By Vita Duva
Aesthetics is the appreciation of beauty. In health care and wellness, aesthetics is the practice of enhancing beauty through skincare. This can include chemical peels, injectables like Botox, dermal fillers like Juvéderm and much more, all in the name of aging beautifully, according to Allison Gordon and Andriana Cellini, who opened Nuwave Aesthetics in Red Bank last month. They have put together a menu of skincare and injectable services they believe complements the natural aging process, with procedures focused on restoration to give an “untouched look.”
“We wanted to create a place where an individual can sit in our chair and leave refreshed without ever changing, but only enhancing their natural beauty,” Cellini told The Two River Times. “Our approach is very individualized using a combination of effective injectable services and skincare treatments that elicit a visible result.”
“Getting Botox for the first time is intimidating,” she said. “You want to go somewhere where you feel comfortable enough to connect and establish a lasting relationship.”
Gordon advises those seeking injectable services look for medical providers with credentials and experience in the industry. “Ask your friends! Just like finding a new restaurant in town, your circle of friends has the best recommendations,” she said. And don’t be afraid to ask questions. “Education is key and as the client you want to know what to expect,” Gordon said, as every product and procedure has its own timeline. “Don’t expect results overnight; trust the process.”
Cellini recommends all clients start with a consultation. “This is a great way to learn about what treatments you specifically are a candidate for and will benefit from. Don’t compare yourself to others.
“Everyone’s anatomy varies, and we can’t change that,” Cellini noted.
The demand for injectable services is high, due in large part to social media. But it’s not just for the wealthy and the middle-aged. According to Gordon, the median age of clients looking for aesthetic procedures is around 25.
“Aging is inevitable,” she said. “Genetics also might make you prone at a young age to etched in lines at rest. Starting injectable treatments early and creating a consistent care plan, results in less aggressive treatments as you age.”
Cellini added that “preventative aesthetics” are becoming increasingly popular, due to social media and self-education. “Patients now want those static forehead lines to be treated earlier so they don’t deepen with age.”
Cellini, a native New Yorker, has been practicing as a board-certified physician assistant since graduating from St. John’s University in 2013. She previously worked in both dermatology and general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital. Gordon, who grew up in Rumson, has been a board-certified nurse practitioner since 2016, following her graduation from Columbia University School of Nursing. She then went on to work in interventional radiology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City for a number of years. The two connected professionally while practicing together at one of New York City’s top facial aesthetic practices.
“It was very organic,” Gordon said about what prompted the pair to recently start their own practice. “When Andriana relocated from New York City to Red Bank with her husband Dr. Michael Cellini, after he accepted an interventional radiologist position in town, and my hometown being Rumson, a light bulb went off to be able to bring our expertise to this area.”
“I knew I wanted to practice in this area as it remains a central location in Monmouth County. And ironically, Allison and our medical director – my husband – worked together at Mount Sinai Hospital. We love when things come full circle,” Cellini added.
Michael Cellini, born and raised in Georgia, is a dual board-certified interventional and diagnostic radiologist, who specializes in image-guided minimally invasive procedures. After completing his diagnostic and interventional radiology residency at the University of North Carolina, he went on to complete a subspecialty interventional radiology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital.
Both Gordon and Cellini currently hold licenses in the state of New Jersey and New York. Gordon has a nurse practitioner license, while Cellini has a physician assistant license.
Practice requirements are state-specific: in New Jersey, mid-level providers are required to work with a medical director but, for example, in the state of Connecticut, a nurse practitioner can own his or her own practice. In all states, physician assistants must practice under a medical director. Both PAs and NPs must pass their boards in order to practice and obtain their state license.
Gordon and Cellini’s practice is currently housed in Gordon’s father Eric Gordon’s cosmetic dental practice, Advanced Dental Arts, located at 225 Route 35 in Red Bank. The practice brings a New York City experience to its “New” Jersey clients.
“New York City has always been a go-to for everyone’s fashion and beauty needs,” Cellini said. “Why take a ferry or train into New York City for all the new and innovative treatments, when one can experience and try them right here in their hometown?”
“Adriana and I love what we do. Seeing clients over the years and how they have figuratively and literally been injected with confidence, fuels us to continue to practice and advance our skills,” Gordon said. “It’s more than just a beauty industry, focusing on self-care, wellness and even mental health. You put your best face forward in how you look every day and we want to guide you in that journey.”
The article originally appeared in the October 6 – 12, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
The article was updated October 13, 2022.
