Southeast Clinical Operations Director, Aesthetic & Regenerative PCP

We sat down with Danielle Santos, PA-C, Southeast Clinical Operations Director and Aesthetic & Regenerative PCP at Cosmetic Skin & Laser Center, to talk about why healthy skin is the foundation of beautiful results, how regenerative aesthetics are reshaping the future of aging, and why the best treatments are the ones no one can detect.

Tell us a little about yourself.
I live full-time in Naples, Florida, although I travel frequently between our locations.

Outside of work, I love spending time with family and friends, trying new workout classes, and cooking. Staying active has become a passion of mine because I truly believe feeling your best starts with taking care of yourself, and it’s even more fun when you get to do it with the people you love.

What inspired you to pursue a career in aesthetics?
Before PA school, I worked as a medical assistant in dermatology, where I gained hands-on experience alongside dermatologists and residents while also being introduced to aesthetic medicine. I quickly realized I loved procedural medicine because it combines patient relationships with hands-on treatments.

My dermatology experience, combined with my passion for helping people feel more confident, naturally led me into aesthetics after PA school.

Have you personally tried the treatments you offer? If so, which have been your favorites?
I’ve tried many of the treatments we offer, and I think that’s incredibly valuable because it allows me to better educate patients from personal experience.

Dysport is one of my staples, and I absolutely love microneedling, especially our RegenGlo treatment. It has made a huge difference in my skin, particularly with acne and acne scarring. I’ve also had filler, facials, and several other treatments, but RegenGlo and Dysport are definitely my favorites.

What’s your philosophy when it comes to aesthetic treatments? 
My philosophy closely aligns with CSLC’s approach to aesthetics. Aging is a natural process, and our goal isn’t to change the way someone looks. It’s to help them age beautifully and naturally.

I also believe aesthetics should never focus on injectables alone. Healthy, vibrant skin is just as important as restoring facial structure, so every treatment plan should include both regenerative skin health and facial rejuvenation.

What types of treatments do you enjoy performing the most?
IPL has become one of my favorite treatments because of how transformative it can be in a relatively short amount of time. Patients often see significant improvements in sun damage, redness, pigmentation, and overall skin tone after just a few treatments.

I also love performing dermal filler because it’s incredibly rewarding to create a thoughtful treatment plan and immediately watch patients see the difference when they look in the mirror.

What concerns do patients most commonly come to you with?
The most common concerns I hear involve under-eye hollowness or dark circles, bags beneath the eyes, crow’s feet, and fine lines around the mouth.

These are areas that naturally change as we age, but fortunately there are many effective treatments that can restore a refreshed, natural appearance.

What’s your favorite combination treatment or treatment plan?
I love combining IPL with microneedling for patients looking to improve overall skin quality without significant downtime. Building healthy skin first creates an incredible foundation, and then we can gradually layer in regenerative injections, medical-grade skincare, Hydrafacials, or injectables depending on each patient’s goals and budget.

A personalized, layered approach almost always produces the most beautiful long-term results.

What’s one of your favorite patient success stories?
One patient came in primarily concerned about her under-eye bags. She had been told surgery would likely be her only option but wasn’t ready to pursue that. After setting realistic expectations, we carefully treated her with dermal filler, aiming for about a 50% improvement.

Even on the day of treatment, the transformation exceeded both of our expectations. She became emotional when she saw the results because she finally recognized herself again. It’s one of those moments that reminds me how meaningful aesthetic medicine can be.

Celebrities and “bad plastic surgery” often make clients nervous about treatments. What do you tell them?
Natural results are always our goal. I often encourage patients to simply look around our offices.

Our providers and team members have aesthetic treatments, but they still look like themselves. That’s because beautiful results come from treating the entire face thoughtfully, not simply adding filler to one area.

When the right product is placed in the right amount and in the right location, treatments should enhance your natural features rather than distract from them.

What’s one piece of advice you give every new patient?
It can feel overwhelming when you’re first introduced to aesthetic medicine, so I always remind patients that they don’t have to do everything at once.

We start with one or two treatments that will make a meaningful difference, build trust together, and create a long-term plan that evolves over time.

How is CSLC different that other med spas? What do you like most about CSLC?
The level of education and clinical support is unlike anything I’ve experienced.

From the beginning, CSLC invested heavily in my training and has continued to encourage ongoing education through CSLC University, in-office trainings, conferences, and continuing medical education.

Medicine is always evolving, and I love being part of a practice that embraces lifelong learning while supporting every provider’s growth.

How have you seen aesthetics evolve over the last 5 years?
Patients are becoming much more interested in regenerative aesthetics and collagen stimulation than simply adding volume with filler.

Treatments like PRF, Sculptra, Radiesse, and other biostimulators have become increasingly popular because they work with your body’s natural healing processes to create subtle, long-lasting improvements while maintaining natural facial harmony.

What do you think the future of aesthetic medcine looks like?
I think artificial intelligence will continue to play a role in patient education and treatment planning, while regenerative medicine will become even more personalized.

Technologies that analyze skin health and visualize long-term treatment outcomes will continue improving, helping patients better understand the value of investing in healthy aging over time.

What does confidence mean to you?
To me, confidence is the combination of looking good and feeling good.

That’s why I love that we combine aesthetic and regenerative medicine.

When patients feel healthy on the inside and confident in the way they look, those two things naturally reinforce each other.

What’s your go-to skincare product?
The Skinbetter Science AlphaRet Exfoliating Peel Pads are one product I never want to be without.

They’re incredibly versatile. I use them not only on my face, but also on the backs of my arms to help smooth keratosis pilaris. They’re one of my favorite recommendations for patients because they deliver beautiful results in multiple areas.