Maria graduated from University of Central Florida with her first Bachelor's Degree. She graduated with a major in Political Science and a minor in Marketing. In her younger years she aspired to work in the legal field and become a lawyer. After graduation, while studying for her Law School Admission Test, Maria was hired as a caregiver for a patient who was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. This was a pivotal point in Maria’s life giving her further direction in her career path. At this point in Maria’s life she held no formal medical experience.
Immersing herself with this patient and understanding her diagnosis and prognosis, Maria quickly discovered her passion for healthcare and medicine. Through her independent studies and research while working as a caregiver for this patient, she began to understand the disease process and the relationship this had with the quality of life. Losing voluntary control of all muscle activity - including breathing, being on a ventilator, unable to nourish independently and thus requiring a gastric tube to sustain nutritional requirements was unlike anything Maria had witnessed. This indeed was her driving force and what ignited Maria to pursue her career in Nursing. She went back to school to complete her formal studies in Nursing and graduated with her Bachelor's of Science Degree in Nursing. She then continued further studies and received her Masters of Science in Nursing at Chamberlain University in Chicago.
Maria is vested in always continuing her advanced training and has earned a variety of certifications as an Aesthetics Nurse Practitioner. She has completed advanced Botulinum Toxin and Dermal Filler training for all common and less common aesthetic and medical uses by renowned physician trainers. Additionally, Maria has completed several Cosmetic Laser Programs from top tier manufacturers and understands the pros, cons and certain skin limitations and conditions that can be presented. Maria has an in-depth understanding of both ablative and non-ablative laser procedures not just on the face, but body procedures as well. She has also completed Intensive Training Programs for Advanced Lip Filler Techniques, Collagen-Boosting Biostimulators for Facial Contouring, Precision Techniques, Complication Management, Sclerotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma for Hair Restoration and Facial Rejuvenation and Medical Weight Loss Management.
Maria’s journey to the success of aesthetic medicine stems from her training in dermatology. Maria firmly believes that a deep understanding of dermatological principles and skin health is the cornerstone of delivering exceptional aesthetic outcomes. Her dermatological foundation guides Maria in addressing skin issues such as texture, pigmentation, and elasticity, ensuring that the final aesthetic results are not just visually pleasing but also rooted in skin that is healthy and radiant.
She recognizes that a healthy canvas is essential for any successful aesthetic treatment and an in-depth knowledge of skin anatomy, functions and conditions enables her to assess and optimize the health of a patient’s skin before embarking on any aesthetic procedure. Some of the common skin conditions Maria has worked with many different people with different skin types and conditions including acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, melasma and more. The understanding of existing skin issues allows Maria to customize aesthetics treatments accordingly while minimizing potential risks and side effects.
Maria is also specialized in the treatment of Vascular Health. The fundamentals of Vascular Health has helped Maria to become a very safe and conscious aesthetic provider. When it comes to facial aesthetics, vascular health plays a significant role. The blood circulation in the face is responsible for supplying nutrients and oxygen to the area contributing to the maintenance of health and vitality.
Maria has studied how changes in vascular health can impact facial aesthetics in many ways such as bruising, capillary health, fine lines/wrinkles, skin color and tone. Maria has performed many intravenous ablations, phlebectomy and sclerotherapy procedures and thus has a deeper understanding of the anatomy of the vessels. Our patients at Galena Aesthetics are very fortunate to have her knowledge base as this is key to facial injectables. In the field of aesthetic medicine, there are many treatments that are designed to address vascular issues and improve facial aesthetics.
Maria understands that good vascular health through a healthy lifestyle, including proper nutrition, sun protection, and hydration is fundamental to supporting facial aesthetics. In your consultation with Maria, she will help identify specific vascular concerns and determine the appropriate treatment options for achieving optimal facial aesthetics outcome.
While her dermatology and vascular health backgrounds have served Maria as the bedrock of her success in the field of aesthetics, her concurrent present role in functional medicine also plays an integral component to exceptional aesthetic outcomes. Maria believes in the importance of incorporating anti-aging from within. Functional medicine takes a holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on identifying and addressing the root causes of health issues rather than just treating symptoms. This approach is valuable in aesthetics because it considers the overall health and well-being of the patient. By addressing underlying health problems, functional medicine can improve skin health and enhance the effectiveness and longevity of aesthetic treatments.
Maria also places a strong emphasis on nutrition and lifestyle factors, which are essential for maintaining healthy skin and youthful appearance. Aesthetic procedures are more effective when the patient’s overall health and nutrition support the regeneration and maintenance of healthy skin. Maria has begun her research studies and diving deeper in hormone balance and how these imbalances can affect the skin’s health and appearance. Identifying and correcting hormone imbalances has significant impacts on the skin quality. Her understanding of inflammatory conditions such as acne and eczema have made it more receptive to aesthetic treatment outcomes.
Aesthetic medicine often provides temporary improvements in appearance. By incorporating these foundations of functional medicine principles, Maria’s patients are experiencing longer-lasting results because their overall health supports the outcomes of aesthetic treatments.
The field of aesthetic medicine is ever-evolving and Maria stays at the forefront of the latest developments in aesthetic medicine. Her commitment to ongoing education and training ensures that she can offer her patients cutting-edge treatments and technologies. Maria is very passionate about her work and helping her patients achieve their personal goals to look and feel their best. With her friendly and outgoing personality, Maria’s patients feel very comfortable and confident in her care.
Maria believes the key to optimal outcome is to have clear and open communication to ensure that patient’s expectations are understood and met. Realizing that aesthetic procedures can sometimes be uncomfortable or anxiety-inducing for patients, Maria’s calm aura puts her patients at ease.
Maria states, “Communication has been a key component of my nursing career. I believe that education is an important part of patient care, and that health outcomes will improve when patients are educated and engaged in their care.” Residing and working in central Florida for many years, Maria values the diverse population and recognizes in particular the needs that result from aging. She states, “My goal is to help men and women from all walks of life meet their aesthetic goals with effective and minimally invasive treatments. I believe that individualized attention and technical innovation are key in optimal patient care.”
Maria comes from very rich cultural backgrounds. Maria has Peruvian roots and her husband is Lebanese and thus has had the wonderful privilege to embrace both cultures. Her Peruvian palette is always craving some Ceviche. She will always enjoy her mom’s Lomo Saltado dish which is a delicious stir fry dish with marinated strips of sirloin. Similarly, Maria enjoys her abuelita's spicy potato dish called Papa a la Huancaina,Arroz Zambito and Lucuma Ice Cream are her favorite Peruvian desserts.
Maria always has a special place in her heart for Lebanese dishes, especially dessert. In her recent trip to Lebanon, she was privileged to spend time with her husband’s grandmother -Teta. Teta, a busy and strong woman, always made the time to gather traditional Lebanese desserts at the family table. Teta would say, “In my family, sweets are more than just a last course to a meal - it is a time to celebrate our Lebanese culture and heritage, an opportunity to create more memories and a time to share laughter.”
Holidays and festivals celebrated by Maria include Dia de Santa Rosa de Lima, Dia de Todos los Santos and her favorite being Semana Santa. This translates to “Holy Week” and is similar to Peru’s Easter extravaganza. Celebrations are held all week long with folk dancing and traditional feasts.
Maria’s fluent Spanish-speaking skills have enabled her to facilitate and foster connections with native Spanish speakers at Galena Aesthetics. This has allowed a better understanding, perspective and values of our aesthetic patients and promotes a cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
Aside from work, Maria enjoys spending time with her dog Simba. She is an animal lover and wholeheartedly supports the ethical treatments of all animals. Maria embraces her free time doing hot yoga. Not only does this serve as relaxation and releasing of tension, but Maria finds it the perfect mental relaxation time. You will find Maria enjoying a cold-pressed Green Juice after her Yoga Sessions
Maria also loves going to the beach. And yes, she will always have her sunscreen, big hat and big shades for protection! She also loves fashion and playing her favorite card game - Uno with her family. Enjoying the outdoors and taking in fresh air is how Maria likes to spend some of her free time. She appreciates all the benefits of being in nature. You will often find her exploring the ocean on her paddle board while getting a nice workout in.
Maria is also a neat freak and dislikes chaos and cords that are not wound up nicely. Maria must have a clean kitchen counter with everything out of sight, and everything must be neat and orderly. Maria finds peace listening to Baladas in Spanish. Her all-time favorite singers are Ricardo Arjona, Pablo Alboran and Sin Bandera.
If anyone is up for a dance challenge, Maria is your girl! She loves to dance salsa, merengue, bachata and pachanga. One of her favorite songs to dance to is Te Encontre, as this was her and her husband’s first dance.
In high school Maria was found to be very involved in extracurricular activities such as swimming and waterpolo. She has held many part-time jobs throughout her high school career. One of her first jobs included working at Taco Bell. Her ability to multitask at an early age has set Maria up for success as an Aesthetics Nurse Practitioner.
Maria comes from a diverse professional family background ranging from real estate, aviation, accounting and small business ownerships. Family is very important to Maria and she is so blessed to have two parents that immigrated from Peru to America leaving behind their family and comfort to give their children a better and promising future. Maria has always admired her parents' strength for all the sacrifices they have made for their children. Her parents are very worldly and rich in embracing worldwide culture having traveled and explored all around the world including India, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain, Italy, China, Thailand and Japan.
Maria has one sibling - a younger brother who is in the finance field and has recently proposed to his beautiful fiancé. Maria recently married her longtime Lebanese boyfriend where they whisked away to get married in Paros, Greece.
She is enjoying newlywed life with her husband and hopes to explore new destinations soon as they both enjoy world travels. Her husband, a software engineer, inspires her on a daily basis with his charismatic and intelligent personality. He speaks four languages and is the most disciplined person she has come to know. She enjoys spending time at family dinners and barbecues with her Peruvian and Lebanese family.
- US., 56 years old, Winter Park, Florida
“I recently had a full facial evaluation and skin care assessment by Maria. She was so thorough and knowledgeable about the aging process and I’ve never had such an informative consultation!!! My treatment went smooth. She has a gentle hand. I was hardly bruised!! She followed up with me later in the evening and had been so attentive throughout my entire experience. Most of all, I love my results and I’m enjoying the skincare she recommended!!! I highly recommend Maria”
- Linda G., 58 years old, Orlando, Florida
“I am 58 years old and I wanted a little something but was not sure what. I never had Botox® or fillers and I was very very nervous about having anything done to my face mostly because I didn’t want to look unnatural. Maria made me feel so comfortable. She is so knowledgeable and took the time to explain facial aging and facial vectors to me. We discussed Sculptra®, Botox® and sprinkling filler into the areas where I had deficits. We started off with Sculptra® and Botox® and I am in love with my results. I am seeing her in 2 months for the rest of my treatment plan. As she explained to me - this is a journey and I am looking forward to aging gracefully with her!”
- AK., 26 years old, Winter Springs, Florida
“Two of my friends had their lips done by Maria and I was told that she was the Lip Queen! So I decided to see Maria. She was absolutely amazing and I cannot thank her enough for the attention to detail that she has put in my treatment. I am in love with my lips and I don’t need to look any further. If you are looking for a lip enhancement procedure, I highly recommend Maria!”
- Suzanne M, 32 years old, Orlando Florida
“My results were subtle but yet so impactful! I had work done to my lips somewhere else and I was not happy with the shape I received. Maria took me through a lip journey and educated me on how to make my lips more natural and balanced. She recommended I dissolve the lips and start with a fresh canvas. That’s exactly what I did with her and later gave me beautiful shaped lips! Thank you to mi amor Maria!”
- Courtney S., 41 years old, Oviedo, Florida
“The knowledge, care and commitment that she demonstrated during my treatment was clearly evident. Maria always goes above and beyond with an exceptional attention to detail. My results are so natural and my face is finally looking balanced. I’m beyond happy with my results and most of all I am so blessed to finally have found the right injector for me.”
