When Jenny Hartley, ACNP, left her 18-year career in critical care to enter aesthetic medicine in 2019, she brought something most new injectors don't have: a Medical Director's mindset, emergency training instincts, and an unwavering commitment to doing things right. As the founder of Skin Synthesis in Seattle, she's become known as an expert in compliance and a skilled practitioner– a rare combination of clinical excellence and operational rigor that sets her practice apart in an increasingly crowded market.

The Real Cost of Excellence

Starting an aesthetic practice without working for an established clinic first meant Jenny had to invest heavily in her education – tens of thousands of dollars initially, and over $100,000 in the last year alone. Her philosophy? "If you're not going to be excellent, is it worth being at all?"

Compliance as Competitive Advantage

Jenny didn't just buy standard operating procedures off the shelf. She built hers from scratch, working with three different law firms specializing in employment law, aesthetic medicine, and contract work. This meticulous approach may mean she moves slower than competitors who cut corners, but it brings sustainability, safety, and peace of mind. The result is a practice that may not be the flashiest or trendiest, but it’s one that's built to last in a complex legal environment.

Redefining the Good Faith Exam

For Jenny, the GFE isn't a checklist – it's a comprehensive history and physical that explores the whole patient. She asks about their career, family, hobbies, and stress levels to understand who they are and what they truly need.

Key elements of her consultation approach:

• Screen for body dysmorphic disorder (affecting 15-20% of aesthetic patients)

• Ask about lifestyle factors that impact treatment longevity

• Identify where patients hold stress physically

• Create comprehensive one-year treatment plans with timeline and costs

• Manage expectations based on individual circumstances

This approach naturally leads to patients who return 8-14 times per year for comprehensive care, not just one-off treatments.

The Vascular Occlusion Sim Lab: Training for Emergencies

Drawing on her critical care background, Jenny created a Vascular Occlusion Simulation Lab to address a massive industry gap: we don't train for emergencies. We might attend lectures and stock hyaluronidase, but we don't practice our response.

What the sim lab includes:

• Didactic education on VO physiology, presentation, stages, and vision loss

• Multiple hands-on simulations (tissue necrosis and vision loss scenarios)

• Team coordination and emergency response protocols

• When and how to call 911 and work with local hospitals

• Protocols, VO kit supply lists, and implementable policies

The sim lab is offered quarterly in Seattle, and Jenny also travels to clinics or communities for an ideal group size of 5-6 participants. As the age-old expressions goes, if you're going to inject the poison, you need the antidote – and know exactly how to use it.

The Reality of Entrepreneurship

Jenny was remarkably candid about how difficult entrepreneurship actually is. The loneliness, the failure, the guilt, the 20-hour days without breaks.

Her survival strategies:

• Scale back and reprioritize when overwhelm sets in

• Get back in the treatment room to reignite passion

• Build a network of fellow practice owners and mentors who truly understand

Building for the Long Game

In an industry obsessed with growth hacks and viral marketing, Jenny's message is refreshingly different: slow down, do the research, hold your line, and build something that will last. It's a harder path, but for those willing to walk it, doing things right is an invaluable advantage.

Connect with Jenny:

Instagram:

- Jenny: https://www.instagram.com/jha.skinsynthesis/

- Skin Synthesis: https://www.instagram.com/skinsynthesis/

Skin Synthesis: https://skinsynthesis.com/

For more info about the VO Sim Lab, email [email protected]