Everyone and every industry has been buzzing non-stop all year about the technical juggernaut predicted to radically change our lives forever – Machine Learning, more commonly known as Artificial Intelligence. That is, every industry other than the beautysphere. Tales of AI taking over the legal field, medicine, and even the arts, often with hilarious results, have dominated all my feeds and algos in 2025. Out of professional and personal curiosity, I sniffed out the presence of AI in contexts that shoppers and swatchers might experience in beauty and fashion retail with little to report. I figured it was a fad that died before it ever started. That’s until I experienced AURA at TREAT Med Spa.
Founded by Lindsay Malachowski, an aesthetician and 20-year veteran of the med spa field with a stint at Skinney Med spa on her CV, and other partners, TREAT Med Spa is a cut above others in the field. This NoMad beauty destination focuses on delivering medical-grade skin care with the latest, cutting-edge, scientifically proven technologies. The facial contour tightening miracle that is Sofwave, along with Cool Sculpting Elite, and TrueFlex are among the med spa’s most popular treatments, in addition to standard facial maintenance services like Laser Genesis, Microneedling, peels, and injectables.
The latest and standout addition to TREAT Med Spa’s high tech machine portfolio is the AURA, a comprehensive facial imaging solution powered by AI. They’re the only med spa in NYC leveraging this use of AI in the service of an immersive beauty experience. Not even plastic surgeons have tapped into this innovative tool for diagnosing and suggesting comprehensive approaches to complexion and contour perfection.
On a sleepy, rainy autumn afternoon, I was lucky enough to meet Linsday Malachowski, for an immersive exploration of the AURA, a complimentary service for all services. After cleansing my face of makeup to allow an unfettered view of my skin, pores, melasma and all, I placed my head on the AURA console. All it took to get started were a few snaps and light flashes. Lindsay, the perfect doll that she is, then worked her way through the AURA settings, walking me through the modules designed to detail specific skin care diagnoses and recommended treatments.
I’ve had facial imaging before – basically one-dimensional dissections to assess facial symmetry and sun damage. They were horrifying in the narrow and static scientific analysis of my face. The AURA is a step above. It harnesses precise, high-powered photography and smart technology in real time that offers before-and-after research in tandem with predictive facial analysis.
In addition to basics like symmetry and sun damage, the ultra-powerful AI cameras also assess various types of pigmentation, dermal irritation, acne, moisture levels, texture, and laxity. The AI part really pays off in the deep skin analysis needed to customize a treatment plan for a full anti-aging protocol. The various modules can measure contour vectors and simulate facial treatments to predict the impact of various treatments on pigmentation, hydration, and redness.
The latest and most gratifying add-on feature of the AURA is a filler simulator. With just a few clicks, you can see how facial contours will transform with the addition or removal of filler in the lips and cheeks. Lindsay and I had a bit of fun with this module, exaggerating and reducing my lips like Botched patient
The AURA also doubles as a dynamic medical chart. All images and stats per session are saved for post-treatment comparisons to track and quantify the progress of treatments for laxity, pores, and pigmentation. If you feel a few Sofwav treatments or peels aren’t doing the job, especially to the naked eye, AURA can give a scientific analysis more comprehensive than a skin-deep glance.
While the AURA showed my skin fared better than expected in terms of pores, texture and laxity of some areas, it pegged my greatest and most frustrating complexion challenge: hyperpigmentation. Lindsay then shared my AURA chart with an aesthetician. They both decided on a microdermabrasion followed by the Lamb Lift facial for overall radiance and an anti-aging boost that wouldn’t exacerbate my melasma.
Before we started, my aesthetician informed me that she was a licensed RN with medical experience, as are most aestheticians at TREAT Med Spa. I knew I was in good hands as she dialed up the intensity of the microdermabrasion wand. In the final step of the facial, sheep placenta – a naturally-occurring concoction of peptides and growth factors sourced from baby sheep raised in Japan, similar to the viral PDRN (Salmon Sperm) treatments – was applied to freshly exfoliated upper dermis for maximum absorption. For days after I left TREAT Med Spa, my skin and contours looked the best they had in a year of regular exfoliation, microcurrent and serious skin care.
TREAT Med Spa is running a holiday promotion of 50% of select treatments.
