Dr Maureen Allem

Dr Maureen Allem is the founder and Medical Director of SkinRenewal. She is an HPSCA-registered general practitioner with 25 years of experience in aesthetic and holistic medicine and procedures. Before discovering aesthetic medicine, Dr Maureen worked as a medical doctor in the wards and ER of a provincial hospital. Connecting the bridge between feeling great and looking your best, Dr Maureen's expertise in aesthetic medicine is now widely renowned. 

A sought-after speaker on anti-ageing and non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques, body sculpting, weight loss & health, Dr Maureen is a regular TV and radio guest, discussing non-surgical aesthetic solutions and how to obtain optimal health. A lifelong learner with a passion for sharing her knowledge and wisdom, Dr Maureen's educational videos can be seen frequently on our @SkinRenewalSA / @drMaureenAllem social media pages and Skin Renewal YouTube channel.

Dr Maureen oversees each branch by rotating between them and spends months training all Skin Renewal's doctors to use the same techniques she has spent years honing. 

To stay abreast of the most up-to-date non-surgical procedures, Dr Maureen regularly travels internationally, attending World Anti-Ageing Congresses and Laser Forums and is a Founding Member of AAMSSA (Aesthetic and Anti-Ageing Medicine Society of South Africa ) and a Member of WOOSAM. Dr Maureen is passionate about giving back to the wider community and drives the corporate social investment initiatives at Skin Renewal.

When not researching new aesthetic trends and functional medicine, you'll find her interior decorating (often upgrading our branches ), exploring fashion styles and gardening. She loves spending time with her family or honing her Social Media skills in her spare time.

Dr Maureen's Journey:

Skin Renewal has come a long way since it was first launched in 2005, having grown to incorporate rejuvenation in skin, body, health and hair loss. With 20 Skin Renewal branches handling 10,000 transactions a month across South Africa, it's hard to believe that, back in the early 80s, Dr Maureen nearly put her career aspirations on hold. With two small children, the task of completing her medical degree was daunting, yet Dr Maureen's tenacity would secure her path. 

"Four years later, I realised my mistake and completed my medical degree the hard way with two toddlers under the age of three. The Medical Dean told me I would never cope as a young mother; thankfully, I proved him wrong," she says. 

Dr Maureen continues, "Let's be honest. Trying to juggle a career while raising kids is not easy, and being a woman is not easy. We women have to worry about our biological clock and work twice as hard to succeed. Working women need to be celebrated," she states.

The ten years that followed were tough. "After a decade of running a medical ward in a provincial hospital, it was time for a change." Dr Maureen found this transformation in the form of the executive health field, where she spent seven years doing annual medicals and lifestyle assessments for top executives in SA, but the real, soul-deep fulfilment she craved still proved elusive.

The Birth of Skin Renewal:

"I always knew, even as a young girl, that I needed to be doing something with my life, something of significance that would enable me to have an impact on people's lives, but as the new millennium approached, I still hadn't figured out exactly what that was."

During a routine lunch with her sisters in 2001, she came across a magazine article featuring a public figure who had had Botox. "It was the 'A-Ha!' moment I'd been waiting for," recalls Dr Maureen. "Back then, Botox was relatively unheard of, and my instincts told me that it would be a winner. So, I arranged a Botox treatment with a plastic surgeon for myself and my four sisters, after which I thought, 'I could do this!' Some people would call it the tipping point. It happens unexpectedly but goes on to change and transform your business and your life completely."

Inspired by non-surgical aesthetics and increasingly interested in the use of non-invasive treatments to rejuvenate the face, Dr Maureen tracked down the South African distributor, underwent training in Belgium with the top injector in Europe, Dr Koen de Boulle, and promptly set up an aesthetics practice in her home. "On my return from Belgium, I was invited by the local distributors of Botox and Juvederm to train other medical doctors in this new discipline," she says matter-of-factly. The fact is, Dr Maureen was one of the first doctors in South Africa to train other doctors on basic and advanced Botox and filler procedures.

What began as doing Botox and dermal fillers for a handful of patients quickly grew, with demand compelling Dr Maureen to open her first aesthetic centre just a few years later. And so, Skin Renewal in Rivonia was born, offering anti-ageing injectables, peels, laser treatments, a medical weight loss program, and other cutting-edge therapies such as transdermal mesotherapy and carboxytherapy.

"Life has much more to offer than just transforming one's face, which is why I decided to inspire others in their human journey…"

Realising that physical appearance is only one part of the total picture of health and that addressing wellness from the inside out matters just as much, Dr Maureen started offering a holistic approach to anti-ageing in 2013. This became an integral part of Skin Renewal's ethos and is still incorporated as a functional approach to anti-ageing in all the doctors' consultations across Skin Renewal South Africa today. 

With her passion for aesthetics, functional medicine and personal transformational journeys, Dr Maureen says of the business, "It's always a privilege and a joy to be able to transfer my knowledge to our Skin Renewal doctors, health coaches and staff, so that they can inspire and educate any patient we service. And now, with social media, my team and I can reach so many more people. As our very own Nelson Mandela said, "Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world."

"It's been a journey to get here. It's important for all of us as women to believe in ourselves."

Dr Maureen lives with her partner, Victor, in Johannesburg and has two grown-up children, Peter and Catherine, who live and work in London and have four granddaughters. "My work is my passion, and it's beautiful to have come full circle. The years of hard work have evolved into a vocation that combines my medical expertise with a commitment to making people feel good from the inside out. I really couldn't ask for more."

In The Press: 

During an SABC program, Dr Maureen was recently asked about the legacy she hopes to leave behind. Her response was deeply inspiring: "To do something worthwhile and make a difference. Back then, I wanted change and knew that it needed to start with me." Her words reflect a powerful commitment to being the catalyst for positive transformation, emphasising that meaningful change begins with personal initiative and dedication.