Would you learn aesthetics from someone who has never contributed to the literature? In medical aesthetics, we see this every day. Practitioners with zero peer-reviewed contributions are teaching "masterclasses" to thousands. They teach what they were taught, not what they have actually investigated. In 23 years of practice, I have performed over 40,000 treatments. But experience alone is not the benchmark of a mentor. The hallmark of an elite teacher is contribution to the g

In the 23 years I have spent in the aesthetic industry, having performed over 50,000 treatments, I have seen trends come and go. I have watched the rise of "snatched" jawlines and the unfortunate "pillow face" that results from over-treating the central face. As a practitioner and an educator for doctors and nurses globally, my philosophy has remained rooted in clinical evidence and anatomical respect. One of the most common questions I receive during consultations at Artistr

The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists like Ozempic and Mounjaro has transformed how we approach metabolic health. While the systemic benefits of these medications are profound, they have introduced a new aesthetic challenge that has quickly become a cultural talking point: 'Ozempic Face.' In my clinic, I am seeing an influx of patients who have achieved their weight loss goals but are left with a facial appearance that looks prematurely aged, hollowed, and structurally compromi

In my 23 years of clinical practice, I have often observed that the most profound results in aesthetic medicine are not those that change a person’s face, but those that restore its original, natural architecture. When a patient sits in my chair at Artistrie Medical Aesthetics, they aren’t just looking for "fillers", they are looking for harmony. To achieve that harmony, I rely on a framework older than modern medicine: the Golden Ratio (Phi, 1.618). From the spiraling chambe

In my 23 years of practice, having performed over 40,000 injectable treatments, I have seen every trend come and go. I have watched the "Instagram face" rise and, more importantly, I have watched the damage it does to the natural architecture of the face. In my clinic, and in the elite training courses I provide to doctors and nurses globally, I prioritize a radical evidence-based stance. When patients come to me in Auckland asking for natural looking lip fillers, they are of

For over two decades, the aesthetic industry was governed by a more-is-better philosophy. We saw an era of maximalist volume, where the goal was often to erase every line and inflate every feature. As we navigate 2026, that era is officially over. Today, the most sophisticated patients are not asking for more volume. They are asking for less. They want to look like themselves at their most rested, not like a filtered version of a stranger. In my 23 years of practice, performi

The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists, commonly known by brand names like Ozempic and Mounjaro, has fundamentally shifted the landscape of metabolic health and weight management. While these medications offer life-changing benefits for many, they have also introduced a specific aesthetic challenge often termed 'Ozempic Face.' As a practitioner with 23 years of industry experience and over 40,000 treatments performed, I have seen many trends come and go. However, the facial chan

Most people think the best injector is the one who says yes. Yes to more filler. Yes to the latest trend. Yes to lips that do not match the rest of the face. Yes to treating the obvious complaint without asking why it is there in the first place. After 23 years in this industry and more than 40,000 treatments, I can tell you that is not elite practice. The best practitioners know how to say NO. At Artistrie Medical Aesthetics, I do not see faces as shopping lists. I see archi

In my 23 years as a practitioner and clinical educator, I’ve found that the most common fear patients have isn't the procedure itself: it’s the fear of looking "done." They see "pillow faces" and "duck lips" in the media and assume that’s the inevitable result of cosmetic injectables. But here is the radical honesty you deserve: unnatural results aren't a byproduct of the products; they are a failure of assessment. Beauty is often described as subjective, a "beholder's eye" p

For those who prioritize medical expertise and an "undone," natural aesthetic, the wait for elite-level care in New Zealand is nearly over. Mike Clague (BSc, Aesthetic Nurse), a global pioneer in medical aesthetics and clinical education, returns to Auckland this September for his quarterly treatment sessions. With over 23 years of industry experience and more than 40,000 treatments performed, Mike is not simply a practitioner: he is the educator who trains the industry. As a

The world of medical aesthetics often feels like a digital "Wild West." We are bombarded by social media trends, "influencer-led" training, and a constant pressure to deliver instant, high-impact results. But as a practitioner with over 23 years of experience and 40,000 treatments performed, I have always believed that the needle is only as good as the ethical framework behind it. This belief is why I transitioned from the treatment room to the lecture hall. My role as an Adj

In the rapidly evolving landscape of Australian aesthetic medicine, 2026 marks a definitive shift. The "wild west" era of cosmetic injectables is being systematically dismantled by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Medical Board of Australia (MBA). For many, these guidelines: focused on psychological screening, mandatory cooling-off periods, and stricter supervision: feel like a bureaucratic hurdle. However, for the elite practitioner, these

In the current landscape of medical aesthetics, the line between "practitioner" and "content creator" has become dangerously blurred. Social media feeds are saturated with "snatched" jawlines and "tweakment" trends, often promoted by injectors who prioritize viral engagement over clinical evidence. But for the serious medical professional: the doctor or nurse dedicated to the craft: a significant shift is occurring. We are moving past the era of the influencer and into the er

In my 23 years of clinical practice, having performed over 40,000 treatments and authored 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, I’ve learned one immutable truth: the face is not a flat canvas. It is a complex, three-dimensional architectural masterpiece composed of distinct biological layers that age at different rates. When patients come to see me at Artistrie Medical Aesthetics, they often point to a specific line, a nasolabial fold or a "marionette" line, and ask me to "fill

In the high-stakes world of medical aesthetics, we are constantly chasing the next "gold standard." For years, Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) held the crown for enhancing microneedling results, particularly for the difficult-to-treat category of atrophic acne scars. However, as both a practitioner with 23 years of experience and a clinical educator who has taught from Beverly Hills to Sydney, I am not interested in marketing trends; I am interested in physiological outcomes. The

In my 23 years of clinical practice, having performed over 40,000 treatments, I have witnessed a profound shift in the aesthetic landscape. We are moving away from the era of "over-filling" and moving toward a more sophisticated paradigm: Regenerative Aesthetics. Patients are no longer simply asking to "look younger"; they are asking for better skin quality. They want skin that behaves younger at a cellular level. This is why I have focused my recent clinical research on Opul

In the evolving landscape of aesthetic medicine, we are seeing a profound shift in patient priorities. The era of "over-volumization" and immediate, often artificial-looking correction is being replaced by a more sophisticated desire for biostimulation. Patients today are not just looking to hide their age; they are looking to improve the very biological quality of their skin. As a clinician with over 23 years of experience and more than 40,000 treatments performed, I have wa

In my 23 years of clinical practice, having performed over 40,000 treatments, I have seen a significant shift in the aesthetic landscape. We have moved from the early days of simply "filling a line" to a more sophisticated understanding of facial harmony. However, with the rise of social media trends, we have also seen the emergence of the "overfilled" look: a phenomenon often colloquially termed "filler fatigue." As both a practitioner and a clinical educator for doctors and

Your face is not a testing ground: why your aesthetic clinician's publication record matters more than their Instagram In a market saturated with before-and-after photos and social media credentials, it is worth asking a harder question: what does your clinician actually know, and how do you know that they know it? Mike D Clague — Aesthetic Nurse BSc, Clinical Trainer Published researcher · Aesthetic Surgery Journal · Dermatologic Surgery · Aesthetic Plastic Surgery I a

Why the smartest facial rejuvenation is the kind that nobody can quite put their finger on — and what the science actually says. Mike Clague — Aesthetic Nurse BSc, Clinical Trainer 20+ years in medical aesthetics · Published researcher · Galderma-trained injector I want to talk about the patients who come to see me and say the same thing: "I don't want to look done." They want to look rested, healthy, like themselves — only better. For many of these patients, Sculptra (