MEDI: SUCCESS STORY

Success Story

Alex Pike is one of Australia’s best known cosmetic nurses. Nadine Dilong chats to the model and injector about her career journey.

How did you start out in the aesthetics industry?

was 21 years working at Cabrini Hospital in the year 2000 as a Registered Nurse Division 2, and I was an employee/casual on the Nurse bank staff. I would kept getting rostered onto the Plastic Surgery Ward, and I absolutely loved Plastic Surgery nursing. Abdominoplasty, Facelifts, Blepheroplasty, Rhinoplasty – the surgical work was of a very high standard. I felt like I had found my place in nursing, almost my calling. I was also at this time working as a part-time model in Melbourne; aesthetics and appearance had always been at the forefront of the fashion world, too.

Cosmetic nurse, clinic owner, and model Alex Pike

I stayed working at Cabrini for a three-year period whilst I was finishing my Bachelor Degree in nursing. Just before I was to be married, one of the Plastic Surgeons at Cabrini mentioned to me that he felt I should have my Glabellar treated for my “big day”. The anti-wrinkle treatment was very successful, I was vey impressed by the results and fascinated by the possibilities of non-surgical treatment. I also all of a sudden had a slight edge on other models as my skin was improved and I looked fresh.

After graduation I had made the decision to try and find a way to be trained in injectables. I applied for a nursing position in 2003 with a Cosmetic Surgeon in Melbourne and was trained in all anti-wrinkle treatments. I stayed here for one year and in 2004 I got my dream job with world renowned Plastic Surgeon Dr Bryan Mendelson.

Do you think every nurse should train under a Plastic Surgeon?

I believe the advantage I had working for Dr Mendelson was being exposed to excellence. Everything in his practice was about the attention to details; the tone, the aromas of fresh cut flowers. I can say with all honesty that my experience in his practice shaped my whole career.

I had previously had nearly four years' experience in Plastic Surgery nursing before I even picked up a needle and I was most certainly up for the challenge. I have a great understanding of Plastic Surgery procedures and firmly believe surgery has its place. Non-surgical options are wonderful, yet they can be limiting. I think my understanding of aesthetics as a ‘whole picture’ and not just a small frame has allowed me to excel in my work. I believe having clinical experience in a hospital setting or day surgery setting is very beneficial for nurses and would only enhance them as injectors.

I believe having clinical experience in a hospital setting or day surgery setting is very beneficial for nurses and would only enhance them as injectors.

When did you open your first clinic and what was that experience like? I opened my first clinic in 2011. I started with three vials of anti-wrinkle injections and a telephone. There were some quiet days. I would cold call people, do letter drops. My business partner at the time did not have much faith it would last. As a model I have always been exposed to marketing so I began my Instagram account, had a good website made. I also had some polished TVC’s made in Melbourne and began a campaign marketing the clinic to surrounding regions like Wagga, Wangaratta and all of a sudden word began to spread and revenue increased. I attended every educational opportunity, conference, I travelled far and wide to learn from the best. My second clinic opened in Toorak, Melbourne in 2017.

How has the job of a Cosmetic Nurse changed within the last 10 years?

It has changed as Cosmetic Nurses are now business owners. This is a path very different to clinical training. I joined a Business Syndicate in the United States in 2019 and learned a new skill set, which has very much been a positive in running the business. It has also changed because the products we are working with are more advanced. The techniques have improved and we have so much more education.

Do you feel the need to compete with other nurses?

Every industry has competition. I think it’s healthy. I really like to mentor younger nurses. I recently mentored a young nurse from Bendigo, and helping others get better in their craft is a positive for all. We want to encourage a high standard of practice in our industry, the very reason I joined the Board of the Cosmetic Nurses Association, to help nurses have access to materials and support to ensure safety, ongoing learning and improvement.

When I started my career as a young Cosmetic Nurse in my twenties – I am 44 now – I had every door slammed in my face. I didn’t take no for an answer. I kept trying, I made my own place at the table. I approached colleagues (they didn’t know me) at conferences, I flew all over the world and knocked on the doors of clinics in London, LA, Istanbul, St Louis and asked politely for even an hour of their time to maybe pick up some nice feature in their waiting room, or hear the delicate way they are during the consultationprocess to see/hear how their reception staff talk to their patients. Learning is essential to grow. Helping others is a good motto to live by. As an industry it’s important to support each other.

Is there room for both doctor and nurse injectors in the industry?

There will always be competition within any type of business and the cosmetic industry is no exception. Research shows that only 8-10% of the Australian population currently access cosmetic injectables with this number rapidly growing each year. Without nurses, who take up 80% of the workload, there simply would not be enough injectors to meet market demand. So yes, there certainly is enough room for both doctors and nurses in the industry. Alex Pike is a registered nurse and owner of Face by Alex Pike.

facebyalexpike.com.au