Dennis Stokely is such a great friend to have. Not only has he provided lots of tips on celebrity hair, beauty, and fashion, he’s interested in how we all can get better and be the best version of ourselves that we can be. He helps women find their style, their strong points, and is there to cheer them on. That’s what I have seen Dennis Stokely do. He’s a real Southern Gentleman who has worked his way up from being a model in NYC to a celebrity hairstylist in demand!
Dennis Stokely, celebrity hairstylist!
When we talk on the phone, it’s typically a 30-45 minute phone call because we have a lot to catch up on. We have a lot of interests in common and we know some of the same people. His willingness to share his thoughts, recommendations, and ideas with LA-Story.com readers is greatly appreciated. Every time he contributes a post, I stop everything else to read his piece. This piece is one of the great pieces from Dennis.
This article is # 1 of 3 different articles that is a story about his personal evolution in his “Glow-Up” transformation. He’s taking on the challenge to get control of his health and make sure he’s living the best and the healthiest life he can. I can’t wait to see how he evolves during his journey!
Dr. Bhavna Vaidya, M.D of the fabulous Regenesis MedSpa in North Carolina is an amazing physician who has a spa that allows people to come in and achieve the “best look” — and the best health-for them- and Dennis Stokely is getting his transformation.
Dr. Vaidya is a lovely, patient physician who understands that people want to improve their health and their looks. Given that being in good health is key to looking great, Dr. Vaidya has an amazing staff to back her up along with an array of treatments that’s sure to give you that radiant glow you seek along with some spring in your steps!
Dennis Stokely’s “Before” Shots!
Note Dennis’s face has lots of redness (inflammation and his skin has an uneven tone!)
LA-STORY.com’s Contributing Editor, DENNIS STOKELY, goes from “BEFORE” to “AFTER” during a year-long partnership with top Medspa, Regenesis MD, in Raleigh, North Carolina.
My GLOW-UP Story:
“glow-up” Urban Dictionary:
To go from the bottom to the top to the point of disbelief.
An incredible transformation!
YES PLEASE, SIGN ME UP!!!
I have had such a blast over the last 10 years, or so, contributing pieces to LA-STORY.com –mostly, about red-carpet, celebrity hairstyles at the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Golden Globes. Occasionally, I ventured outside of Los Angeles and write about other hair-raising happenings: Coachella (outside of Palm Springs) or the Met Gala in New York City.
I met Stevie Wilson, Editor/Publisher of LA-STORY.com via social media after I left working on the mega-hit television show AMERICAN IDOL.
I had a dream-gig on American Idol working as Paula Abdul’s hairstylist during the last few years she was a judge on the show. Stevie interviewed me for her LA-STORY.com podcast. When I left Los Angeles to return East to help with my Mother during her battle with Alzheimer’s disease, I was thrilled when Stevie asked me to join LA-STORY.com as a Contributing Editor. It has been one of the most effortless and rewarding ventures of my career. Stevie is widely regarded as a “social media badass” and we are almost always in sync and simpatico during our fun and fast-paced editing sessions of the assignments she gives me.
Getting the green-light to do a story about the Medspa, Wellness, and Anti-Aging industry is certainly an assignment out-of-the-box for me. Since I am writing about my personal experiences during my “BEFORE” and “AFTER” transformation, I am a little nervous and excited to share MY story with LA-STORY.com and the readership!
HERE WE GO,
One of the most awesome parts of my job as a celebrity hairstylist is being lucky enough to see the world! Many years in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami with stops in London, Chicago, and so many more stylish hot-spots, I have always loved being surrounded by gorgeous models, celebs, and NFL Cheerleaders (Yep, I was once the hairstylist of the Jacksonville Jaguars).
When I first stepped into the fashion industry in the 1980s, big-hair and big-shoulder pads ruled the runway. There was no Photoshop to fix any flaws of the models and magazine covers were stunning, glamorous portraits photographed with “no-filters.”
-And, yes, those models were that gorgeous in-person.
As the super-models of the ’80s started to age, we began to hear the whispers that girls were starting to visit plastic surgeons for nips and tucks to help them look younger.
I remember working at the Frederic Fekkai Salon in the mid-’90s when I was sent to make a house-call for a VIP client, shortly after her face-lift. In those days, it took weeks to recover and when I arrived to give this diva a blow-out, I was speechless when she removed her headscarf and I saw all the scars and stitches. Of course, at this stage of her recovery, she didn’t dare leave the house. I certainly don’t blame her, because she looked like E.T.!
FAST FORWARD TO 2020!
Models and celebs from all over the world gradually started flocking to New York City and Beverly Hills for the latest treatments in the ever-evolving cosmetic procedures craze.
Botox, Fillers, Ultherapy, Threads, IV therapies, the list grows longer every day, are just a few options now available to almost anyone who wants to look better. A week (or longer) trip to NYC or LA for a nip and tuck is no longer required.
The Medspa Industry is now joined at the hip with the fashion industry and there are fabulous facilities all over the country that offer world-class treatments. Fittingly, I traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina recently for a POP-UP Salon booking and the stunning salon shared a building with a Medspa. I took a short break half-way through my day to go to the restroom and when I opened the hallway door to find the men’s room, I entered a Medspa!
Yes, a hair salon and Medspa under one roof (Bacio-Salon & Regenesis, MD). I felt as though I had found nirvana!
I had agreed, prior to my visit, to trade a haircut for some botox with the owner of the Medspa.
So, I was pleasantly surprised to discover I would just walk down the hall after work to get a refresh.
Enter Dr. Bhavna Vaidya, M.D.
Sometimes in life, when you are lucky, you have an immediate connection with someone. The moment Dr. Vaidya and I met we clicked. We agreed to partner together and document a year-long journey as I took on a “BEFORE” and “AFTER” treatment program with all the procedures that her practice offers. Looking beyond Botox which is the only cosmetic procedure I had previously tried, Dr. Vaidya explained her philosophy and approach to our partnership. She wanted to work from the inside-out and incorporate wellness with any cosmetic treatments we would do.
At the age of 55, the timing for me to reboot myself from head-to-toe, inside-out, was perfect.
The years and pounds have crept up on me, my diet cravings are carbs and sugar and my skin is starting to show the results of years of being in the sun. The industry is just becoming more popular with men and since I have been surrounded by so many gorgeous women that seem to be aging in reverse, I was eager to take it on.
DOCTOR VISIT — Q & A with Dr. Bhavna Vaidya, MD
DENNIS STOKELY:
Medspa, Wellness, and Anti-aging treatments are all the rage. What are your favorites?
DR. VAIDYA:
For the short-term, I like facials using Gua Sha for chiseling the face and jawline.
For longer-lasting results, I like Ultherapy, Threads, Botox, and Fillers.
DENNIS STOKELY:
What are the demographics of your client base?
DR. VAIDYA:
70% Female – 30% Male. Mostly from the ages 25-65.
With more education now being available, more men are turning to us.
DENNIS STOKELY:
What’s new in your industry?
DR. VAIDYA:
Social media influence!
Clients have access to information that was never an option before. Because of videos on Instagram and Facebook Live events, they already know about so many procedures.
DENNIS STOKELY:
Can you share with us your daily beauty routine?
DR. VAIDYA:
I use customized selections of professional supplements,
–a plant-based diet,
–a great Retinol and Vitamin C from ZO Skin Health and iS Clinical,
—Elta MD sunscreen,
–peptides from iS Clinical
–and the best facials from the one and only Winnie, my in-house aesthetician.
DENNIS STOKELY:
Your logo for Regenesis MD is the Lotus flower. Does it have a special meaning to you?
DR. VAIDYA:
Yes! I was in India for a wedding. I saw hundreds of these most beautiful and serene flowers floating on the top of a pond that was filled with mud and gunk. How could something so beautiful grow from something so ugly and terrible? Internal struggles can grow beautiful things.
I think the story of the Lotus resonates with the inside-out philosophy of my approach to medicine.
MY GLOW-UP (PART 1).
The first order of business during my initial consultation with Dr. Vaidya was a slight scolding. I have always loved the sun and I proudly sport a tan almost year-round. One of her medical reps was in her office that day and he stopped
in his tracks when he saw my tan! I didn’t realize how much damage I was doing to my skin, so step one of my Glow-up was staying out of the sun and using sunscreen.
I had multiple procedures over the course of a few days and Dr. Vaidya sent me home with lots of products to get me started. Here are the procedures we started with and a few before and after pics.
PROCEDURES
IV NUTRITION:
A mix of saline and nutrients that are delivered directly into the bloodstream for better and quicker absorption.
ULTHERAPY
A non-invasive treatment that goes deeper to stimulate the production of your body’s own collagen and elastin, for natural-looking results without surgery or downtime.
BOTOX
Botox injections are noted primarily for the ability to reduce the appearance of facial wrinkles.
FILLERS
Injectable filler is a soft tissue filler injected into the skin at different depths to help fill in facial wrinkles, provide facial volume, augment facial features; restoring a smoother appearance.
Treatment #1: IV THERAPY and MORE!!
IV Therapy:
The first day of my visit, I had an IV Therapy treatment. The treatment was tailored just for me. The IV contained a unique blend of essential electrolytes, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It took about 15 minutes and the results were almost immediate and lasted for days. It was incredible.
Look closely at Dennis Stokely’s before picture (My Glow-Up, Part 1) and take a look at these photos above.
Ultherapy:
I have always thought that Christie Brinkley has aged beautifully. It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that Ultherapy is her go-to procedure. I had Ultherapy on the upper and lower lids of my eyes. It took a few weeks to start seeing the results, but I am amazed at the outcome. I can’t exactly put my finger on what is so different, but the skin around my eyes looks tighter. I feel that my eyes look refreshed and relaxed. After a few weeks, I was thrilled with how everything settled in.
I am washing my face regularly, using great moisturizers, staying out of the sun, and feeling so much better already. The visible results are awesome too.
I will be getting Ultherapy on my jawline during my next visit. I had botox in my forehead and the side of my jawline and fillers in my chin and cheeks.
Dennis Stokely AFTER photo.
Upcoming Treatments!
In part 2 of my story, we will incorporate a wellness approach. I will be starting a 40-day diet, especially created by Dr. Vaidya. I will do a weigh-in and incorporate weight loss into my glow-up. I will visit her office again for the next round of procedures and include more before and after pics of my journey!
As with everything in life, balance is key. I have always shied away from cosmetic procedures for myself for fear of the blow-up syndrome, as I call it. I am not a fan of huge lip-injections, butt implants, or any procedure that is too over-the-top. Working with Dr. Vaidya is a good fit for me because we both agree that it is a combination of wellness, non-invasive procedures, great self-maintenance, and knowledge of the process that produces the best results. After all, my goal is to become more healthy, look, and feel refreshed, and have a natural and healthy GLOW!
Dennis Stokely
TO BE CONTINUED!
This is the end of part 1.
We have 2 more updates or segments to feature! Stay tuned to learn about the journey of Dennis Stokeley.
As soon as I get the next chapter of Dennis Stokely’s journey and progress through this series of treatments, it will appear here on this blog!
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
________________________DEALS and STEALS(Affiliate Links)
I curate deals that offer bonuses, bargains, and great products –and some are very specifically for this site to feature to my audience because I want my audience to get amazing products from great brands!
Disclosure: some of the links on this post might have affiliate links! It costs you nothing. If you buy something, the brand pays me a small percentage.
If you purchase via my link, I make a very small percentage for that purchase. It does not add any additional cost to the product. The price you see is the retail price (depending on store or vendor) .
Sunscreens Are Essential in Summer: Try COOLA Full Spectrum 360 Sun Silk Drops SPF 30
COOLA’s breakthrough Sun Silk Drops— your daily Full Spectrum 360° protection from the sun, environmental toxins, and digital overexposure.
Their advanced organic formula is light-as-air yet protects against broad-spectrum UVA/UVB, IR (infrared), and HEV (high energy visible) Light, meaning they’ve got you covered from beach to board meeting. A fast-absorbing complex blend of plant stem cells and patented LightWaves Defense [JS+M] technology helps to prevent visible signs of aging from both indoor and outdoor daily aggressors. Finally, full-spectrum organic skincare that keeps up with your everyday modern lifestyle!
What else you need to know:
This product is formulated without oxybenzone. It is vegan, non-GMO, TSA-friendly, and cruelty-free.
Available at Sephora.com and Coola.com
Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: http://feeds.feedburner.com/la-story/Bpyd
Powered by FeedBurner
If you are going to feature content from LA-Story.com including images, podcasts or videos including the accompanying text, please respect copyright provisions. We require a notation of content origination (meaning credit tag), a link- back to the specific page & please email the link to stevie@la-story.com before the piece goes live.
LA-Story.com, LA-Story Recessionista, Celebrity Stylescope, Celebrity Style Slam Trademark/Copyright: KBP Inc./TNBT Inc 2007-22
