Meet the incredible and vibrant Dr. Josie Tenor, affectionately known as “Dr. Josie” by all. Dr. Josie is the female founder behind the firmly rooted med spa you’ve been curious about, Trevi Longevity & Aesthetics, located directly above Love’s in Highland Park! In our exclusive interview, we get to know Dr. Josie the globetrotter, dog lover, foodie and fitness enthusiast. We delve into her background as a family medical doctor, Trevi med spa services including injectables, lasers, medical weight loss, hormone support and way more, the very recent rebranding of Trevi, (formerly FreshSkin Medical Spa & Wellness Center) and her commitment to helping individuals embrace aging with vitality, grace and compassion. Welcome, Dr. Josie!
Hi Dr. Josie. Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?
Happy to introduce myself. I’m Dr. Josie… everyone calls me this because the little kids found it easier (and less scary) to call me “Dr. Josie” than “Dr. Tenore” when I worked as a Family Doctor. It stuck all the years later. I’m an “immigrant squared” For those of you who know, know! LoL! I was born in southern Italy and immigrated to Toronto, Canada when I was 4. Then I immigrated to the United States in 1995.
What are one or two fun facts to know about you?
I have cared for and delivered over 100 babies during my career as a Family Doctor but since I did not personally have children, I had experiences traveling across the world to study, understand cultures, and meet new people. I am a dog mom to a mini Bernedoodle named Mia who loves lakeshore runs! I am an avid cyclist, skier and all things that keep me active!
Second, if you haven’t noticed or met me in person, my hair is thick, curly, and grows faster than dandelions in the summer; every couple of years I donate my hair to children with hair loss. I truly love all that embodies caring for and improving the health and lives of others.
What are your favorite North Shore restaurants to frequent?
One of my favorite days of the week is Thursday-Date-Night! Our favorite spots to grab dinner and drinks include Scotty’s on Sheridan in Highwood. I also enjoy: Next Door, Hole in the Wall and Napolita in Northbrook; Bluegrass and Backyard Grill in Highland Park; Italian Kitchen in Deerfield; Minos and Pomeroy in Winnetka; La Casa de Isaac & Moishe, Longitud315 and Froggy’s in Highwood; Francesca Intimo and Le Colonial in Evanston; Shinsen, Habibi, Campagnola, and Tapas Barcelona in Evanston. We are very lucky to live in an area with SO MANY great places, I am sure I missed a few!
What gets you through a tough day?
Any good workout followed by a glass of full bodied red wine, a good meal and a walk with my sweet mini Bernedoodle, Mia!
Let’s get down to business. You are the founder and owner of Trevi Longevity and Aesthetics in Highland Park. Tell us a little bit about the services you provide here from injectables to hormone support and everything in between.
The list is long – we try to have options at all levels from Hydrafacials (the power-wash of facials), Skin Rejuvenation (like BBL to brighten your skin), Painless Hair Removal (I know – crazy!), Skin Tightening, Body Contouring, and Laser Resurfacing for individuals who have a lot of environmental damage or skin irregularities from issues like sun damage or acne.
We also offer injectables including Botox and other Wrinkle Relaxers, minimally invasive skin treatments that are aimed at plumping or hydrating the skin (think the newly launched Skinveve!), Dermal Fillers and Volumizers including Sulptra and Bellafill, and PDO Threads for lifting or improving skin thickness.
We are also a robust Functional Medicine practice that supports longevity and wellness. We offer customized medical weight loss programs including HCG, HGH (and other peptides to help build muscle and bone density) and terzepatide/semiglutide. We have a large focus on gut health, brain-gut connection, cardiovascular health and screening utilizing advanced biomarkers, therapy to support immune health, hair restoration, intimate wellness and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.
New in 2024, we are looking forward to adding IV Therapy and Regenerative Medicine.
By the way, congratulations on your brand from FreshSkin Medical Spa & Wellness Center to Trevi Longevity and Aesthetics. Why the rebrand?
My byline, since I branched off to open my own practice over 15 years ago has always been: “Beauty begins with beautiful skin, & beautiful skin begins with a healthy body.”™ The name FreshSkin didn’t fully encompass our full menu of services and didn’t really describe the journey that I have taken both personally and professionally….
I started my life in a blue zone part of the world where many people live into their hundreds (my mother is currently 92 years old, active and healthy). I practiced academic Preventative Medicine, including ob/gyn/peds/geriatrics for 22+ years. During these years I taught Residents tons of hands on procedures, dermatology and plastic surgery with the focus on optimizing health and wellness. When I left that world of medicine, I knew that my next venture would solely focus on doing what I love most… helping people look and feel their best and have the best quality of life they possibly can for as long as you can! Trevi, that beautiful fountain in Rome where you make a wish to return embodies my vision for aesthetics, my roots and longevity. The perfect fit.
Dr. Josie, you are a medical doctor overseeing the nurse practitioners who carry out the majority of injectables and laser treatments. Tell us about your role in the practice.
I hope to be the best mentor to my providers and ensure that the treatments rendered are consistent, less dependent on the provider, so that a patient can feel comfortable and confident seeing anyone in the practice. We are a team and operate with the same vision, goals, and values. Patient safety and satisfaction is our top priority. Ultimately, the responsibility of all patients is mine; I want to ensure my team represents the best version of Trevi and makes me proud. We all leave a legacy, this legacy will be mine.
I’ve done this for a very long time… I am a stickler about safety, efficacy, science, knowing the why and customer service. I have a lot of knowledge in my head and am eager to share it with my providers and the patients we partner with.
For those of us who feel trepidation about starting a journey with a medical spa, what advice can you share?
My favorite saying to my patients is “we specialize in baby steps”. Rome (and the Trevi fountain) was not built in a day, there is no rush. We partner with our patients to identify goals and concerns then develop treatment plans that are fluid to always accommodate the present demands, be it schedules, health, financial, etc.
Here is my stance, we must start looking after our health and our skin as soon as we can – and it is NEVER too late to start. Find a provider that you trust, your gut is your second brain trust your intuition. When you find that provider, follow their advice, they are the experts. It’s best to find an individual who is passionate about functional aesthetics and wants you to have the best experience and outcomes… You may pay a little more, but you will also benefit more… Bargain for your shoes, not your health or face!
Depending on the condition of your health and skin we always do the “restorative or corrective” treatments first and move you to maintenance as soon as possible.
What’s the process like for first time consultations?
It depends on what you are seeking – whether it be skin, injectables, health or hormones, our consultative process is really focused on education. The more you know and the more you understand, the better able you will be to make the choices that are right for you. For our skin and cosmetic patients, we will take multiple forms of photos including a skin analysis, 2 dimensional and 3 dimensional photos. These are intended to help us develop and track your plan of care. For our wellness patients, there is sometimes blood work completed, surveys, and body compositions to help build a better picture of what is going on in the body.
Is there anything else you’d like us to know about Trevi?
We are your home away from home, your trusted partner in beauty, aesthetics, health and wellness. Our team is composed of passionate professionals who are really excited by their field and want to welcome you into our family. We really consider our patients as family and we strive to make them feel safe and comfortable.
I have seen many of my patients for almost 20 years… we are having a great time “growing old” but staying young together! Longevity at its finest. I personally look forward to meeting each and everyone of your readers! Visit our website to learn more and call (847) 681-8821 to schedule a consultation with one of our practitioners, or myself! Keep up with current promotions and events by following us on Instagram and Facebook.
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