Original article published in Currents - Northeast Ohio's First Social Network - Northeast Ohio women in business issue article.

Dr. Laurel A. Matthews offers much more than the latest innovative techniques in medical rejuvenation for men and women. What sets her apart is the personalized experience she provides for her patients.

“I just got a picture from one of my patients…she was in a wedding dress and looking into a mirror,” said Matthews. “She wrote, thank you for making me look beautiful for my wedding day. I enjoy having relationships with my patients. A lot of them have become my friends.”

At Dr. Laurel’s PRP Bar in Woodmere, there are no assistants or glitzy reception areas. Matthews even has a remote receptionist who hands all phone calls, which guarantees no interruptions when she is consulting or performing procedures on her patients. “By keeping my overhead down, I can bring cosmetic services to people who otherwise couldn’t afford them,” she said. “I work with two-income families, schoolteachers and single mothers.”

Matthews does have one constant companion in the office – her dog Flo. “Little Flo comes with my every day, that’s her job. People love to hold her.”

The PRP Bar also has flexible hours, tailored to fit the needs of people who are tied up at work throughout the day. Matthews works with patients from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

At the PRP Bar, Matthews works with Platelet Rich Plasma, a concentrated sample of a patient’s blood which stimulates tissue regeneration and repair and develops new blood vessels. She also utilizes PRP for hair restoration and as an anti-aging process that improves the color, clarity and strength of skin. Another one of her most popular procedures is body sculpting and she also treats sexual dysfunction in men and women.

With an extensive education background (including a law degree from Case Western Reserve University), Matthews has remained at the forefront of advancements in a rapidly changing field. “I’m a student first and a worker bee later,” she laughed. “I was recently in France and London and I will be going to South Korea in October.”

One of the most important things Matthews does is interact with patients in a one-on-one setting to make sure they are receiving the proper treatments for their specific needs. “Most women don’t want to look like caricatures,” she said. “They want to restore their faces to a natural, age-appropriate look.”

 From fellowships in surgical critical care and multiple organ transplantation to serving as an emergency room physician at the Northern Navaho Hospital in New Mexico, Matthews brings a wealth of medical knowledge to the PRP Bar.

“I’ve spent a lot of time healing bodies,” she said. “Now I feel like I’m healing souls.”