Renaissance Dermatology & Aesthetics Opens “Pop-Up” in Bay St. Louis

​Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Laurie Harrington recently brought the aesthetic part of her Louisiana practice to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
 
- By Kim Ranjbar

Dr. Laurie Harrington, Renaissance Dermatology & Aesthetics

 Dr. Laurie Harrington has been in practice for over 30 years, offering both medical and cosmetic dermatology services to people in Louisiana. She is co-owner of Renaissance Dermatology & Aesthetics, a practice in Zachary, just north of Baton Rouge, with a satellite location in St. Francisville and now in Bay St. Louis.

 
Dr. Harrington and her family always loved visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that they put down roots in the area. “We ended up buying property in Waveland as a getaway since we couldn’t travel. It’s our little happy place,” says Harrington. “I feel like I’m on vacation every day that I’m in the area.”
 

Dr. Laurie Harrington with Wendy DeBen, co-owner of Gulf Coast Home in Bay St. Louis.

 
She may feel like she’s on holiday, but Harrington is still hard at work offering consultations and aesthetic dermatology services out of her latest installation inside Gulf Coast Home, a home furnishings and décor shop on Ulman Avenue. Co-owner Wendy DeBen of Gulf Coast Home reconnected with Harrington during her time in the Bay and expressed interest in forming an association with Renaissance Dermatology. “She said, ‘I feel like our clientele and the patients you would see would be much the same,’” says Harrington, “So she set me up with a little space in their beautiful store.”
 

 
The aesthetic dermatology “pop-up” offered the doctor a chance to see if there was an interest in these types of procedures and evaluations in the area. “We have more devices available in my Zachary offices, but here, it’s more things that I can bring with me.” Despite these limitations, Harrington can provide quite a few aesthetic services, called “lunchtime procedures,” including injectibles like Botox and fillers, light chemical peels, and a relatively new process called Glowtox. “It’s similar to a process called needling,” explains Harrington, “but it’s more like micro-infusion, where you allow different products to infuse into the top two layers of the skin.” Many of these procedures, while effective, also don’t require any recovery period that might affect the rest of your Gulf Coast weekend.
 

 
Speaking of fun in the sun, one of the most serious dermatological problems is skin cancer, often caused by ultraviolet light. Regardless of the weather, sunscreen is a daily must and should be reapplied frequently, especially when spending a lot of time outside. Wearing a hat and other protective clothing is also good advice, particularly in the Gulf Coast area. “Unfortunately, the South is literally a hotbed of skin cancer, and nearly 80-90% of our aging changes are directly related to sun damage,” says Harrington. “Every little bit of protection from sunscreen onward is extremely important.”
 
So far, Dr. Harrington’s satellite clinic in Bay St. Louis has been going swimmingly, though her husband, Scott, teases that she’s been spending more than she makes. “I can’t help shopping around Gulf Coast Home after clinic hours!” Harrington does hope her installation will be successful, possibly allowing her to expand her practice in the area. “I just come down to BSL a little earlier on the weekends. So far it’s worked out really well.”
 

Dr. Laurie Harrington

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One day, perhaps her daughter Haley Claire, now in her dermatology residency, will join the practice. For now, Dr. Harrington will continue her afternoon clinic pop-ups, remaining in the area for a little rest and relaxation on the weekends. “We love everything about Bay St. Louis and Waveland. The people here are so welcoming and friendly,” says Harrington. “I feel like it’s a hidden gem many people don’t know about.”
 

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