INTERVIEW WITH DR. FANNY POIROT

Dr. fanny Poirot

Dr. Fanny Poirot is a general practitioner and aesthetic physician. Her career has been shaped by a deeply held conviction: medicine is not solely about treating disease, but above all about supporting the individual.

Her vocation emerged early from her family experience. During her undergraduate clinical training, she completed a university diploma in neurogenetics, graduating at the top of her class, motivated by a desire to better understand her younger brother’s condition and disability. This experience provided scientific answers, but above all reinforced one certainty: while science helps us understand disease, human connection gives medicine its full meaning.

She subsequently chose general practice before working in emergency medicine and then supportive oncology care. These years profoundly shaped her practice and her understanding of patients. They taught her that every consultation involves a personal history, emotions, vulnerabilities, and expectations that deserve to be heard.

Today, her practice focuses primarily on aesthetic and restorative medicine at Centre Médical Pasteur, where she is the founder and Medical Director.

With qualifications in injection techniques, physical treatment modalities, and anti-aging medicine, she teaches in several university diploma programs and regularly speaks at national and international conferences.

Her areas of interest include regenerative medicine, energy-based devices, skin aging, prevention, and the psychological impact of body image.

She has notably conducted research into the physical and psychological aspects of hyaluronic acid injections in patients with cancer or a history of cancer, reflecting her commitment to combining innovation, scientific rigor, and improved quality of life.

In 2026, she joined the scientific committee of the French Society of Aesthetic Medicine (SFME).

Within the society, she advocates for rigorous, ethical, and deeply human-centered aesthetic medicine, in which innovation is meaningful only when it genuinely improves patients’ lives.

Behind a career in aesthetic medicine, there is often a deeply personal perspective on care and the patient relationship. What experiences shaped your commitment to this discipline?

I believe my journey began long before medical school. I grew up with a younger brother with a disability. From an early age, I encountered illness, the questions it raises, and the helplessness you can feel when you love someone without understanding what is happening to them. Looking back, I think that is where my vocation began.

During my undergraduate clinical training, I chose to complete a university diploma in neurogenetics, and I was fortunate enough to graduate at the top of my class. Deep down, I was not simply seeking a qualification; I was seeking answers. Understanding my brother’s condition meant a great deal to me, but above all, that experience taught me something essential: what fascinated me was not only the disease itself, but also the experience of the people living with it.

I then chose general practice, followed by emergency medicine and, finally, supportive oncology care. These experiences profoundly shaped the physician I am today. They taught me that we never treat a condition alone. Behind every consultation, there is a personal history, a family, emotions, fears, plans, and sometimes invisible wounds.

Ultimately, turning to aesthetic medicine felt entirely natural.

Contrary to certain misconceptions, I do not view it as medicine focused on appearance, but as medicine focused on quality of life. I have seen patients who no longer recognized themselves after an illness, a major life event, or simply the passage of time. Restoring an appearance that reflects their sense of self can contribute to their recovery.

This also led me to conduct research into the physical and psychological aspects of hyaluronic acid injections in patients with cancer or a history of cancer. I wanted to bring a scientific perspective to a subject surrounded by misconceptions, while emphasizing that behind every treatment is, first and foremost, a person seeking to regain self-confidence.

Today, when I see a patient, I never look at a face alone. I meet a person with their own story. And I believe that is what I love most about my work.

This year, you are joining the SFME congress scientific committee for the first time as a scientific advisor. What does this appointment mean to you, and what responsibilities do you hope to take on in this strategic role?

My first feeling was one of profound gratitude.

Beyond the appointment itself, what matters most is that my colleagues placed their trust in me by choosing me to join the scientific committee.

I also see it as symbolic of a new generation of aesthetic physicians bringing different backgrounds, a more comprehensive approach to patients, and an increasing emphasis on prevention, regenerative medicine, and quality of life.

I am also pleased to see more and more women becoming involved in our discipline, teaching, conducting research, and taking on responsibilities within scientific societies. This development truly enriches our field.

What I hope to bring to the scientific committee is the perspective of a practicing clinician. I continue to see patients every day and to teach with the same enthusiasm.

Whenever I encounter an innovation, I always ask the same question: will this genuinely benefit our patients? If the answer is yes, then it deserves to be shared and taught.

The 46th SFME congress promises a particularly rich program of innovation and interdisciplinary exchange. What do you see as the major highlights and new developments that participants should not miss?

This edition perfectly reflects the current evolution of our specialty.

Participants will find the core topics that underpin the SFME’s strength, alongside subjects that are already shaping the future of aesthetic medicine: regenerative medicine, energy-based devices, medical imaging, anti-aging medicine, complication management, and new approaches to anatomy.

I also appreciate the diversity of the speakers. Exchanges among dermatologists, plastic surgeons, aesthetic physicians, and other specialists are always exceptionally enriching. This interdisciplinarity enables us to advance collectively and improve our practices.

This year, the scientific committee sought to strengthen the congress’s practical and educational dimensions. How were these new approaches designed to address practitioners’ day-to-day needs?

We wanted a congress that would be useful.

Practitioners naturally value scientific evidence, but they also want to leave with concrete answers to the situations they encounter every day in their practices.

That is why we expanded the use of clinical cases, anatomy videos, practical demonstrations, and shared clinical experience.

Our objective is simple: for everyone to return home with knowledge they can apply directly in their practice.

Skin regeneration has become one of the major topics in contemporary aesthetic medicine. How do you think this approach is transforming current practice?

I believe we are experiencing a genuine paradigm shift. We are no longer seeking only to correct the visible effects of aging. We are now trying to understand the biological mechanisms that drive it, so that we can support tissues’ natural capacity to regenerate.

This perspective closely reflects my understanding of medicine: preserving before repairing whenever possible. Patients today seek natural, gradual, and lasting results. This evolution encourages an increasingly individualized approach.

Collaborations with international scientific societies are receiving particular emphasis this year. Why are they so important?

Aesthetic medicine is evolving worldwide, and no one has all the answers.

These collaborations allow us to compare our practices, share our experiences, and sometimes question established habits. This is how medicine advances.

Beyond their scientific value, they remind us that, regardless of our country or specialty, we all pursue the same objective: providing the best possible care for our patients.

Complication management remains a central concern in aesthetic medicine. What three fundamental recommendations would you give to young physicians?

The first would be to remain humble. Aesthetic medicine is a fascinating but demanding discipline. We must continue learning throughout our careers.

The second is to develop a thorough knowledge of anatomy. It is our strongest tool for prevention.

Finally, I would tell them never to manage these situations alone. A complication is not a failure; it is a medical situation that must be recognized promptly, managed systematically, and, when necessary, discussed with more experienced colleagues.

My experience in emergency medicine taught me that it is always better to seek advice once too often than once too late.

I would finish with one further recommendation: always be honest with your patients. Trust is built through transparency, including when things do not go as planned.

Conclusion

If I had to summarize my career in one sentence, I would say that I have never changed my profession. I have always wanted to understand, support, and care for others. Aesthetic medicine is simply another way of doing so. It is not about pursuing unattainable perfection, but about helping each person feel better, age with confidence, and remain in harmony with themselves.

It is this deeply human-centered vision of our specialty that I now wish to champion within the SFME.