An It Girl Doctor? Amanda Kahn Weighs In On Everything From Botox To Ozempic

New York certainly is not wanting for concierge doctors. After all, this is a city of busy people with places to go and work to do. But a concierge doctor who's as often seen in gowns as she is in scrubs?

Upper East Side native Amanda Kahn is the It Girl go-to when it comes to everything from standard check-ups and sick day questions to all the most cutting edge aesthetic procedures on the market. 

Radiofrequency skin tightening or Kybella injections, anyone?

You specialize in weight management, longevity and anti-aging - does everyone just constantly bombard you with questions at parties?
I love giving advice (albeit, informal) to anyone who will listen! I am passionate about innovative topics and love to discuss with people who may not know about these relatively new fields.

What drew you into that field specifically?
I am a very classically trained primary care physician, but I was dismayed that we were not always taught to look at patients holistically. I try to integrate cutting edge treatments with the basics of care, particularly in the newer frontiers of anti-aging and longevity medicine. With the right personalized care, patients can feel and look better with age, which is invaluable.

What's the number one treatment patients are asking about these days?
Radiofrequency microneedling (such as morpheus 8) for the body! Many patients seek this for their face, but I worry about fat pad loss causing people to look older. We do, however, welcome fat loss on the body. I love that morpheus 8 on deep settings on the body can melt fat while tightening skin. It is also helpful for cellulite!

Which New York neighborhood do you reckon has had the most work done?
Tweakments are ubiquitous. My office is on the upper east side, which is certainly in an epicenter of aesthetics, however many downtown New Yorkers are high utilizers of dermatologists, plastic surgeons and other aesthetic providers.

As a big beauty fan, what's your nightly routine look like?
My nightly routine is very much centered around soothing my easily irritated skin, while still using actives with anti-aging benefits. I have sensitive skin, so I always cleanse with Bioderma micellar water with organic Sheisedo cotton pads. I tone with Blue Mercury’s M-61 soothing toner with arnica and centella.  I apply plated exosome serum followed by Kajer Weis beautiful hydration serum.  I then apply a new prescription peptide therapy with cooper called GHK-Cu. It is compounded for me and has been shown to work better than retinol at building collagen and skin elasticity with less irritation. After my serums, I use Augustinus Bader Rich Cream to lock in moisture. Every other night I'll apply Altreeno prescription retinoid. About once a week I’ll start with Blue Mercury’s power glow peel, which is exfoliating without sensitizing my skin.

Are there any treatments you personally wouldn't want to try?
There are some anti-aging protocols that are very "out there." For example, I am wary of ozone dialysis of the bloodstream, touted as a detoxification treatment. It sounds invasive and intense.
I would also never get morpheus 8 on my cheeks, because I want to preserve the youthful fat pads there.

What are your thoughts on the rise in popularity of Ozempic and Wegovy?
I started prescribing these GLP-1 medications several years as part of my primary care practice at Penn, long before they were on-label with the FDA and before they exploded in popularity. It was gratifying to finally ofer safe and effective medical solutions for obese and overweight patients, many of whom were able to transform their lives and become healthier without surgery in a matter of months. After the whole 'ozempic craze,' I still think they are valuable medications. In longevity medicine, we are using them in micro-doses to decrease whole body inflammation, reduce pain, cut alcohol craving and help with binge eating disorders.

Is there an ideal age to start botox preventively?
I started botox in my mid 20s in my 11s. I was constatnty frowning and squinting while studying. I think preventing dynamic wrinkles with small amounts of botox as soon as they are recognized is much easier than trying to fix them later.

It seems like everyone is dissolving their fillers these days. Do you think the overly touched aesthetic is toning down?
Yes, I do in general think that people are dissolving softer filler that can migrate and cause an unwanted pillowy appearance. While I do not practice facial aesthetics, I am a fan of higher consistency filler that and mimic age related bone loss and provide an optimized bone scaffold for skin.

What's your favorite non-surgical body contouring method to use?
I use radiofreuqency and various energy modalities to burn fat and increase collagen and elastin in the skin. I also use injectable enyzymes that break down fat (brand name kybella) which can treat weight loss resistant pockets and tighten the skin while the immune system sweeps away fat. I typically supplement these treatments with injectable vitamins and essential amnio acids like methonine, inositol, choline and l-carnatine which has a synergistic effect for destroying fat.

At home red and blue light therapy masks - are those legit?
I am optimistic yet cautious. I think photobiomodulation is great in theory for fine line, wrinkles and acne, however I am not sure that the home devices can deliver on these promises. The evidence is based on small studies and I am excited to see where this technology will go.

What's the closest cream or serum you've found to the fountain of youth?
GHK-CU prescription peptide serum - studies have shown that this potent peptide can increase collage production more than retinol, reducing fine lines and improving overall skin health. This promising peptide has also been studied with wound healing and reducing scar formation.
I also love injectable prescription antioxidants like glutathione and NAD, a key helper molecule for cellular functioning, often touted as the shot of youth. These supplements support vitality, energy, improved cognition and skin radiance.

Of all the cult favorite workouts in the city, which ones do you think are the most effective?
I am a die-hard Tracy Anderson fan! I have never felt stronger, more flexible and grounded in my body

What are you most excited for next?
I am exicted for longevity medicine pricinples and treatments to become more accessible to all patients. I continue to encourage my patients to have more agency and advocate for themselves within healthcare, to ensure that they live and age well.

[Photos courtesy Dr. Amanda Kahn]