics are opening on every corner and competition is at its highest?

 

Joanna, one of the three partners, is the innovator of the team, ensuring they are always one step ahead of the competition. In 2016 Joanna brought stem cell treatments to Clinic 42, a  new and exciting procedure that uses the body’s natural healing cells.

 

Stem cells have the amazing potential to develop into many different cell types in the body. In many tissues they serve as a type of internal repair system, dividing without limit to replenish other cells if the person or animal is still alive. This means they have the potential to recognise tissue injury and repair injured tissues.

 

Under the right conditions in the body or laboratory, stem cells divide to form additional cells called daughter cells. These daughter cells either become new stem cells (self-renewal) or specialised cells (differentiation) with a specialised function, such as cartilage-producing cells, bone-producing cells, muscle, fat, collagen, nerve, neural tissue, and heart muscle-producing cells.

 

Joanna trained in the US and has passed this valuable knowledge onto Dr Eloise Dickie who also regularly sees stem cell patients at Clinic 42.

 

Joanna also leads the way with thread lifts, a minimally invasive procedure that uses absorbable threads (made of suture material) to redefine and restore lost elasticity and contour in the face to help achieve a more youthful appearance. It is less invasive than a surgical facelift and involves less risk and cost.

Lynn is the artist and is responsible for Clinic 42’s spectacular ambiance. The clinic’s beautifully maintained 1920s bungalow is filled with art and provides a discreet haven that welcomes discerning patients making them feel safe and cherished.

 

Lynn credits Clinic 42’s success with sticking to their guns by maintaining a doctor-led clinic where all the medical professionals are highly trained, and ethics-focused.

 

“We’ve avoided the current movement towards nurse-only clinics, staff commissions and a conveyor belt mentality. It just doesn’t sit right with us. I can’t imagine an environment where I couldn’t pop down the hall to ask another colleague’s point of view about a patient. This kind of collaboration and support is what attracts staff to want to work with us and keeps our patients coming back.”

 

Currently an emergency medicine specialist at Auckland City Hospital’s emergency department, Lynn is also a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, has had clinical lead in mental health and laboratory investigations, and holds a postgraduate qualification in dermatology.

 

Lynn also has a special interest in toxicology, not just botulinum toxin. This year will see her pursuing further education in skin and musculoskeletal ultrasound (POCUS), useful to diagnose filler complications.

 

Ellen, the third partner,  is also part of the executive committee and treasurer of the New Zealand Society of Cosmetic Medicine (NZSCM), the only organisation recognised by the Medical Council of New Zealand to regulate and train doctors in cosmetic medicine. Ellen oversees the financial aspects of the practice, while looking for ways to future-proof the business. She developed this expertise over the years managing, together with her husband Richard, a large GP and urgent care clinic at Westgate, and also running a property investment company.

 

“Because we specialise in a more natural looking result, we have a large number of patients who are professional women. These women want to look their best and come in three to four times yearly for a gentle tweak to maintain their appearance and stay fresh-looking,” says Ellen.

 

A new milestone came about early last year when the staff at Clinic 42 suddenly realised they had two families where they were treating three generations. “We often have mothers bringing their daughters into the clinic but to have three generations just reinforces how much our patients trust the work we do,” says Ellen.

 

Ellen believes that maintaining their focus on safety and providing the highest degree of professional care is what continues to grow their clientele.

 

Staying at the forefront of the industry, all three regularly attend international conferences and have roles as national trainers representing various pharmaceutical companies, training doctors and nurses on new products and techniques. Ellen is also serving on the senior education faculty of the NZSCM.

 

Together Joanna, Lynn and Ellen make up the complete package that it takes to run a successful cosmetic medicine business. While their continual learning and honing of skills is what enables them to deliver the most up to date, effective and safe treatments to their patients.

 

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