Bridget Alsup, PA-C

Grabbing my coffee ☕️

Out the door 🚪

Skincare, microneedling, injectables 💉

Rinse + repeat tomorrow.

Make sure you’re going to an injector that is putting in the reps, and offering you comprehensive treatment plans beyond just tox.

That’s the real secret sauce 😉

Is there any fall and winter accessory more iconic than full, healthy brows and lashes?

Comment “FULL” and I’ll send you my top brow and lash serum picks.

If you want to achieve this look, my recommendation as an aesthetic medicine PA-C is to choose peptide-powered, clinically tested, professional-grade serums over prostaglandin analog versions.

Why?

Prostaglandin analogs are the active ingredient class behind many popular lash growth serums, but they come with potential side effects I don’t love:

• Eyelid irritation and redness

• Darkening of the eyelid skin

• Permanent darkening of a light-colored iris

• Loss of fat around the eye, which can create a hollowed look

Peptide serums support the hair follicle without that side effect profile.

Results are gradual, so plan on 8 to 12 weeks of consistent nightly use before judging fuller, healthier-looking brows and lashes. I use my recommendations consistently, and have never had fuller, healthier brow and lash growth.

Comment “FULL” for my picks. PLUS, my favorite lash pick doubles as a mascara, making daily application effortless 🫶

Full brows and lashes are the accessory that never leaves the fall runway.

Why I recommend peptide-powered serums over prostaglandin analogs:

Prostaglandin analogs are the active ingredient class behind many popular lash growth serums. They were originally developed as glaucoma eye drops, and lash growth was discovered as a side effect. They work, but they come with tradeoffs I don’t love for a cosmetic product:
• Eyelid irritation and redness
• Darkening of the eyelid skin
• Permanent darkening of a light-colored iris
• Loss of fat around the eye, which can create a hollowed look

Peptide serums support the hair follicle without that side effect profile. Results are gradual, so plan on 8 to 12 weeks of consistent nightly use before judging fuller, healthier-looking brows and lashes.

My favorite lash pick doubles as a mascara, so daily application becomes effortless.

Comment “Fall Eyes” and I’ll send you my picks.

Bridget Alsup, MPAS, PA-C, FMCP-M
Board-certified PA | Advanced Injector
Aesthetic Medicine + Wellness | Winston-Salem, NC

I study and treat faces for a living.

And, there have been moments when it comes to my own face that I have to stop and check myself.

When it comes to perception drift, I always like to underline that EVERYONE in the room is susceptible to it. Injectors included.

When you evaluate faces all day, you start noticing what no one else would - slight asymmetries, faint lines, early volume loss.

Add social media filters and AI-generated faces to the picture, and the baseline keeps moving for all of us.

Poreless skin, perfect symmetry, features that don’t exist in nature.

Our real, beautiful, human faces start to look like problems that need solving.

The danger is chasing the very details that make us look human.

Those “imperfections” are part of why a face reads as natural and beautiful.

My job isn’t to erase them. It’s to know when to stop.

So I’m curious …

What are your thoughts on perception drift? Have you ever felt like you were drifting? What pulls you back?

For me, adding other service lines into my practice and (honestly) taking a break from social media all help. I’ve also found watching old movies or looking at pictures of people who have aged gracefully can help reset my barometer.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Are you layering your skincare in the right order?

If not, you’re likely not getting the most out of your products.

As a PA specializing in skin health, cosmetic dermatology, and medical aesthetics, I’m prescriptive about my patients’ skincare routines. Results depend not only on what you use, but how much, when, and in what order.

Rule of thumb for layering: thinnest to thickest.
Start with serums, then lotions, then creams. Lighter products absorb best when they go on first.

Here’s some other skincare product layering pearls:

•Vitamin C before SPF:
Sunscreen blocks UV, but some damage still gets through. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps neutralize what sunscreen misses, and research shows the two together protect better than either one alone. SPF on top also helps shield your vitamin C, since vitamin C breaks down with light exposure. They work as a team.

•SPF is your last morning step
Sunscreen only works at full strength when it forms an even layer, and most people apply less than they need. Putting products on top can thin it out. Apply it last, let it set, then do your makeup. PS - the SPF in a foundation isn’t enough on its own.

•Double cleanse: oil first, then water-based
Sunscreen and makeup are oil-based, and oil dissolves oil. An oil or balm cleanser breaks them down, then a gentle water-based cleanser washes everything away and leaves skin clean for your evening routine.

•Retinoids and moisturizer
Irritation is the top reason people give up on retinoids, that’s why I recommend pairing them with moisturizer to buffer upon introduction, and then transitioning to either the lock in or sandwich method once you are tolerating it.

Here are the three options:
1️⃣ Moisturizer before your retinoid buffers it, which is best for beginners or sensitive skin.
2️⃣ Moisturizer after locks it in and supports your skin barrier.
3️⃣ Moisturizer before and after, known as the “sandwich method”, gives you both benefits.

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🤍 Bridget Alsup, MPAS, PA-C, FMCP-M
Aesthetic Medicine + Wellness