About
There's a lot of fluff and filters in the aesthetic industry. Needles & Tox takes a genuine approach to facial and scalp aesthetics.
Let's not sugar coat it.
Needles & Tox patients are hard-working individuals who choose to invest part of their income in improving the quality and appearance of their skin. Our patients pay for botulin-toxin to be expertly injected into their face. They pay for tiny needles to produce controlled microdamage to their skin. Our patients pay platelet rich plasma to be placed into their scalp.
Why? Not because everyone is doing it. Not because it's a quick fix. Not because it's painless. But because they are smart. They know the pain is minimal and temporary. They know that aging is part of life. They know prevention today is cheaper than correction tomorrow. They know the results are real. They've done their homework. They know the cost. They know their worth.
The Story
THE BEGINNING
Laura Heffern started Needles and Tox in March 2021. She had completed an extensive internship and world-class injection preparation course and was ready to jump into aesthetic nursing. However, she also wanted to pursue her other passion--Primary Care. As she interviewed at med-spa and dermatologist offices around the Denver Metro, it became increasingly clearer that a position that allowed her to do both (primary care and aesthetics) may not exist. Finally, she interviewed with an amazing company who offered a contract position as a Concierge Aesthetic NP. By joining this team, she would be the first of their team to expand to the West.
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Laura finally felt like this was it, the best of both worlds, a way to practice aesthetics but also practice Primary Care. But, when it came down to signing the contract, she received some great advice from her mentors. They said, "you know-you can do this on your own. It will take guts, capital, and risk. But the reward could be great. And if anyone could pull it off-it would be you."
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And so, with a nervous heart, she turned down the amazing offer, and the next day filed for her professional company.
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THE MIDDLE
Laura started Needles and Tox with a concierge business model. She saw patients in their home or office during her evenings and weekdays not at the Primary Care clinic. She started with 14 founding members, and grew and grew.
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In fall 2021 she partnered with Dr. Carolyn Kittell and joined her Smile Essentials Aesthetic Group. Dr. Kittell is an incredible dentist who specializes in cosmetic bonding. Dr. Kittell wanted to offer her patients a more expansive cosmetic experience, so she built an aesthetic treatment room and partnered with other aesthetic practitioners to form a referral network. Sameera, Dr. Kittell, Annette, Laura, and Avery all are independent practitioners who collaborate and use the beautiful space at Smile Essentials to grow everyone's business. It's 'Collaboration over Competition' at its finest.
While growing Needles & Tox, Laura continued to excel in Primary Care. As a provider at Cornerstar Primary Care (Aurora, CO), she began expanding her offerings and building her patient panel. Primary Care is a completely different world than Needles and Tox, and having a role in both made her extremely happy.
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Although Needles and Tox started primarily concierge, she found that 90% of her clients were actually meeting her on-location. Also with a 40+hour/week at Cornerstar, it quickly became clear that driving all over Denver was not efficient.
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THE NOW
After a year of practicing out of 2 temporary locations, and after having her first baby (Breck!) N&T moved to a permanent location in Dew Skin Denver medspa. Dew Skin is a new medspa owned by master esthetician Leah Block. Though 2 separate businesses, Dew Skin and N&T work alongside each other to provide incredible outcomes for their clients.
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Laura is going part-time at the primary care and growing N&T daily. N&T is and always has been more than a "side hustle". This has never been about quantity of clients, but the quality of each interaction.
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Laura's goal isn't to become the biggest med-spa in Denver or to even make Needles & Tox her full time career. She loves primary care and time with her family too much. In fact, she intends to keep her panel small. The goal is to treat each client like family, and create an elevated and personal connection with each appointment. If you have made it this far, Laura's hope is that you take a chance. Book a consult, see for yourself what Needles & Tox is all about.
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Payments
Venmo & Credit Card accepted. No insurances, no payment plans.