Meet Dr. Jennessa Iannitelli of Advanced Image Med Spa in Glendale

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Jennessa Iannitelli.

Dr. Iannitelli, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We moved to Arizona when I was in 3rd grade. I have always had an interest in healthcare, wellness and helping people. It didn’t hurt that I loved science and research. Those combined passions took me down the path to earning my Master’s in Biomedical Science while completing medical school. Originally I went into traditional medicine, specializing in trauma surgery, family practice and pain management. While I loved the work, I was struggling with the burden it was putting on the other areas of my life.

I have always had a strong interest in the Aesthetic industry and helping people transform their outward looks to match their inner beauty and strength. Besides, my mother, who was in her 50’s at the time, was suddenly given a shocking diagnosis of breast cancer. We were initially told it was stage zero breast cancer but after further tests, it was found to be stage 3-C, one step below metastatic breast cancer. It was life altering for our entire family. Her journey was long and difficult but thankfully today she is in full remission. My mother is the strongest, most resilient person I know.

This played in my career transition I saw an opportunity to help her in her recovery in a unique way – and also realized I could help others in the community as well. She was healing and beginning to feel better and more energetic, but after so many aggressive treatments and constant emotional stress, she still looked extremely tired and run down. She would get very downtrodden from people’s sympathetic looks and comments, and as well-meaning as they were, it was discouraging to feel like her disease was defining her look. Even without trauma so many women and men feel they are being defined by an outward look that does not reflect their inner being. Some are being passed up for promotions or even losing their jobs because of this.

So, I initially got into the aesthetic industry in my Scottsdale location, but after my mom’s diagnosis, I decided to open Advanced Image Med Spa in Glendale. Our guiding principle is and has always been helping people look and feel their best so their outer expression of who they are can match how they feel on the inside. I began treating my mom to bring her natural beauty and vitality back, and it gave her the boost that allowed her spirit to be renewed.

Today, Advanced Image is thriving and I’m so grateful for the opportunities I have every day to help make people’s lives better. When we treat patients, it’s always about getting to know and understand them. There’s an assumption in our industry that it’s only about vanity but we make patient education and safety a top priority. Your skin is the largest organ in your body and deserves the respect and care you give the rest of your body. We seek to discover why someone is in our office so we can make the best recommendations for reaching their personal goals. It’s amazing what a person can accomplish when the person they see in the mirror matches how they feel inside or want to feel inside.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t think any business owner can ever say the road is smooth! There have been challenges for sure. Especially since the small business world continues to shrink. Every industry is being taken over by big chains and you lose the connection – there is no heart. Looking back you can always say if I only knew then what I know now. We’ve seen the typical trials of launching and running a business: finding and keeping great team members, building our client base, etc. but overall I’m very proud of what we’ve created and the relationships we’ve built in the community. Unfortunately, you never know what you don’t know until you learn it but we’re learning and improving every day.

Please tell us about your Business.
One of the things that set us apart in our field is that we are physician-owned and operated. I am on-site in our clinic daily performing many of the procedures myself. Many other med spas have a doctor who only oversees the facility but isn’t actively practicing there or doesn’t have any ownership in the clinic. Many big corporate chains have medical directors who may do initial training but are rarely on-site. We want our patients to always feel safe and cared for and to know that we have their best interests in mind at all times. I’m very proud of our commitment to patient education as well as the fact that we are constantly educating ourselves as the industry changes. We’ll only recommend and perform procedures after doing our due diligence on their health status and the reasons behind their requests. We always want to give our patients options to arrive at the result they want. If it is a procedure we don’t perform, we will refer them to another physician who does rather than providing a suboptimal procedure. We set realistic expectations of results and have invested in the latest technology like 3D imaging systems that can show them their existing challenges as well as help them see their progress as they receive their treatments.

We’re also dedicated to serving people of all ethnicities, sexes, and lifestyles, including the transgender community. Inclusivity is important in our industry and there are a lot of under-served populations. We welcome everyone into our doors with open arms and our staff is highly trained in the nuances of different skin types. The buck truly stops here and we want our patients to feel like part of the Advanced Image family.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My mom, of course, Karen Janitell. She’s been an inspiration and an endless source of support. She works in our spa daily now and I can’t imagine doing it without her!

Contact Info:

• Address: 7942 W Bell Rd Glendale, AZ 85308
• Website: https://www.advancedimagemedspa.com/
• Phone: 480-360-0328
• Email: info@advancedimagemedspa.com
• Instagram: @advancedimagemedspa
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/advancedimagemedspa

Image Credit:
Graham Coburn

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