Special
Features / August 2007
Bella Donna
 Donna Pratt
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By Pat Lawrence
Beauty is a combination of many things, from good genes to good character, but Donna Pratt is happy to fill in the parts in between. She’s been doing it her whole life. The Teays Valley esthetician grew up in the small community of Harts, in Lincoln County, WV. “When I was growing up, my sister and I would have sleepovers and I’d do everyone’s hair and give permanents. My sister became a banker, but I always did hair.”
Donna went to beauty school right out of high school, in 1980. “It took a year, 2000 hours, to get my esthetician’s license and cosmetologist license. Back then, graduates had to pass two separate state board exams.”
Her first job was “in a little beauty shop in Harts, doing hair.” She stayed four years, got married and moved to Barboursville. The salon at Penney’s needed a talented hairdresser, and Donna stayed with them for eight years, cutting, styling and creating a loyal clientèle.
When she started a family, Donna made a small salon in her home. It was a good decision, Donna says. “Having a home-based business meant I could be close to my kids and not disappoint my customers.”
When her two children began nearing graduation age, Donna was ready to work away from the house. Dr Blair was looking for a licensed esthetician, and in 2003, Donna entered the medical world of beauty, working in the medical spa two days a week.
She had kept her skills up with frequent retraining, but there were new learning opportunities at the medispa. “Each of the skin care companies provided training on their products. I spent over 60 hours in hands-on micropigmentation training and went to Cincinnati to learn about the equipment and the process. I’ve been certified in micropigmentation since 2004.” She traveled across the country to attend seminars and training classes.
The spa has five lasers, and Donna learned to operate them for specialized treatments like “hair reduction, spider vein removal, facial rejuvenation, acne treatments, and acne scarring. We have lots of teenagers who come in for laser acne treatments.”
Her children, both musicians, are 19 and 21 now, in college. Donna says, “Changing careers certainly kept me from feeling lonely! I barely noticed the empty nest. I was too busy!”
She is a happy customer herself. “I’ve tried it all, skin resurfacing, botox, injectable filler. We practice on each other.”
What she enjoys most is the permanent makeup. “It’s like coloring! I love it myself. I’ve had permanent eyeliner applied and my lips colored. Since this is a doctor’s office, we do an injection of anesthetic, so patients are comfortable throughout the procedure.” Donna performs micropigmentation on all ages of women. “If you cry at movies or like to swim, it’s perfect. And, older women who have vision problems or unsteady hands really like the permanent makeup.”
One of her older clients was in her mid 80’s. Donna says, “She told me,’When I go, I want to look good!”
Donna rarely sees clients just once. “People come back for touch ups. For lips, it’s often just once or twice, but eyebrows seem to need touch up every year or two. Women who have eyeliner usually come back because they want more. Most people come in for one thing, and like it so much, they come back for something else.”
Some treatments do have aftereffects of bruising or swelling. Donna is careful to explain what to expect and make sure clients understand.
She works Monday through Friday, starting at 8am, though she doesn’t take appointments till 8:30.
When she decided to close her home shop, Donna says, “I wasn’t planning on completely changing the type of job I had. But, it’s been the best thing for me. I enjoy it, I don’t have to do inventory or paperwork and I meet so many interesting people.”
With her son in Boston and daughter in Nashville, Donna says ‘I spend a lot of time running back and forth. I keep thinking when they get out of school, my life will settle down. But, probably not!”
She likes to read and cook and spend time with her family. Her parents still live in Harts. Donna still goes to classes and seminars across the country and studies to keep current on the latest techniques.
‘Patients come in with a lot of information now and you have to keep up. I don’t want my client to know more than I do!”
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