5 questions with Ancaster Medispa owner, Vilia Nekrasas
Owner of Ancaster Laser Medispa
Vilia Nekrasas is the owner of Ancaster Laser Medispa. In 1990, the trained medical doctor emigrated to Canada from Lithuania due to political turmoil. Since then she has found her passion in medical aesthetics and now provides the highest quality laser treatments available at her medical spa.
You came to Canada from Lithuania as a medical doctor. How did you get involved in medical aesthetics?
When I moved here, I worked as a PSW (personal support worker) in an old-age home because I couldn’t practice medicine until I had written the necessary tests. Just after I had completed the tests, changes in legislation prevented me from qualifying to practice in Canada. I eventually moved on to work at a shelter for battered women; it was rewarding but highly stressful, and I developed an ulcer. I knew I needed to look elsewhere and, incidentally, found an ad seeking foreign doctors to train as laser technicians. I went for it – that was more than 20 years ago when lasers were in their infancy. Working in medical aesthetics became my passion and I opened my clinic ten years ago. Ever since, I’ve trained extensively in the field to ensure the highest caliber equipment and service for my clients. What sets your medical laser clinic apart from others?
Many people may not realize that laser treatments are largely unregulated in Canada. That means just about anyone can treat patients using high tech medical devices. I have had extensive training by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, laser companies and the Canadian Aesthetic Academy as well as the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. I am also a certified laser safety officer. We have three nurses on staff as well as a foreign-trained doctor. This ensures that treatments are performed by knowledgeable medical professionals. Are you guaranteed this level of quality at every clinic or spa? No. In fact, about one-third of my practice is fixing the mistakes made at other spas. What would you say is the biggest misconception about cosmetic laser treatments?
People tend to believe their issues are easy to treat with no side effects. They find a great deal using a discount app and don’t worry about the qualifications of the provider. But you need to look at more than just price. Do your research. Ask for the name of the equipment being used, then visit Health Canada’s website where all approved equipment is listed. If it’s not listed, then you should walk away. You should also ask who is doing the treatment and what are his or her qualifications. Quality equipment costs a lot of money – to purchase and maintain. They need to be properly calibrated to perform optimally. All of our equipment at Ancaster Laser Medispa are both FDA-approved and Health Canada-approved. We don’t purchase equipment without thoroughly testing it. In fact, I have tried every treatment myself – except tattoo removal. I don’t have a tattoo! What are the most popular treatments at your medical spa?
All of our services are popular. We treat such a wide range of clients, from teenagers with acne to our oldest client who is 92 years old. During the winter, there is more demand for laser treatments to correct a wide variety of skin issues such as acne scars, rosacea, spider veins, and severe sun damage. In the summer, clients are more interested in body contouring treatments. What is your top beauty care advice for the women of Hamilton?
Wear sunscreen. Ninety per cent of our aging is due to sun damage. I’m from Lithuania which is in Northern Europe. The people there have better skin, no matter what the age, because they have far less exposure to the sun. The best thing you can do to maintain great skin is to apply sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection every day of the year. Some people worry about chemicals in the sunscreen, which is a valid concern. At Ancaster Laser Medispa, we only sell chemical-free, mineral-based skincare products.