How Mindy Haws, MD, Empowers Women in Aesthetic Medicine

Melinda (Mindy) Haws, MD, immediate past president of The Aesthetic Society and a board-certified plastic surgeon in Nashville, Tennessee, shared valuable insights for women entering the field of dermatology and aesthetic surgery. In previous interviews with Dermatology Times, Haws spoke on the LIMITLESS initiative and how it supports female clinicians looking to enhance their leadership skills.

As someone who is so established in the field, Haws emphasized that while women can achieve their professional and personal goals, they must recognize the importance of timing, prioritization, and understanding that leadership positions may take time to attain.

“You can have it all, just not necessarily all at the same time,” she reminded.

Haws acknowledges that as physicians, women are skilled at deferred gratification, having spent years in medical school, residency, and possibly fellowships. She reassures newcomers that although they may not be in leadership roles immediately, with persistence and prioritizing the right things in life, they can reach their goals within a reasonable timeframe. In addition to advice for new professionals, Haws discussed the increasing importance of collaboration across different fields within aesthetic medicine, especially between dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Historically, there has been a misconception that these specialties operate in isolation, but Haws points out that they share common goals, including patient safety and providing high-quality, well-trained care.

She also expressed excitement about the growing collaboration between these groups, particularly through The Aesthetic Society’s meetings, which now include dermatologists and other core aesthetic providers, fostering an environment for shared knowledge and best practices. Haws highlighted the enormous growth of the aesthetic medicine field, noting that even if every plastic surgeon stopped performing surgery and focused solely on injectables and fillers, the demand for these services would still exceed supply.

“We need to continue to train our young plastic surgeons, our young dermatologists, our young facial plastics to do things safely and effectively for the greater good, for all of us to do better,” Haws said. “Aesthetic medicine has exploded and it's only going to get bigger and those of us who have trained long and hard for it are in the position to really lead on that and make sure things are done well.”

Finally, Haws praised the collaborative efforts with industry partners like Allergan Aesthetics, acknowledging that such partnerships are crucial in advancing education, patient safety, and professional growth within the aesthetic medicine community.

“It's just going to get bigger and bigger and bigger. So, the more we work together and the more we communicate, the better things will be,” Haws concluded.