The aesthetics field allows professionals to reach various goals in their careers. The story below is about an aesthetic physiotherapist from SP who already had a successful professional life. But she achieved even more success: financial return and self-esteem for her patients.
A career start that worked out
Carla Montalbo Caporeli has been a physiotherapist since 1999 in São Paulo (SP) and says she always wanted to work in healthcare. “Since I was a child I loved the doll that had a stethoscope to listen to the heart. That's why I went into physiotherapy.”
The aesthetic physiotherapist from SP says her start in professional life was not one of the most complicated because she soon found an opportunity. “I have a sister who is a psychologist. And when I graduated, she already had a clinic and that opened countless doors for me.”
And she managed to keep getting good results in her profession through continuing education. “My first postgraduate program was in adult neurology. Then I did RPG, the acupuncture specialization, and for all those years, until 2020, that's what I worked with.”
Even with the success she knew she had, something happened in her life that would completely change how she saw a new possibility. “I started thinking about aesthetics during the pandemic because a lot of people started calling the clinic looking for that service.”
Knowledge of aesthetics for physiotherapists
With this change in the consumer market and patients' requests, the aesthetic physiotherapist from SP began thinking about how she could offer aesthetic treatments. “Then I took a more specific lymphatic drainage course for post-operative care and started to like aesthetics more.”
What few people know today is that this physiotherapist had a certain prejudice against the field. “When I had just graduated, when people called the clinic and asked about lymphatic drainage or massage, I couldn't quite accept it. Nowadays, I love working with aesthetics.”
Gradually breaking down the barrier of prejudice, the professional began searching online for the best postgraduate program in aesthetics. “That's how I found Nepuga.” And that would be the start of a new specialization, a new field, and new challenges.
Aesthetic health for physiotherapists
The main challenge faced by the aesthetic physiotherapist from SP was returning to a study routine. That's because today she is married, has children, and works more than 12 hours a day at her clinic. “On top of all that, it had been a long time since I had studied.”
In the first classes, that reality check got stronger. “I saw the younger girls in the class, who spent the whole day studying, doing assignments, and talking about exams. Then I thought I was going to give up because I wouldn't be able to keep up. But I persisted.”
And persistence was a fundamental key in this pursuit of success. “Now I'm here, with just a few days and some hands-on classes left to finish the aesthetic health course. I already considered myself successful in my profession, but now I'm loving aesthetics.”
A competitive edge in the job market
She even says the aesthetic physiotherapist from SP has been reaping the rewards of this new field since she started the course. “I draw a lot on the experience I have in the profession, such as electrotherapy, which I master very well and can combine with my new aesthetic knowledge.”
She says that as a physiotherapist she always worked with the body, and in recent days she saw that she could keep doing that, only with new treatments and techniques. “Lymphatic drainage is my flagship service. But I get a lot of demand for botox and facial harmonization.”
So, this is a new possibility in the market because now she can add value to her work through the new applications. “For example, I treat a lot of facial paralysis. Besides rehabilitating with physiotherapy, we can use aesthetics to add value to the treatment.”
Why specialize in aesthetics?
In the assessment of the aesthetic physiotherapist from SP, the current work routine is very complicated. “For example, I'll describe my most complicated day of the week: Monday. I start working at 7:30 a.m. and finish at 10:30 p.m.”
From that, she says you can see the benefits of aesthetics, such as schedule flexibility. “So, when I need to accompany my son to an activity or a presentation, I can change my schedule for the day. This work is the best thing.”
So much so that she recommends the specialization to her professional friends. “I would tell all physiotherapists to come to aesthetics. I already considered myself privileged, very successful. But I saw that this could get even better.”
The financial return of aesthetics
The aesthetic physiotherapist from SP also assesses the financial side. “The financial return is guaranteed even though physiotherapists are professionals with more limitations within aesthetics and dermatofunctional work.”
And she adds: “it's important to know that this is a field that is growing a lot and is in high demand. So, it's up to us physiotherapists to go after our rights and start practicing a field that we already master so well.”
Besides the financial return, there are other advantages. “My whole life I worked with pain. And today I see that it is very rewarding to give a person back their self-esteem. The person comes to you not looking for something frivolous, but for a change in self-esteem.”
Another story to inspire you
Elisângela Cardoso is also a physiotherapist and also saw in aesthetics the chance to reach even higher levels in her profession. She is from Minas Gerais and became a specialist in the market, where she had been working since 1998.
“I had children very young and needed a field that offered flexibility with my schedule, and in that respect being self-employed was important too.” Learn Elisângela's story, who started the Postgraduate Program in Aesthetic Health in 2015 and today is reaping the rewards.
Success Stories>Dermatofunctional Physiotherapy|Success Stories>Aesthetic HealthIrving Malaguti
NEPUGA content team — Núcleo de Especializações Ana Carolina Puga.
