Page 70 - South Mississippi Living - November, 2026

The of
Islands Center for
Women’s Medspa Helps
Gulf Coast Women Put
Their Best Face Forward
story by Cherie Ward
photos by Arielle Victoria and
Kelsey Sunderman-Foster and
courtesy of Med Spa at the Islands
Lisa Furlan knows a thing or two about
life in the Gulf Coast sunshine.
The 61-year-old lifelong Coast resident and
co-owner of Furlan’s Marine in Gautier has
spent plenty of time outdoors. But as she entered
her 40s, she began thinking more seriously about
protecting her skin from years of sun exposure.
That decision led her to Dr. Sheli Milam and
Islands Center for Women’s MedSpa in Ocean
Springs, where she has been a client for 20 years.
Today, Furlan maintains a skin-care routine that
includes sunscreen, vitamin C serum, HydraFacials,
and microneedling. But her approach to beauty isn’t
about turning back the clock.
“Dr. Milam and I believe in growing old gracefully,” Furlan
said.
It’s a philosophy Milam embraces, emphasizing that looking
good as we age begins with feeling good from the inside out.
“If you’re not eating as healthy as you can, if you’re not
sleeping, and if you’re not exercising and getting to general
foundational health, your skin is going to show it,” Milam
said.
Milam feels aesthetic treatments are simply another piece
of the puzzle.
70 | November 2026