Aesthetic & Regenerative PCP

We sat down with Angela Zunzunegui, NP-C, Aesthetic & Regenerative PCP at Cosmetic Skin & Laser Center in Marco Island, Naples, and North Naples, to talk about her 15-year background in labor and delivery, her approach to natural-looking aesthetics, and why prevention, collagen stimulation, and caring for patients from the inside out are central to her philosophy.

Tell us a little about yourself. What do you enjoy outside of work?
I live in East Naples and have two teenagers, a son and a daughter. Outside of work, I’ve gotten more into yoga recently, and I love going to concerts and sporting events. I also enjoy reading and knitting. Those are some of my favorite ways to spend my time when I’m not working.

What inspired you to pursue a career in aesthetics?
My own experience with aging was really what first sparked my interest. I reached a point where I started noticing that I looked older on the outside than I felt on the inside. I also had a friend working in aesthetics who helped introduce me to the field.

What ultimately drew me in was the opportunity to help other people feel that same connection between how they feel and what they see in the mirror.

What was your background before transitioning into aesthetics?
I actually started as an LPN and then became an RN. I spent 15 years working in labor and delivery in the hospital before transitioning into aesthetics.

My career has always centered heavily around caring for women, so moving into aesthetics felt like another way to connect with women and help them through different stages of their lives.

Have you personally tried the treatments you offer?
I’ve tried almost everything!

Of course, I love my neuromodulators, including Botox Cosmetic and Dysport. I’ve also been very consistent with Sculptra as a preventative treatment because I really believe in stimulating collagen and thinking long term.

Because I have melasma, I personally avoid certain light-based treatments and really like chemical peels for brightening my skin. I also love microneedling. For me, it’s very much about prevention and maintaining healthy skin over time.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to aesthetic treatments?
I never want to make someone look like a different person. The goal is for you to still look like you, just refreshed.

Maybe you look a couple of years younger or a little more rested, but you should always recognize yourself. Ultimately, I want treatments to help patients feel good about themselves and more confident in their own skin.

How do you create results that look natural and balanced?
Less is more.

Whenever it’s appropriate, I like to focus on prevention rather than waiting until we’re trying to correct everything later. As patients age, we’re also not trying to completely turn back the clock. We’re working with where they are now and making thoughtful changes that help them look refreshed without looking overdone.

What treatments do you most enjoy performing?
I do a lot of neuromodulators and dermal fillers, and I especially enjoy working with someone who is relatively new to aesthetics because we can start with a fresh canvas and create a thoughtful plan together.

I also really enjoy microneedling. It’s such a versatile treatment and fits perfectly with that focus on maintaining skin quality and stimulating collagen.

What concerns do patients most commonly come to you with?
Here in Southwest Florida, pigmentation is a big one because of our year-round sun exposure. I also see a lot of patients concerned about wrinkles, fine lines, and volume loss.

Because we care for patients across many stages of aging, the exact concern varies, but those are definitely some of the most common things I hear.

What’s one patient transformation that has stayed with you?
I once treated a woman who had never had aesthetic treatments before and came to me around her 45th birthday. She was understandably nervous and very clear that she didn’t want to look overdone.

After a full facial assessment, we created a comprehensive Botox and filler plan. Her before-and-after transformation was beautiful. She still looked completely like herself, but refreshed and balanced. Seeing her reaction afterward was incredibly rewarding because she realized aesthetic treatments didn’t have to change the way she looked.

What do you tell patients who are afraid of looking overdone?
I always remind them that you notice the people who look overdone because they look overdone. You don’t notice all the people walking around who have Botox and filler that were done beautifully and naturally.

That’s the whole point. Great aesthetic work shouldn’t announce itself.

I’ll even share my own experience with treatments because patients are often surprised by how much I’ve personally had done. It helps them see firsthand that you can have aesthetic treatments and still look completely natural.

What makes CSLC different from other med spas?
I love that CSLC is so comprehensive. We have the ability to address what’s happening both inside and out through aesthetics and regenerative medicine.

We also have so many different treatment options available to us. That can sometimes feel like a lot to patients, but from a provider perspective, it gives us an incredible toolbox. We aren’t limited to one or two solutions. We can look at the individual patient and choose what actually makes sense for them.

How have you seen aesthetics evolve over the last 5 years?
I’ve seen a definite shift toward treatments that encourage the body to produce more of its own collagen, along with a greater emphasis on skin health, prevention, and natural-looking results.

We’re moving away from simply adding more filler and toward asking how we can improve the quality and health of the skin itself. I love that direction.

Where do you see aesthetic medicine going over the next 5-10 years?
I think we’ll continue moving toward a much more natural aesthetic.

We’ll see even more ways to stimulate collagen and help people age well without creating that artificial or “plasticky” appearance. I think prevention, regeneration, and maintaining natural features will continue becoming increasingly important.

What does confidence mean to you?
Confidence is feeling proud and happy in your own body and your own skin.

It’s being comfortable enough with yourself that you can walk into a room, approach someone, or allow someone to approach you without feeling afraid or self-conscious. It’s really about being comfortable with who you are.

What are your go-to skincare products?
I have three favorites: SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic, SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid, and ALASTIN Skincare, especially Regenerating Skin Nectar or Restorative Skin Complex. Those are some of the products I consistently come back to.

What’s your dream destination for rest and recharge?
Probably somewhere I haven’t been yet. Give me a beautiful beach and an overwater bungalow somewhere new, and I’d be very happy.