Dr. Connie Hahn has been practicing medicine in Bozeman for eighteen years, becoming a fixture in the community. She started out practicing “full spectrum” medicine including delivering babies, seeing new patients in the ER and following her patients throughout their hospital stays at Bozeman Health. Dr. Hahn developed a reputation for kindness, thoroughness and longstanding relationships. She received her medical degree from Midwestern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed her residency at University of California, Davis, and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.
As of December 31st, Dr. Hahn will be fully retired from Bozeman Health and is working on building what started as a small cottage business providing Aesthetic Medicine to women and men in Montana since 2018. Her passion for helping others, mixed with a long-standing interest in aesthetics, led her to start Esteem Health, where she offers botulinum toxin injections and natural hyaluronic acid fillers to her clients. We sat down with Dr. Connie to learn more about her journey into aesthetics and what about her philosophy and experience sets her apart from other practitioners in the field.
BCL: How did you first become interested in aesthetics?
Dr. Connie: My early childhood was spent in Hollywood. My father was a Hollywood photographer, my mother was a model, and my grandmother was a beautician. I was surrounded by this business and even did some childhood modeling of my own. After obtaining a two-year business degree, I decided to get out and see the world. In early adulthood I was an international flight attendant, lived in the Sierra teaching skiing at Lake Tahoe and competing in amateur international ski racing. In the small village where I was living, I befriended my rural family doctor, who became a mentor to me. I decided I wanted to follow in her footsteps at the age of 39 years old! When I told my family that I wanted to go to medical school, they thought I was from another planet. Their idea of my future was taking the domestic route, settling down and getting married. Although that did happen, my new husband, Chris, was very enthusiastic that I follow this dream. Being a wife and mother is a very high calling, and one I highly respect, but my aspirations were leading me in a new direction. I ended up going to medical school and pursued this dream all the way to Bozeman. However, because of my family background, I always held on to my interest in aesthetics, observing facial structure and what makes them societally and culturally attractive as well as what makes some people more attractive and confident from the inside. So, when aesthetic medicine started to become a more established field of practice it was a natural direction for me to follow, and I gained my certification from the National Institute of Aesthetic Medicine (NIMA) during spring of 2018. Beyond this certification, I shadowed an anesthesiologist friend in Reno NV, learning his tricks and tips in creating beauty, beyond formal education.
BCL: Tell us a little about the services you offer.
DR. CONNIE: My services are very specialized. My main offering is botulinum toxin injections, which are used to disrupt the connection between the muscle and the nerve, helping that muscle relax and therefore softening the lines in the face. I use a brand of injections that that tends to take effect a little faster, as well as last a little longer, although results vary. I’m also very well-trained in fillers, which is quickly becoming an expanding area of my practice. The filler I use tends to provide a more natural look and, again, lasts longer than the average filler. I offer free consultations and spend a lot of time homing in on my client’s desires and expectations. After that, during appointments, we will often talk about the demands in their lives, their families and inner challenges.
BCL: What is your philosophy when it comes to aesthetics?
DR. CONNIE: My tagline is, “Everyone deserves to feel beautiful and confident”. I feel like my clients are my walking advertisement. I want them to look very natural. I hope their friends, their spouse, their family say, “Wow, you look so refreshed today!”, not, “Oh, what did you have done?”.
The other thing I'm passionate about is the cost of aesthetic medicine, because I know it can be expensive, and I'm very sensitive to that. I have an up-front discussion with all my clients to learn about a price range that is comfortable for them, then talk through what they can achieve within that price range. I try to keep my services affordable. My passion is allowing all clients -- not just the wealthy -- the opportunity to feel and look their best.
BCL: How do your roots in Bozeman’s medical community benefit your clients?
DR. CONNIE: I am keenly aware of my boundaries as an injector. In Family Medicine, we don’t necessarily specialize, but we are trained to know “much about a lot.” My job is to know my clients’ goals and to set reasonable expectations for what I can provide. I never hesitate to refer clients to other specialists who will be able to help them with needs that my practice doesn’t cover. One of the advantages of being a long-term physician in this community and having a background of practicing with so many other professionals in town is that I've gained a true understanding of who in the Gallatin Valley fits my philosophies and is particularly outstanding at what they do.
I have referred my clients to ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, personal coaches, nutritionists, personal trainers, and more. My experience and professional relationships play a big role in this. I get to know my clients’ needs over time and can help them discover what other services might benefit their goals. And because I usually see clients more than once, I get to hear about their experiences with these specialists and see how that work enhances the work I am doing with them. This provides a comprehensive feedback loop to get clients to their happiest, healthiest, most confident version of themselves.
To learn more about Esteem Health’s offerings and to book a free consultation with Dr. Connie, visit esteem-health.com.
My tagline is, “Everyone deserves to feel beautiful and confident”. I hope [my clients'] friends, their spouse, their family say, “Wow, you look so refreshed today!”, not, “Oh, what did you have done?”.