What happens before the needle, laser, or device may matter just as much as the treatment itself. In this episode of Conversations in Aesthetics, host Gary Goldenberg, MD, sits down with dermatologist Glynis Ablon, MD, to talk through the way she approaches an aesthetic patient from the first conversation forward: listening closely, setting realistic expectations, assessing the face from skin to bone, and knowing when the right answer is no.

From there, the conversation opens into everything that shapes how patients age, heal, and respond to treatment. Dr Ablon shares how she thinks about skincare as the foundation, why she keeps routines simple, and where nutrition, menopause, collagen loss, and overall health fit into the aesthetic picture. She and Dr Goldenberg also dig into the growing impact of GLP-1 medications, including why those conversations may need to start earlier and how aesthetic planning can evolve alongside significant weight loss.

Then, they move into the treatment room for a closer look at resurfacing, tightening, post-procedure topicals, and the practical decisions that shape Dr Ablon’s approach to devices and combination treatment. And in keeping with her broader philosophy, the goal is never simply to do more. It is to understand the person in front of you, make a thoughtful plan together, and preserve what still looks and feels like them.

The episode closes with a quicker round on the treatments and tools she returns to most often, along with a bigger question about where aesthetics may be headed next. Her answer brings the conversation back to where they began—less about chasing youth, and more about helping patients look well, feel well, and age with intention.