Our Blog

Staff Spotlight: Q&A with Nicole Habib, Physician Assistant

Posted on September 28, 2015

Q. What inspired you to pursue a career as a Physician Assistant?
I’ve always loved science and medicine and when I learned what a Physician Assistant was I knew it was perfect for me. I really do love my job and I feel very lucky to be doing what I love.

Q. What are your specialties?
I love doing cosmetic treatments such as Botox and fillers, as well as I have a soft spot for acne and I enjoy treating acne and seeing how it affects someone’s self-esteem.

Q. What are some of the highlights of your career?
I remember feeling such happiness and a sense of purpose when I saw that I had treated a young girl’s acne and it went from severely scarring to almost clear. She looked like a completely different person and it was a very rewarding to see her results.

Q. What are three things a patient can do to maintain healthy skin?
The very first thing I would make sure to do is prevent UV damage by applying a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 every morning. I highly recommend the Elta MD UV daily because it feels great and is a superior protection. The second thing would be to add a vitamin C serum such as the Skinceuticals Phloretin CF because that is going to help prevent damage by neutralizing free radicals. And the last thing I would focus on is restoration at night be adding either an over-the-counter retinol or a prescription strength Retinoid.

Q: Do you have advice for preventing the signs of aging without spending a fortune?
Sunscreen, Sunscreen, Sunscreen. Did I say sunscreen?

Q. What do you include in your own skin care regimen?
I think the better question here is what do I NOT do. My morning routine includes washing my face with a gentle cleanser such as CeraVe hydrating cleanser and patting my skin dry. I then apply my Skinceutical Phloretin CF vitamin C serum to dry skin. I follow that with my Elta MD UV clear sunscreen and allow that to dry. Then I mix my Aczone acne medication with CeraVe cream and apply that to my face and neck. My nightly routine includes washing my makeup off with SkinCeuticals LHA Cleansing Gel and every 3 to 4 days I will also exfoliate with my Clarisonic brush. I then pat my skin dry and apply my SkinMedica TNS Essential Serum. Following that, I mix CeraVe cream with my Retin-A cream and apply that to my face, neck and chest.

Q. What are the most common procedures you perform? What are the ones you most commonly recommend?
I perform a lot of full skin exams, but I also do a lot of laser treatments for brown spots and quite a bit of Dysport treatments and filler treatments to add volume to the cheeks and lines around the mouth. I would say, I do a little bit of everything, which I love!

Q. What inspires you most in life?
Traveling and being able to see the world has been such a great inspiration. I love seeing new things, and experiencing and learning about different cultures. I’ve been lucky enough to visit over 20 countries and I’m always trying to plan my next adventure.

Q. What do you like to do for fun?
I love photography and photographing people and places. I also love spending time with family and friends.

Q. What do you like most about working at The Woodruff Institute?
The people! Feels like a family here!