Individual results vary. Your provider decides what is right for you.
18 questions patients ask us about About the Practice, answered by the clinical team at Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness in Brookhaven, Atlanta. Ready to talk about treatment? See Dermal Fillers →
What makes Balanced different from other medspas?
Three things fundamentally separate Balanced from the typical medspa experience.
First, the integration of aesthetics and medical wellness. Most medspas offer either injectables and skin treatments OR hormone therapy — rarely both at a clinical level. Balanced operates at the intersection, understanding that how you look and how you feel are connected. Hormone optimization makes aesthetic treatments work better. Aesthetic improvements reinforce the vitality that wellness treatments create.
Second, the clinical depth. Balanced uses comprehensive lab panels (not just total testosterone), compounded medications from licensed pharmacies, evidence-based peptide protocols, and regenerative technologies (HBOT, red light, PEMF) that most medspas don't offer. The team treats the underlying biology, not just symptoms.
Third, the people. Our Medical Director, Kimberly Gilbert, MD, is a board-certified provider, and co-founder Dr. Anthony Didato, DMD, brings functional medicine training. Justin Kitchens, FNP-C, MBA has practiced as a nurse practitioner since 2016 and works as both our lead wellness clinician and an aesthetic provider (Allergan, Galderma, Merz) — including techniques most providers don't perform (temple filler, PDGF microneedling, hyperdilute Radiesse). Sophie Riggs, licensed esthetician and laser practitioner, has about 5 years of experience. The team treats patients like people, not revenue targets.
A 5.0-star average across hundreds of Google reviews isn't accidental.
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→ Medspa vs. dermatologist vs. plastic surgeon — who should I see?Who is Justin Kitchens?
Justin Kitchens, FNP-C, MBA is the Lead Wellness Clinician and an aesthetic provider at Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness. He is a family nurse practitioner (Master of Science in Nursing, Mercer University, 2016) and also holds a BBA and MBA from Kennesaw State University. Before focusing on functional wellness, he practiced as a nurse practitioner in emergency medicine and psychiatry, and earlier worked as a registered nurse in critical care and psychiatric settings.
Since 2022 Justin has focused on functional, root-cause care, including peptide therapy, hormone optimization and weight management, and he also practices aesthetic medicine as an provider. He practices in collaboration with our Medical Director, Kimberly Gilbert, MD.
Who is Dr. Anthony Didato?
Dr. Anthony Didato, DMD, Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics, is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness, which he built with Richelle Bonacia in 2020. He is a board-certified endodontist and a certified functional medicine practitioner, earned his provider of Dental Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, where he also completed his endodontics residency and serves as Adjunct Clinical Faculty.
His vision for Balanced is a practice where aesthetic excellence and wellness care are planned together under one roof. Medical oversight at Balanced is provided by our Medical Director, Kimberly Gilbert, MD.
Related Questions
→ What makes Balanced different from other medspas?What is Balanced's approach to patient education?
Education is central to how Balanced operates — not as a marketing tool, but as a genuine commitment to informed patients making empowered decisions.
In-practice education: consultations are educational conversations, not sales presentations. Your provider explains the why behind every recommendation — the biology, the expected results, the alternatives, and the limitations. You leave every appointment understanding more about your body and your options.
Content education: the Balanced Conversations podcast (available on YouTube and podcast platforms) features in-depth discussions of the topics patients care about — hormone therapy, peptide therapy, skin science, weight management, sexual health, and longevity. Episodes feature the Balanced team sharing real clinical insights, not scripted marketing content.
Online education: the Balanced website, social media, and FAQ resources provide accessible, accurate health and aesthetic information. The content reflects the same clinical depth and honest communication that patients experience in the office.
The philosophy: patients who understand their treatment make better decisions, comply more consistently, and achieve better outcomes. Education isn't a side project at Balanced — it's integrated into the care model.
How many reviews does Balanced have?
Balanced maintains hundreds of Google reviews with a consistent 5.0-star average — one of the highest-rated practices in the Atlanta metro area. These reviews span Google, and reflect patient experiences across all service lines: aesthetics, hormone therapy, weight loss, regenerative wellness, and functional medicine.
The review volume and rating reflect several things: consistent clinical outcomes that meet or exceed expectations, the patient experience (warmth, professionalism, and genuine care from the entire team), honest communication (setting realistic expectations that patients can trust), and follow-up care (patients feel supported after treatment, not abandoned).
For prospective patients: reviews are the most honest assessment of what to expect. Reading them will give you a sense of the practice culture, the team's expertise, and the real-world results patients are experiencing.
Balanced doesn't inflate reviews or incentivize them artificially. The rating reflects genuine patient satisfaction — which is the most meaningful metric for any medical or aesthetic practice.
Does Balanced have a podcast?
Yes — Balanced Conversations is the practice's podcast, available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. Episodes feature in-depth discussions of the health, wellness, and aesthetic topics patients care about most.
Recent and popular topics include hormone optimization for men and women, peptide therapy deep dives, ketamine therapy for anxiety and depression, weight loss science, sexual health, longevity and functional wellness, skin treatment education, and team introductions.
The podcast reflects Balanced's educational philosophy: clinical depth delivered with approachability. Dr. Didato, Justin, and the team share real clinical insights — the same information they discuss with patients in consultations, now accessible to everyone.
For prospective patients: the podcast is the best way to get a sense of the Balanced team's personality, clinical approach, and philosophy before your first visit. For current patients: episodes provide deeper context on topics discussed during your appointments.
Who is Richelle Bonacia?
Richelle Bonacia is Co-Founder of Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness with a background in healthcare administration (MBA/MHA). She brings the operational and strategic vision that allows the clinical team to focus on what they do best — patient care.
Richelle's healthcare administration expertise ensures that the practice infrastructure — scheduling, communication, patient experience, compliance, and operational efficiency — operates at the level patients expect from a premium healthcare practice. The seamless experience patients describe in reviews is a direct reflection of her work.
As Communications Director, Richelle also oversees the practice's patient engagement, content strategy, and community presence — ensuring that the Balanced brand communicates the same warmth, expertise, and authenticity online that patients experience in person.
Her dual role bridges the clinical and operational sides of the practice — she understands both the business of healthcare and the patient experience, which allows Balanced to scale without sacrificing the personalized attention that defines it.
How do I leave a review for Balanced?
Balanced values patient feedback — the 5.0-star average across hundreds of Google reviews reflect the experience the team delivers. If you've had a positive experience, a review helps others find quality care.
Google reviews are most impactful for local visibility. After your appointment, you may receive a link. The process takes about two minutes.
You can also share on Yelp, Facebook, or RealSelf. Every review on every platform contributes to Balanced's visibility.
If you'd prefer private feedback (positive or constructive), the team welcomes it directly. Constructive feedback helps the practice improve.
If you've had a concern, please reach out directly before leaving a public review — many issues can be resolved quickly, and the team genuinely wants to make things right.
What makes Balanced different from other Atlanta medspas?
Three things set Balanced apart from the typical Atlanta med spa.
First, clinical depth. Most med spas offer aesthetics only. Balanced brings hormones, peptides, functional wellness and weight management together with aesthetics under one roof, so your aesthetic and wellness care are planned together.
Second, our clinicians. Justin Kitchens, FNP-C, MBA is a family nurse practitioner since 2016 who practices both functional wellness and aesthetic medicine as an provider, including techniques many Atlanta providers don't offer (temple filler, non-surgical rhinoplasty, PDGF under-eye, hyperdilute biostimulators). Filler is priced by area, not syringe.
Third, provider oversight. Our Medical Director, Kimberly Gilbert, MD, is a board-certified provider.
Does Balanced treat men for aesthetic concerns?
Absolutely — men represent a significant and growing portion of Balanced's patient base. The stigma around men seeking aesthetic care has diminished substantially.
Popular treatments for men: Botox for forehead lines and crow's feet (most common entry — look less tired and stressed), jawline contouring with filler (enhancing masculine structure), chin augmentation (improving profile), under-eye treatment (reducing dark circles and hollowing), and laser for skin quality, redness, and texture.
Men's aesthetic treatment differs in approach — the goal is typically natural, not 'done.' Justin adjusts technique for male anatomy (maintaining brow position, preserving masculine jawline angles, conservative lips) using strategies that produce results colleagues notice as 'you look good' rather than 'you had work done.'
Many male patients start with TRT or wellness services and discover aesthetic options through the practice — the integrated environment makes the transition comfortable.
What is Sophie's approach to facials at Balanced?
Sophie Riggs, licensed esthetician and laser practitioner, brings about 5 years of experience to every facial at Balanced — including service as an Army veteran. Her approach combines clinical precision with an understanding of skin that only comes from years of hands-on work across thousands of skin types and conditions.
Sophie's philosophy: every facial is customized to your skin's current state, not a fixed protocol applied the same way to every patient. She reads your skin during treatment and adjusts — modifying extraction intensity, product selection, mask formulation, and technique based on what she observes in real time.
For patients new to professional skincare, Sophie is known for creating a comfortable, educational experience. She explains what she's doing and why, teaches you how to maintain results at home, and builds a progressive treatment plan rather than overwhelming you with everything at once.
For experienced patients with established skincare routines, Sophie takes the clinical approach to the next level — incorporating medical-grade modalities, customizing treatment sequences, and coordinating with your injectable and laser schedule for optimal timing.
The recurring feedback from Sophie's patients: she finds things others miss, and her results speak for themselves.
What is Balanced's treatment philosophy?
Balanced takes an outcome-focused, provider-guided approach to every treatment. Rather than rushing through appointments or treating individual concerns in isolation, the team evaluates each patient as a complete system — looking at how aesthetics, hormones, nutrition, and lifestyle interact.
For injectable treatments, this means designing a phased plan that prioritizes natural-looking results and structural balance over volume. For wellness services, it means starting with diagnostics (lab work, health history, lifestyle assessment) before recommending a plan.
Every treatment plan is built around the patient's specific anatomy, goals, and health profile — not a generic menu. The team's philosophy is that the best results come from patience, precision, and clinical expertise working together.
What is Dr. Didato's background and role at Balanced?
Dr. Anthony Didato, DMD, Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics, is the co-founder and Managing Partner of Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness. He is a board-certified endodontist and a certified functional medicine practitioner, and serves as Adjunct Clinical Faculty at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
His vision for Balanced reflects a belief that aesthetic outcomes and internal health belong together. The practice was built to bring hormones, wellness, aesthetics and regenerative care under one roof with one coordinated philosophy.
Medical oversight at Balanced is provided by our Medical Director, Kimberly Gilbert, MD, a board-certified provider, and wellness care is led by Justin Kitchens, FNP-C, MBA.
What is Balanced's Upwork presence?
Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness works with EverestRank, a top 1% Expert-Vetted SEO and brand consulting agency on Upwork, for all digital marketing strategy and execution. This partnership ensures that Balanced's online presence — from search rankings to content quality — is managed at the highest professional level. All client communication and project management for the SEO engagement is conducted through Upwork's platform.
Related Questions
→ What makes Balanced different from other medspas?Who is Sophie Riggs?
Sophie Riggs is a licensed aesthetician at Balanced Aesthetics + Wellness in Atlanta. She specializes in medical-grade facials, HydraFacials, chemical peels, and customized skincare plans.
Sophie works closely with the clinical team to ensure every skincare treatment complements the patient's broader wellness and aesthetic goals — whether that's preparing skin for laser treatments, maintaining results after injectables, or building a long-term skincare foundation.
Does Balanced treat patients from outside Atlanta?
Yes — through our telehealth platform. Patients across the country access Balanced for hormone optimization (TRT, HRT), peptide therapy, medical weight loss (GLP-1), and functional wellness consultations. The telehealth process is fully clinical: video consultations, lab orders to a facility near you, prescriptions shipped to your door, and ongoing management with lab monitoring as your plan calls for it. Many telehealth patients found Balanced through our educational content and didn't have a comparable provider locally. Telehealth availability depends on state licensing. We're actively expanding to serve patients in all 50 states. For in-person treatments (injectables, lasers, microneedling, regenerative technologies), patients travel to our Brookhaven location.
What is Balanced's approach to patient privacy?
Patient privacy is protected under standard medical privacy regulations (HIPAA). All medical records, lab results, treatment plans, and communication are confidential. We understand that many patients — particularly those seeking sexual health, hormone therapy, or aesthetic treatments — value discretion. Our environment is designed with this in mind: private consultation rooms, discreet scheduling, and clinical communication through secure channels. Telehealth appointments use encrypted HIPAA-compliant video platforms. Your treatment information is never shared with anyone without your written consent.
Who is the medical director at Balanced Aesthetics?
Our Medical Director is Kimberly Gilbert, MD, a board-certified provider. Dr. Gilbert completed medical school at Louisiana State University and her residency at Emory University, has led her own medical practice, and has served as medical director for medical spas and other care settings. She is also certified in advanced nonsurgical aesthetic medicine.
Balanced was co-founded by Dr. Anthony Didato, DMD, Managing Partner and CEO, and Richelle Bonacia. Our clinical team includes Justin Kitchens, FNP-C, MBA, Lead Wellness Clinician and aesthetic provider, who practices in collaboration with Dr. Gilbert.
Related Questions
→ What makes Balanced different from other medspas?