Profoundly Happy With Profound and Dr. Mark Beaty Part I, II, & III - Atlanta, GA

I am a research fanatic. I won’t buy or do anything until I am positive I have read all that I can find on the subject. My career is based in research and I see such value in it that I do the same in my real life. I also have the combo of mad research skills and street smarts so it is very hard to trick me into anything. Used car salesmen and those mall kiosk people don’t like me much.
I do not write reviews very often. But I appreciate the heck out of the ones that I read online. They can make a huge difference especially if that person seems a lot like me and he or she has gone to a great deal of trouble to write the experience in an honest, nonjudgmental, realistic manner. For those reasons, I decided to document my Profound experience. What started out as some funny little videos to show my friends and some personal journal notes have turned into an honest account as to how Dr. Beaty, his staff, and the Profound treatment have made me once again enjoy that face that I have to look at everyday.
The first section of this review, The Basics, is the quick simple scoop that I have learned and experienced in regards to Profound. The following section gives more specific details:
THE BASICS:
I am a 49 year old Caucasian female in excellent physical shape, with no weight gain or loss needed. My face is neither gaunt or chubby. It is just a normal face although I did have “chipmunk cheeks” when I was younger. I have had fillers over the last few years but have never had any facial plastic surgery. My skin is nothing great. I have struggled with cystic acne on my chin for many years, I don’t drink as much water as I should, and I am no longer a “tanner” but I was (weren’t we all?). I take care of my face as far as cleansing and moisturizing, but from a drugstore price point and a five minutes or less timeline.
I had the Profound Treatment from Dr. Beaty five weeks from the writing of this review. I have had several follow up checks since the first treatment.
Here is my quick roundup of all things Profound related: I am amazed at the results already, I would like to move into the Beaty Midtown office, I would like to have all of the staff be my new BFFs, and if anyone I know needs any medical treatment regardless of the reason, I would like for Dr. Beaty to be at the top of my speed dial.
I have also had numerous friends, strangers, and coworkers tell me that I looked great (for reasons unknown to them) AND the results should not even be showing substantially yet.
So, a solid A++++ in all areas! (Even the Atlanta views from the Midtown office are breathtaking!)
NOW, THE DETAILS:
Profound generally is applied from the cheekbones down, and through lasers and heat allows your body to produce all that you need to treat sagging skin (old lady jowls), to define your jawline, and to tighten dramatically certain areas of loose skin. It is NOT done ON your skin, but IN your skin. Many lasers treat the top layer but this is a process that goes through the layers and directly to the area of the body where collagen and elastin are produced deep below the surface of your skin. That is just one of the reasons why this treatment is so different.
You can have it done on various parts of your body, but most people have it done on the face (cheekbones down). The argument against having the procedure done on certain areas is that large amounts of collagen and elastic must be in that area (so your forehead wouldn’t react as well because that inner area of skin is not as deep). People have had it done on their stomachs, legs, and above the knees. But again, most people have it done where I had it done. And the stomach area is a little iffy because this procedure works on saggy skin not fat deposits or loose skin where the collagen and elastin are not there.
It is one of the only treatments in the cosmetic world with a 100% response rate and it only requires ONE treatment. It is also very new thus applying all of the lessons learned from all of the recent years of laser advancements.
And I thought it would hurt, but it didn’t. I was numbed twice (cream and shots) and then the procedure lasted about 30-45 minutes. Then I waited a little while. Then I left. No one was with me and I didn’t need anything when I got home. Each of the laser pulses felt like a wimpy pinch or a tiny rubber band snap. Not as bad as an ant bite, waxed eyebrows, a stubbed toe, a middle school band concert, or Atlanta traffic.
It is also incredibly affordable if you crunch numbers and price the mini-facelift it replaces, the fillers you no longer need, the one time treatment, and the amount of magic potions you now don’t need to buy.
Why Profound & Why Dr. Beaty?
I started getting increasingly frustrated with recent photographs of me. And I started considering cosmetic options. When I stumbled upon The Profound treatment in my initial search, I immediately remembered that Dr. Beaty was the only doctor in the Atlanta area (and only one of two in all of Georgia) to do this very new, highly successful treatment. At that point, I I began diving deep into my own personal research. I I looked everywhere, priced everything, looked up certifications, attempted to read medical journals, and read almost everything in print about this procedure. I made it my goal to find every detail out about the practices that performed the procedure and the procedure itself. And I honestly believe that I read every single online document in regards to this procedure. As I said, I do not write reviews very often, but I really appreciate them. Especially the ones like this with all the details I like.
On that note, as I mentioned, I am five weeks post Profound treatment (and five weeks into being a lifelong new patient of Dr. Beaty’s as well). AND I AM VERY PLEASED WITH THE RESULTS (and based on the research, I shouldn’t even see any changes yet)!
Let’s Review:
First, Profound is the perfect choice for people who could benefit from something a little MORE than fillers and a little LESS than a facelift.
Second, Dr. Beaty is the ONLY doctor in the entire Atlanta area that has the certification and the fancy shmancy machine that does the procedure.
Third, you only do this ONCE.
Fourth, Profound has a 100% success rate based on the few thousands of people who have had it done.
Fifth, there’s little to no downtime as far as the after effects.
And Finally, there was little to no pain and little to no scary stuff because Dr. Beaty and his staff are absolutely, hands down, the best.
Yep, it is pretty much magic. The rationale behind the procedure is the machine injects a gazillion little lasers into your skin at the exact temperature that collagen melts and stays that way for a couple of seconds. Your body is tricked into thinking that the collagen and elastin weren’t there (aka fat little baby cheeks and perfect toddler skin) and begins to regenerate giving your body a tightening procedure that is absolutely nothing but your own body at work (no poison, no pig parts, no titanium rods, no serums injected). And over a period of time (six weeks to six months), your saggy fill-in-the-blank begins to bounce back to the way it was when the collagen first began to grow decades ago.
So, imagine your foot in a new tight sock. That’s your face (foot) and your skin (the tight sock) when you are younger. Now take the sock off and throw it on the floor. The sock and the yucky blah shape represents your skin as it ages. It still looks kinda like your foot, but there is nothing in that empty sock to help it keep its shape. Now put the sock back on. It isn’t quite as tight, but it is still your sock and your foot, it still fits really well even though it isn’t that brand new sock anymore, it looks so much better than the wrinkly blob of a sock without the foot. That is about as simple of an explanation that I can think of. You can’t buy another sock or foot at this point and having the sock altered or changing the entire structure of your foot is something that you really don’t need.
Yes, it is a little more complicated than that, but that is the gist of it. I know that this is quite a bit to write for a review but the procedure was such a big deal for me and I am sure if you are considering it, you feel the same way. And there is little written on it from a patient’s perspective, and those stories and reviews of procedures and products, regardless of what they are for, seem to be the most honest to me and the ones that I like to read the most. I only write reviews when I have something pretty powerful to say, so I knew that I had to write about this.
So, EVEN at the five week mark, my face is fuller, my cheeks are higher, my saggy is less saggy, my skin feels tighter, my jaw line is much more defined, and everyday I wake up and something seems to improve. I also see a firmer brighter texture to my skin.
Even though I probably should have waited a couple of months to write this review, I couldn’t wait! I will definitely keep you updated, but I decided that I was so happy with it already, I wanted to share.
The last thing I want to say about the procedure is not really about the procedure but about Dr. Beaty and his staff. Dr. Beaty has some of the most impressive certifications, training, equipment, and success rates of any cosmetic surgeon around. He consistently wins awards in the “Best of” and “Favorite” categories in Atlanta, and he consistently publishes and produces writings for the most prestigious of medical journals. And that is ultimately THE most important piece of finding a doctor.
However, he is also a really nice person to talk to. He is honest and clear. His explanation wasn’t a bunch of goobly [RS bleep] and I never felt like he was pushing me towards any procedure. He has never once talked to me like he was a genius and I was a moron. He has always taken a great deal of time with me (as I am sure you can tell, I like to know EVERYTHING so I ask a lot of questions) and it genuinely feels like he likes his patients, his job, and his life. Sometimes doctors seem grumpy. And no offense, but I don’t want a grumpy doctor.
AND THE STAFF! Oh my! Such professional, intelligent, productive, beautiful people! Like I said, you just want to be friends with all of them. They do not seem fake or [RS bleep] and they really seem to know what they are a part of. They are all very well spoken and knowledgeable but also real and fun too with a 0% intimidation factor and a 100% trusting vibe.
So, that is that. Of course the ultimate definitive proof are the Before and Afters! And I love those pictures (I am the one who fast forwards the HGTV shows for the last five minutes because I can’t wait-lol). But I hate when people try to trick you with all of those ridiculous and obvious tactics. For that reason, I have been taking tons of pictures (smiles, no smiles, makeup, no makeup) and little videos along the way (with really honest lighting!!). As time goes by, I stop and put them side by side and get so excited! I can’t wait for what is next! So, without further ado, move that bus!
Stay tuned for Part II!

On the day of the procedure I actually walked to Dr. Beaty's office from my loft on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. It was a dreary cool day and I could feel myself getting increasingly more nervous, but more excited as well as I got closer to his beautiful highrise office. (See Video Clip in Part I ).

When I arrived, I was immediately greeted by two of the nicest people that you will ever meet, Sarah and Deb. Both of them work in the front office and are incredibly intelligent and Incredibly good at their jobs. They took me back into the photography room and did a round of pictures yet again.  I then went into the room in which I would have the procedure done. There was music playing, there was a beautiful leather chair, the room was spotless and well lit but not clinical feeling, and I immediately felt at ease. I got comfortable in the chair and Shawndelle (who is Nicest Person You Will Ever Meet #3) came in and walked me through the steps that would initially happened before the procedure. Shawndelle is Dr. Beaty’s certified medical assistant and was with me every step of the way. She asked me to wash my face and to pull my hair back. I also decided to take out my contacts and wear my glasses as part of the preparation. After I washed my face and came back into the room, Dr. Beatty came in, said hello, and talked to me with such a pleasant calmness but also with such an excitement that I instantly felt the same. The numbing cream was thickly applied to my face and my neck and we then waited for about 30 minutes for the lidocaine to kick in. (See Video Clip from Part I). Once my face became numb, Dr. Beatty came back in, and gave me the injections of the anesthesia. These were indeed needles and they were indeed similar to shots (and not tequila either). However my face was numb from the lidocaine and while I did feel pressure, I did not feel pain.  We then waited another few minutes to make sure that my face was nice and numb.  At that point, it was time.  Dr. Beatty slowly explained the procedure while showing me the machine and pointed out what would be happening with the “wand” while holding it in his hand. Even though I had already read so much and he had already explained it to me at least twice, this additional time on his behalf was very comforting because I was actually seeing the machine and reviewing the procedure one more time minutes before it was actually happening.  I have tried for a very long time to figure out the best way to describe what this machine and wand looked like and felt like. I even asked around to see if most people knew these two analogies I came up with. And while these descriptions may be a little unorthodox, I really believe this is the best way to describe what it was that it felt like.  Do not panic, but it was a cross between an ultrasound machine (that isn’t too bad) and an electric staple gun (a what??). The machine is about the same size as an ultrasound machine and was about a foot wide. It had that same type of attachment that again reminded me of the ultrasound wand that is used to view a baby in utero.  However instead of just taking pictures, this magic wand does indeed look and act very similar to a staple gun. Dr. Beatty firmly pressed on my skin with one hand as if to smooth out fabric or paper (if you've ever used a staple gun to upholster or to make a bulletin board, you have an instant very accurate visual), and used the wand with the other hand. And as he smoothed out my skin, he pushed the wand onto my face.  At this point, instead of staples, four tiny lasers went into my skin and made four tiny holes in each “punch.” Dr. Beaty was good about saying, “ok, here we go: one, two, three” and then the lasers would activate.  Rinse. Repeat. All over my neck and face. Over and over again. Until there were lots and lots of little holes all over me. I forgot to look at my watch but I believe the entire procedure took about 30-45 minutes (without the numbing and recovery time).  As the lasers entered my numb neck and face, I occasionally felt a little bit of discomfort and a little bit of heat. I never once asked him to stop, I never once said “ouch,” and honestly, I thought it would have been much more painful than it was once I realized that those little lasers were going into my skin as if a staple gun was stapling fabric to a chair. But, it was not. At all. I know that we all experience pain at different levels, but I am certainly not a tough cookie nor have I ever been. My daughters once told my mother that they learned most of the cuss words they knew from me when some wooden blinds fell on my head.  As he continued with the procedure, I became more comfortable with the sound, the light, and the pressure, and I just relaxed. I never was so relaxed that I wanted to go to sleep, but I certainly was not afraid and I certainly was more excited about the outcome than even thinking about any discomfort. Shawndelle was assisting Dr. Beaty the entire time but she was also constantly asking me how I was, patting my arm, cheering me on, and doing that comforting-feel-good-thing that certain people are just naturally great at.  And each time the laser went into my skin, it immediately heated to a temperature of 87 degrees and stayed at that temperature for a few seconds. Why? Because the research has determined that that is the exact temperature in which collagen and elastin melt.  As the collagen and elastin melt, your body is essentially tricked into thinking that it is back to the time when you were younger and it was time for the body’s natural timeline to produce elastin and collagen.  Imagine a baby’s scrawny newborn features. Now, imagine the fat cheeks and the roly-poly growth that seems to occur in their cheeks (both sets of cheeks lol) as they go from newborn to pudgy little toddler. Essentially what is happening is collagen and elastin are growing in the baby’s body for one time only. Once collagen and elastin stop growing, they don’t crank back up. Ever. Hence the reason for older sagging skin.  Until now. (Cue the epic movie soundtrack.) And this Profound procedure tricks your body into thinking that it is repeating that time in your life. And as your body begins to grow the collagen and elastin over a period of time (they believe that time to be about six months), your face does not become tighter because the skin itself is sewn tighter or drawn in, but because underneath the skin, the collagen and elastin are growing. Almost as if you were blowing up a balloon or going back to the time when you had those sweet little Gerber Baby cheeks.  Once Dr. Beaty was finished, he turned off the machine, allowed me to relax for a second, look in the mirror, and ask any questions. I really did see tiny holes all over my neck and my face, and I really was red and puffy. However, I did not feel as if I had a major procedure done and while I was not ready to go out dancing, I walked home without any concerns or problems. (See Video Clip). When I got home, my face was definitely red, blotchy, holey, and fat. I used a little bit of ice on my neck because my neck felt itchy, but I did not apply the ice as he said I probably would want to. I slept well. The next morning, I felt puffy and sore, but I did not feel like I had been in a fight although I think that is kind of what I looked like. I did see a few bruises starting to form, but I walked to work again and was very comfortable most of the day. Dr. Beaty’s office called and checked on me and made sure that I promised to call if I had any questions or concerns.  I confided with one of my girlfriends at work about the procedure prior to the big day. When she saw me the following day, she didn’t say a word to me about the appearance of my face. When I asked her if she was going to say anything, her reply? “I didn’t think you had it done… well, ok, now I see it, but you really just look like you are itchy.”  And while that was funny, she was right. That is basically how I would describe how I felt: itchy and almost as if I was having an allergic reaction to something mild. My face was definitely fat, red, and splotchy, but the itchiness was the only thing that really got on my nerves those first few days.  At the end of that first day, my neck began to feel uncomfortable again, and I did put ice packs on my neck secured by my scarf (great little trick) and continued to work for an hour or so before I walked home.  I have lots of pictures and little goofy videos to share you in regards to Week One. I think you will see that even though I look fat and fluffy, I basically look okay. Feel free to judge me on my lack of video skills and makeup techniques. I am a tomgirl at heart and don’t wear a ton of makeup. There were a couple of times during this time period that I wish I had known a few more makeup tricks, but again, I went to work, went out, and did my thing with no more funky looks that normal! :) Spoiler Alert: this story has a great ending!

After the initial swelling went down in my face, there was a period of time in which I looked basically the same as I had prior to the treatment with the exception of my skin texture. It didn't last very long and the brightness and the smoothness made up for the lack of immediate change in lift.

What was exciting about that time was that I was paying close attention to my face in real time and comparing it to when I was younger, how I looked at immediately prior to the treatment, the treatment itself, and then what was happening as I was watching at that moment.  And while I definitely have a bit of vanity attached to my being, I am certainly not a girly girl and I am certainly not obsessed with my appearance. But it was interesting to start to see results as if they were happening almost in front of my eyes.  Almost at the exact one-month mark, I woke up and as I normally do, stretched and rubbed my neck and face. I wear contacts and I am forever putting drops in my eyes when I wake up in the morning. So as I rubbed my face and reached for my contact solution, I had a strange feeling.  I felt as if I was not rubbing my own face. The structure and the shape suddenly felt a little bit different. And as the video that I made that day described it, it is as if you have had your haircut and you reach to shampoo your hair and it's shorter than it was and it feels like someone else's head. Or that first feeling when you are pregnant and you start to have this belly that you didn't have before. Or even when you lose weight, start working out, and suddenly you have abs that you never had before. It is exciting and it is different but again it feels as if it's not your body.  And that is exactly how I felt! I could feel that the lines of my cheekbones were taking up less space in the air. I felt as if my face was somehow reaching upward and the area where my cheekbones had been before was now in a higher spot. It was certainly a slight change and I would assume that not many people would notice aside from myself. However, I had an appointment for a follow-up check with Dr. Beatty. As usual the staff was excited to see me (or so they always seem with everyone). They commented that I looked great and I said that I felt great but as we all know, sometimes those are just the words that you say and the things that you do. Dr Beaty doesn’t dance to that song however. He is one of those people who will politely tell you exactly what it is that he thinks and what it is that he sees. Which is one of the reasons why I completely respect him and feel as if he is always genuine in his assessment. He greeted me, talk to me for a few minutes, and while I was getting comfortable in the exam room, walked into his office to look at pictures that had just been taken compared to pictures that had been taken over the last month.  I won't say that he bounced in the exam room, but he certainly did have a pep in his step and was smiling a little bit more than he normally smiles. He said to me, “Wow, you look great. You're not supposed to look this great yet. You have really had a good reaction to this treatment.” And at that point I described what had happened to me when I had felt as if I were touching another person’s face. He he said that was exactly what he was seeing in the pictures as well. I haven't seen the pictures yet that they have taken in their office. However I have seen my own pictures and have done my own compare and contrast assessments many times over a glass of wine and Netflix. And each time, I am getting more and more excited about the results. I feel as if it s a neater and fresher look and feeling. At the very beginning of this series of writing, I described my older face as looking sloppy. And while that is a strange choice of words, it was the word that kept popping into my head when I searched through more recent pictures. My face just did not look as together or as neat as it normally did. And now I am seeing what it was that I wanted so badly. We have five more months to go before I should see radical differences! And that is incredibly exciting. One of the things that I think could be a deterrent with the Profound procedure decision is the time gap between results and procedure. However, it hasn't been six months for me, it has been four weeks and while I do not know if I am the rare exception, I never am so I can't imagine that this would be any different! I am pretty much the norm when it comes to all sorts of medical procedures.  On that note, I am looking forward to the next few weeks and to these upcoming exciting changes. I will continue to do the one week updates and quick videos. I think that my next writing will be somewhere down the road either at the three month mark, the six month mark, or whenever it is that I see some sort of new and radical change! This has certainly been something that I would already recommend to friends and family. And just like Dr. Beaty said when he spoke to me about it: “if it were me, I would definitely have it done.” And since it is me and I have had it done, I can tell you that I am profoundly happy with my choice. Stay Tuned for More Updates!