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

Heal Squad x Maria Menounos

Maria Menounos, Heal Squad

Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Education, Self-improvement

4.7 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2026

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Heals Squad, you probably heard me talking about planning a summer trip from my family to the Grand Canyon. And let me tell you, with a big family, I have to be very intentional when I'm looking on Airbnb to find the right setup. Because there are so many of us, I already know I want everyone in the same area, but still have their own space. And honestly, that's exactly why a home on Airbnb worked so well for big group trips. Instead of cramming in a hotel rooms, you can book
0:21.6	multiple homes close together. Everyone has room to breathe, and you still have spots where everyone
0:26.7	can come together. I love finding a home with a big kitchen for meals because we all get to be in one
0:31.5	place cooking and catching up. So good for the soul. Here's something else to think about. While
0:35.5	you're away, your own place could be doing something for you, too, instead of sitting empty. You can list your space on Airbnb
0:41.4	and earn some extra cash, maybe even, to help fund your next trip. And if hosting ever seemed
0:46.6	overwhelming, now it's easier than ever with Airbnb's co-host network. You can hire a
0:51.3	local co-host to manage reservations, guest communication, provide on-site
0:55.5	support. So hosting stays stress-free and manageable. So if you've ever thought about hosting but
1:00.3	need a little help, find a co-host at Airbnb.com slash host. What work this week for me?
1:06.7	Breatvable clothing. I've been in the hot, humid weather and friends, summer's coming for you too soon.
1:12.3	And you want to be prepared. And what worked for me was linen, light, airy. You can actually sweat less
1:19.6	in linen and make you feel fresh. If you're looking for easy summer outfits, I've been finding
1:25.0	the best linen looks at Macy's. You can actually build an entire
1:28.5	outfit there literally head to toe. So before all the summer plants kick in, do a little outfit prep
1:33.0	at Macy's. Also check out my wish list on the show notes below. I'm on a journey to heal and get better
1:41.3	in all areas of life. And I want to do it with you. Welcome to Heal Squad by Maria Menunoz, where we improve and heal all parts of our lives,
1:49.4	most importantly, our health.
1:51.6	Heal Squad by Maria Menuno's, your life improvement series starts now.
1:56.8	Coming up on this episode of Heal Squad. I'm in my car covered in blood.
2:01.8	My skin was so dehydrated and damaged, which makes sense if you're micrneedling that much.
2:07.8	Did you ever cry in the mirror?
	...

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