1276. When Skincare Trauma Becomes Emotional Trauma: How To Heal & Rebuild Confidence w/ Victoria Nelson

Hey Heal Squad! We're back with Part 2 of our conversation with Victoria Nelson—and today’s episode goes even deeper into the emotional aftermath of the skincare treatment that permanently scarred her, and the healing journey she’s still navigating every single day. Victoria opens up to Maria about being diagnosed with PTSD after the incident, and how the trauma didn’t just end when the treatment was over. She shares what it’s like living with the daily triggers, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, and the painful reality of reliving the experience every time she looks in the mirror. She also talks about how therapy helped her finally understand that trauma is trauma, and why she had to stop minimizing her own pain just because it happened in a skincare setting. But what happened after Victoria spoke out publicly may shock you even more. Her inbox quickly filled with messages from other women, influencers, and even celebrities claiming they experienced similar burns, infections, and damaging treatments from the same esthetician. The conversation expands into the bigger issues within the beauty industry—lack of transparency, hidden complaints, overtrusting “experts,” and why so many people stay silent after something goes wrong.Most importantly, Victoria shares how she finally began healing her skin after years of aggressive treatments and false promises. This episode is about so much more than skincare. It’s about trauma, trust, advocacy, boundaries, and learning how to feel safe in your body again. And ultimately, it’s a reminder that becoming the CEO of your health means listening to your instincts, asking questions, and protecting yourself—even when the person in front of you is called the “expert.” HEALERS & HEAL LINERS Trauma goes far beyond physical scars: Victoria opens up about her PTSD diagnosis, the daily emotional triggers she still lives with, and how deeply skin trauma can impact confidence, identity, and mental health. You have to advocate for yourself: One of the biggest lessons from Victoria’s journey is learning to trust your instincts, ask questions, and become the CEO of your own health, especially when something doesn’t feel right. There’s a lack of transparency in the beauty industry: After speaking out, Victoria heard from countless others with similar experiences, exposing larger concerns around provider oversight, hidden complaints, and consumer safety in the aesthetics world. HEAL SQUAD SOCIALS IG: https://www.instagram.com/healsquad/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healsquadxmaria HEAL SQUAD RESOURCES: Heal Squad Website:https://www.healsquad.com/ Heal Squad x Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HealSquad/membership Maria Menounos Website: https://www.mariamenounos.com My Curated Macy’s Page: https://stylecrew.macys.com/@mariamenounos EMR-Tek Red Light: https://emr-tek.com/discount/Maria30 for 30% off Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/host GUEST RESOURCES: Follow Victoria on IG: https://www.instagram.com/victorianelsonn/?hl=en Follow Victoria on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@victoria.nelson Victoria Explains More: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN0p0oZYgdC/?hl=en ABOUT MARIA MENOUNOS: Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV personality, actress, 2x NYT best-selling author, former pro-wrestler and brain tumor survivor, Maria Menounos’ passion is to see others heal and to get better in all areas of life. ABOUT HEAL SQUAD x MARIA MENOUNOS: A daily digital talk-show that brings you the world's leading healers, experts, and celebrities to share groundbreaking secrets and tips to getting better in all areas of life. DISCLAIMER: This Podcast and all related content (published or distributed by or on behalf of Maria Menounos or http://Mariamenounos.com and http://healsquad.com) is for informational purposes only and may include information that is general in nature and that is not specific to you. Any information or opinions provided by guest experts or hosts featured within website or on Company’s Podcast are their own; not those of Maria Menounos or the Company. Accordingly, Maria Menounos and the Company cannot be responsible for any results or consequences or actions you may take based on such information or opinions. This podcast is presented for exploratory purposes only. Published content is not intended to be used for preventing, diagnosing, or treating a specific illness. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health-care emergency, please contact a qualified health care professional for treatment.