We are very proud to introduce a new member to our staff. Please get to know Sandra Peculic. We are sure you’re going to love her as much as we do! She provides all services in our medical spa.
Q: Where were you prior to joining the SoCo team?
Sandra: For six years, I worked as a nurse at St. Francis Hospital on Long Island where I live. During my time at St. Francis, I learned so much about patient care. We dealt with all kinds of patients from open-heart to cancer to the flu. The hospital helped me realize how vulnerable and scared people really are no matter what they’re battling. Even if it was only for a few minutes, my goal was always to make patients smile, laugh, and forget that they were in a hospital. That’s what I want to bring to this office. I want to be able to make patients feel really comfortable and trust me with the care of their skin.
Q: What made you want to shift to the field of aesthetics?
Sandra: I became a medical aesthetician because I went through a tragic event in my own life. I lost my husband to cancer. A few months after he passed away, I decided to start taking better care of myself. I got my first facial, I changed my hair, and I got a new wardrobe and instantly started to feel better. That’s when it hit me. I realized I wanted to become an aesthetician because if I felt so happy and revitalized after just a little bit of self-care and pampering maybe I could do that for others.
Q: So sorry for your loss. Besides that event shifting your career aspirations you also created a foundation in your husband’s name.
Sandra: Yes, I’m the founder and president of the Andre Janiak Foundation, which raises awareness of colon cancer in young adults. We also run errands for people who are in treatment, which really helps them keep focused on their recovery.
Q: What do you like most about the work you do?
Sandra: I love to see a client’s reaction when they see results. I love it when my clients get up from the table and say, “I feel so clean!” To me, that’s so satisfying because it means I did my job.
Q: What will you focus on at SoCo?
Sandra: I really want to focus on teenagers because this is a rough stage in life with so many changes going on and so much social scrutiny. I know that the right skin-care regimen can really make a difference for someone with acne and other skin issues that teens struggle with.
Q: What do you include in your own skin-care regimen?
Sandra: People have always asked me how they can get their skin to look like mine. I use a milky cleanser along with a moisturizing toner, hyaluronic acid, and a moisturizer with SPF. I do peels once a month as well.
Q: What can a patient do to maintain or create healthy skin?
Sandra: SPF, SPF, SPF! Sunscreen is very important. The sun is the number one cause of any skin damage. So stay out of the sun, use good skin-care products, and hydrate. Diet and lifestyle are also important.
Q: People always talk about “diet and lifestyle,” but what does that really mean?
Sandra: My diet consists of clean eating, which is easy for me because I love cooking. I also grow my own vegetables so for 4-5 months out of the year, all of my produce comes from my backyard. I buy all of my meat and fish from a butcher and it’s high quality. I almost never fry my foods and if I do, I always use a great olive oil. I try to exercise as much as I can walking along the Cross Island or at Jones Beach. Cardio workouts and biking keep me in shape too. I love to be outdoors!
Q: Is there one moment in your life you cherish above all others?
Sandra: This one! Being hired at a dermatology office is a dream come true. It opens a new chapter in my life! I feel as though I was meant to help people in this career path because it’s something that a lot of people are not aware of. There isn’t enough education out there to give people the proper info they need to take care of their skin. People don’t even realize that the skin is our largest organ. It repairs itself and it protects us from so much. The skin is more important than people realize.
Call 203-323-5660
to work with Sandra
Find out why our aesthetic services are the best!
“Sandra Peculic has been an outstanding addition to our team. Her unique qualities lie in her impressive training, her dedication, and her love of patient care. Not only is Sandra trained as an Aesthetician, but she has the added bonus of being a Physician Assistant. This makes her exceptionally qualified to care for a patient's skin on a medical AND a cosmetic level. She has the professionalism, education, experience, and skills to not only perform services, but to also have a deep understanding of what is being done. Her skill set is truly a cut above. In addition, Sandra is compassionate, caring, and truly dedicated to helping people, which is evidenced in all she does for patients. We only hear outstanding feedback from everyone she has cared for. At SoCo, this is what we all look for: smart, skilled, and compassionate individuals with outstanding humanistic qualities. We’re thrilled that Sandra is part of our practice!”
—Robin Evans, MD