BEYOND THE mirror

Deputy Editor Kezia Parkins speaks to Dr Olha Vorodyukhina about the formative years that shaped her holistic approach to aesthetics, her passion for education and training, and her patient-focused podcast and book, Beyond the Mirror.

Growing up on a farm in Ukraine with her grandfather, Dr Olha Vorodyukhina’s childhood was defined by G nature, wellness, and an early exposure to holistic living, long before it became a modern trend.

“This is how I was brought up. I had a very different childhood,” says Dr Vorodyukhina, now a dentist and aesthetic practitioner based in Nottinghamshire.

“I grew up on the farm with my grandfather, eating organically grown fruit and vegetables. From early morning to late evening, we were outdoors, swimming in open water. No TV, no cartoons,” she recalls.

Her grandfather practised yoga and took regular cold plunges -lifestyle choices considered eccentric at the time. “As a teenager, I didn’t think any of it was particularly cool,” she laughs. “But looking back, I realise how far ahead of his time he was.”

Now a mother of three, Dr Vorodyukhina sees those early lessons in natural healing and resilience as central to her approach in both life and clinical practice. “I hardly had medicine as a child. If I had a cold, it was herbal teas or tinctures. And they worked exceptionally well.”

In today’s wellness-conscious era, such holistic roots are more relevant than ever. Especially in the aesthetics space. “Looking at overall health has become such an important part of aesthetic medicine,” she says. “Without good internal health, it’s difficult to achieve long-lasting, great results externally. Our skin often reflects what’s going on inside the body, whether it’s gut health, cardiovascular issues or poor mental health.”

As a dentist, Dr Vorodyukhina brings a strong understanding of systemic health into her aesthetics work. “We learn early on about the impact of things like sugar, not just on teeth, but on ageing, skin quality, and inflammation. That crossover is incredibly valuable.”

Dr Vorodyukhina recording an episode of Beyond the Mirror with Evolus UK GM Suse Alexander

A JOURNEY TO THE UK

Remarkably, Dr Vorodyukhina graduated from dental school in Ukraine at just 21, embarking on a successful career in general dentistry. But she was still curious about other areas of medicine, like dermatology.

At 25, she relocated to the UK, where she initially worked as a dental assistant while completing the necessary qualifications to register with the General Dental Council. It was during this time that she met her husband, a doctor who had recently trained in aesthetic injectables.

“I watched him work, helped manage the business, and realised aesthetics was a path I wanted to pursue. I had the benefit of understanding both the clinical and the business sides before I even started practising.”

Once she qualified to practise dentistry in the UK, her husband returned to his medical career, and Dr Vorodyukhina took over the aesthetic client base they had built together. Within a few years, they opened their first clinic, Angels Twelve, in Nottinghamshire.

STAYING ROOTED IN DENTISTRY

Though she’s now firmly established in the aesthetics field, Dr Vorodyukhina has never turned her back on her dental roots.

“Dentistry gave me the solid foundation to become a thorough and detail-oriented aesthetic practitioner. That’s why I can’t walk away from it completely.”

Today, she maintains a small but meaningful presence in dentistry, practising one day a week, an ideal balance that allows her to keep her skills sharp.

“Dentists have a natural understanding of facial harmony. We learn to assess occlusion, facial proportions, angles, and age-related volume loss - all essential for achieving natural, balanced aesthetic results.”

Dr Vorodyukhina with her Angels Twelve team

THE ANGELS TWELVE APPROACH

Angels Twelve now operates across two sites in Nottinghamshire - one a dedicated aesthetic clinic, the other a combined space with a beauty salon on the ground floor and medical aesthetics on the upper levels. Both are CQC registered.

While such a setup may not suit every practitioner, Dr Vorodyukhina believes in the power of collaboration. “I have huge respect for beauty professionals and hairdressers. They’re often the first to notice when a client wants to make a change, and

many of my best patients came through their recommendations.” She also encourages her team to try the treatments they offer, not just for internal marketing but to enhance their own understanding.

“It’s important to believe in what we do. We only introduce a product if we’ve tested and loved it ourselves. Whether it’s injectables or skincare, we want to know it works before recommending it to patients.”

This philosophy is particularly crucial when introducing regenerative treatments or working with a new brand. “We test, track and assess results over time to ensure new offerings genuinely outperform our existing solutions,” she explains.

“When working with a brand, we want to understand, learn and know the product inside out - so the support that a brand offers is incredibly important. It’s no secret that I was one of the first adopters of Evolus’ Nuceiva in the UK, and for that, I had to have complete trust in the company and receive the right support and education. Then we tried and tested and gradually introduced it.”

PASSION FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Alongside her busy clinical commitments, Dr Vorodyukhina is also a highly respected trainer for Cosmetic Courses and shares her knowledge on international stages as a KOL. With over a decade of hands-on experience, education and ongoing professional development sit at the core of Dr Vorodyukhina’s ethos. Not just for herself, but for the next generation of aesthetic practitioners she helps to mentor.

Reflecting on her own start in aesthetics, she is refreshingly candid. “I began with a one-day course,” she says, “and it’s not something I would ever recommend now.”

Dr Vorodyukhina in her element whilst training

She has long since refined and expanded her knowledge through continual structured education, culminating in her attainment of a Level 7 qualification in aesthetic medicine.

Now, as an established educator and trainer, Dr Vorodyukhina is passionate about helping others avoid the pitfalls of inadequate training. For her, the right foundation is everything. “If I were starting again today, I would begin with a Level 7 without a doubt,” she says. “The quality of your training will shape your career, clinical confidence and your ability to build a sustainable, safe practice.”

She urges clinicians to look beyond technique alone. “While a good trainer can teach procedures, a great mentor will support you in developing all aspects of your practice, she says. “To run a successful clinic, you need more than just hands-on skills. You need to understand the full patient journey, ethical and effective communication, precise treatment planning, and the business side too.”

Coming from an NHS background herself, Dr Vorodyukhina understands that many clinicians enter aesthetics without any formal business training. This is something she addresses head-on in her mentoring work. “It’s often the missing piece,” she explains. “But good results aren’t just clinical, they come from bringing together all parts of the puzzle.”

Her advice to new practitioners is clear: invest in education, seek mentorship, and choose a training provider with both a strong reputation and real-world expertise. “This is a rapidly evolving industry,” she says. “And staying on top of your game as a clinician means being committed to learning… always.”

Dr Vorodyukhina (right) and practice manager and co-author Jean Bertram (left)

THE POWER OF PATIENT STORIES

For Dr Olha Vorodyukhina, aesthetics is about far more than surface-level transformation. While physical results matter, she believes that the true success of a treatment is reflected in how a patient feels.

At the heart of her practice is a deep respect for the patient’s emotional experience. Rather than seeking testimonials or images as a marketing afterthought, Dr Vorodyukhina nurtures a culture where stories emerge naturally from trust.

Beyond the Mirror, the book and podcast she released with practice manager and co-author Jean Bertram, is a testament to this.

Bertram, 66, was first a patient of Dr Vorodyukhina and was blown away with her results and how they transformed her confidence. So much so that she offered to work at the newly opened clinic back in 2017. The partnership quickly evolved into something deeper.

“She is amazing and believes wholeheartedly in what we offer and what wellness and aesthetics can do for people.”

Spurred on by each other’s passion, the duo decided to write a book to help patients choose the right treatments and clinics and to help doctors better understand and serve their patients.

Beyond the Mirror, the book features real-life case studies, including the treatment the patients originally sought, behind-the-scenes advice and consultancy from Dr Vorodyunkhina and Bertram. Bertram is also a case study in the book.

In 2023, Bertram shared her story and the results Dr Vorodyukhina helped her achieve with The Express. It got an incredible response, and it gave them the appetite to share more.

Their podcast is a blend of conversations between doctors, beauty and wellness professionals and most importantly, patients.

“Patients have the right to determine the trends and the future of aesthetics and how the sector is moving. Not just celebrities and doctors.”