The start of a new year always comes along with nostalgia and reflection of our past. We’re astounded by the growth we’ve achieved over the last several years and all the changes that have taken place since we first started—all the way back in 1996. Let’s take a look at how we became the Medical, Laser & Aesthetic Center we are today.
In July of 1996, Dr. Maria Al-Basha, Board-Certified Dermatologist, left Brookside Medical Group as it closed and instead opened her own clinic at the Edgebrook Shopping Center. The business began in the very spot it is today, on the 3rd floor of the Edgebrook shopping center’s office building, in August of 1996. We started with just 1/3 of the floor to operate as a medical dermatology clinic. Dr. Al-Basha started with just a few exam rooms and a few chairs in her lobby.
Over the years, Dr. Al-Basha quickly increased her patient count through word of mouth and referrals from other doctors. Many of her patients were, and still are, friends and family members. Before she knew it, Dr. Al-Basha cared for patients morning and night, 6 days a week!
After almost 20 years of care, Dr. Maria was ready to open a new wing: The Laser Center. The large devices used to perform some of her aesthetic treatments needed their own space, and Doctor was in need of some extra hands to perform these highly demanded services. She began to hire laser technicians and aestheticians to offer an array of services such as laser resurfacing, exfoliation facials, tattoo removal, laser hair reduction, and more.
In 2015, our Laser Center officially opened its doors.
In 2019, Dr. Maria’s daughter, Amira Al-Basha, officially launched her services as a Certified Physician Assistant. She undertook dermatology patients as well as cosmetic patients with her array of skills in each. Previously, she worked with us as a receptionist, medical assistant, and laser technician!
The Covid-19 pandemic hit everyone in early 2020, leaving us to make modifications to the way we saw patients including masking, screening questions, social distancing, extra sterilizing and lots and LOTS of hand sanitizer! This altered the way we saw patients, as we had to follow CDC regulations and Winnebago County health recommendations. Some cosmetic treatments were halted for a period of time, but eventually, in October of 2021, the masks were removed, and all our services were back up and running in full force. We were relieved to feel some sense of normalcy in the clinic again for both our patients and our staff.
As we continued to grow, our space started to feel smaller! Botox and filler treatments were on the rise, and we needed somewhere to put all our patients’ beautiful faces. Not only had our staff grown exponentially to keep up with our patient count, but our lobby was becoming crowded. Our providers wanted to accommodate comfortable seating and space, especially as we shifted into a post-Covid world.
That’s when we were able to take over the final third of the floor to host it entirely as our own.
This next expansion was going to become our official Aesthetic Center, giving our injectables and cosmetic consultations their own home to thrive in while allowing medical services to have a focused space. This would allow us to divide our services equally: a Medical Center, Aesthetic Center, & Laser Center.
We celebrated the grand opening of our Aesthetic Center with an Open House event, which was our biggest event EVER. We welcomed both familiar and new faces, handed out custom and oh-so-yummy treats, gave away thousands of dollars of free treatments, and blabbed about all things skincare!
Today, we have a team of almost 30 associates, including receptionists, physician assistants, medical assistants, cosmetic consultants, laser technicians and more. We will continue to add to our staff to accommodate our growth and offer enhanced experiences! Every year since 2015 (the year we started to enroll), our patients have voted us at Rockford’s #1 Dermatology Clinic with Rockford Register Star. In 2023, we took the award home for the 9th year in a row–as well as Best Medical Spa, Best Facials, Best Cosmetic Center, Best Boss and more! Beyond our cosmetic upgrades, at the end of the day, it’s our providers and their work ethic who have really made us stand out. Their compassion and consistent resilience are our main attraction when seeking out where to go.
In 2024, we aim to continue bettering our business from all angles day in and out. We plan to improve our space, make more room for many of you, offer additional services, and host more events. Dr. Maria Al-Basha wants nothing but the best for her patients. She and Amira are now well-known for their family-feel approach to medical and cosmetic care, always making their patients feel at home and well-tended to. From the friendly faces who greet you at the front desk, to the listening ears who hear you out, to the visually pleasing and comfortable rooms you’ll occupy–we hope the experience within our clinic is nothing but top-notch. But most of all, our providers will continue to make your health, medical care, and results their absolute priority.
We congratulate Dr. Maria Al-Basha on all her success since opening her clinic in 1996, and cannot wait to see what else is in store to come. Here’s to a new year!