Meet Tonya C. Tuggle, FNP-C
Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner and Aesthetic Provider
Aesthetic medicine is both technical and personal. The treatments may involve precise measurements, advanced technology, and a detailed understanding of facial anatomy, but successful outcomes also depend on understanding the individual sitting in the treatment chair. Patients want to look refreshed and confident while still looking like themselves.
Tonya C. Tuggle is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, aesthetic provider, and owner of Skin + Face Phoenix. She has practiced in aesthetic medicine since 2018, with experience in injectable treatments, laser procedures, facial rejuvenation, and individualized aesthetic planning.
Her path into medicine is different from that of many aesthetic providers. Before becoming a nurse practitioner, Tonya worked as a Certified Public Accountant. Personal experiences with her own health eventually inspired her to pursue medicine, originally with the intention of specializing in endocrinology. Along the way, she discovered an unexpected passion for aesthetics and the opportunity to help patients feel more confident in their appearance.
Today, Tonya works alongside her husband, double board-certified facial cosmetic and oral and maxillofacial surgeon Dr. Eric Tuggle, to provide patients with access to both surgical and nonsurgical approaches to facial rejuvenation.
From Business and Finance to Medicine
Tonya attended Abilene Christian University and graduated in 2001. She initially pursued a career in accounting and practiced as a CPA for several years.
Her professional direction changed after experiencing her own medical concerns. That experience prompted Tonya to pursue a new career in healthcare, initially aiming to become a nurse practitioner specializing in endocrinology.
Returning to school marked a significant career transition, but it also gave Tonya the opportunity to apply skills from her previous professional life to her medical studies. Her background as a CPA provided experience in organization, leadership, analysis, and business operations, while her nursing education developed the clinical foundation necessary to care directly for patients.
Tonya attended nursing and nurse practitioner school and graduated from Simmons University in 2021 as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
By that point, however, aesthetics had already become an important part of her professional life.
Discovering a Passion for Aesthetic Medicine
Tonya began practicing in aesthetic medicine in 2018 while completing her healthcare education. During this period, she and Dr. Tuggle opened their first medical spa, Sandia Skin + Face.
The practice grew out of a professional partnership that had already existed for years. Tonya and Dr. Tuggle had worked together since opening his surgical practice, Sandia Oral Surgery, in 2009. Sandia Skin + Face expanded that model by creating an environment where patients could access nonsurgical aesthetic treatments alongside surgical expertise.
As Tonya gained experience working directly with aesthetic patients, she discovered that the field aligned naturally with her skills and interests. She found fulfillment in helping patients achieve visible improvements while increasing their confidence in the way they looked and presented themselves.
Rather than continuing toward her original plan to specialize in endocrinology, Tonya increasingly focused her career on aesthetic medicine.
Since then, she has continued to pursue advanced education and hands-on experience in injectable and laser treatments, developing an approach centered on personalized care and strong patient outcomes.
Aesthetic medicine changes rapidly. New products, technologies, techniques, and treatment approaches continue to expand what providers can offer, making ongoing education an important part of practicing in the field.
Tonya has developed extensive experience with both injectable treatments and laser-based procedures.
Her treatment experience includes popular nonsurgical options offered at Skin + Face Phoenix, such as Botox, dermal fillers, lip filler, and laser treatments.
For the past three years, Tonya has been recognized as part of a Top 10 Allergan account for Botox and Juvéderm providers in New Mexico. Allergan Aesthetics is the manufacturer behind Botox Cosmetic and the Juvéderm family of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers.
Her experience with these treatments extends beyond treating her own patients. Tonya also provides peer training for injectable procedures, including Botox and lip filler, helping other aesthetic professionals refine their treatment techniques.
This role, as both a provider and an educator, reflects her commitment to continued learning in aesthetic medicine.
Advanced Experience With Injectables and Laser Treatments
Aesthetic medicine changes rapidly. New products, technologies, techniques, and treatment approaches continue to expand what providers can offer, making ongoing education an important part of practicing in the field.
Tonya has developed extensive experience with both injectable treatments and laser-based procedures.
Her treatment experience includes popular nonsurgical options offered at Skin + Face Phoenix, such as Botox, dermal fillers, lip filler, and laser treatments.
For the past three years, Tonya has been recognized as part of a Top 10 Allergan account for Botox and Juvéderm providers in New Mexico. Allergan Aesthetics is the manufacturer behind Botox Cosmetic and the Juvéderm family of hyaluronic acid dermal fillers.
Her experience with these treatments extends beyond treating her own patients. Tonya also provides peer training for injectable procedures, including Botox and lip filler, helping other aesthetic professionals refine their treatment techniques.
This role, as both a provider and an educator, reflects her commitment to continued learning in aesthetic medicine.
Sciton Key Opinion Leader and Trainer
Tonya and Dr. Tuggle also serve as Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) and trainers for Sciton, a company that develops advanced laser and light-based aesthetic technologies.
Serving as a trainer allows Tonya to share her clinical experience with other providers who use laser technology within their own aesthetic practices.
Laser treatments require more than learning how to operate a device. Effective treatment planning involves understanding skin characteristics, treatment settings, patient goals, appropriate indications, expected healing, and how different technologies may complement other aesthetic procedures.
Tonya’s experience with laser treatments adds another dimension to her approach at Skin + Face Phoenix. Instead of viewing injectables, skincare, and energy-based treatments as completely separate categories, she can consider how different nonsurgical options may work together within a broader facial rejuvenation plan.
Patients interested in improving skin texture, tone, signs of sun damage, or other concerns may benefit from treatments such as CO2 laser skin resurfacing or other technologies available through the practice.
A Personalized, Collaborative Approach to Facial Aesthetics
No two patients have the same anatomy, aging patterns, or aesthetic goals, which is why Tonya takes an individualized approach to treatment. Depending on the concern, she may recommend a single nonsurgical treatment or a combination of options such as Botox, laser treatments, dermal fillers, or facial balancing to complement the patient’s natural features.
Tonya also works closely with Dr. Eric Tuggle, a double board-certified facial cosmetic and oral and maxillofacial surgeon. Their combined expertise gives patients access to both nonsurgical and surgical perspectives when developing a treatment plan. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, the Skin + Face Phoenix team can determine whether injectables, laser resurfacing, skincare, facial cosmetic surgery, or a combination of treatments is best suited to the patient’s needs and goals.
Commitment to Continuing Aesthetic Education
Tonya’s transition from accounting to nursing, and eventually to aesthetic medicine, reflects a willingness to continually learn, evolve, and pursue new areas of expertise.
That commitment continues today. Through her work as a Sciton KOL and trainer and her experience educating peers in injectable techniques, Tonya remains actively involved in aesthetic education while continuing to refine her own approach.
Training other providers also requires being able to explain not only how a treatment is performed but also why particular techniques, products, or treatment strategies may be appropriate for different patients.
For Tonya, continuing education supports the same objective that initially drew her toward aesthetic medicine: helping patients achieve results that improve their confidence and satisfaction with their appearance.
Beyond Skin + Face Phoenix
Tonya’s and Eric’s partnership extends well beyond their work together. The couple married in 2000 after meeting while attending Abilene Christian University and have three daughters. Family remains an important part of Tonya’s life outside the practice, and she and her family attend Calvary Church.
When she is not working with patients or training other aesthetic providers, Tonya enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors. Her interests include hiking, tennis, pickleball, and skiing. She also enjoys reading, traveling, trying great food, and spending time with her family.
Meet Tonya Tuggle at Skin + Face Phoenix
Choosing an aesthetic provider is personal. You should feel comfortable asking questions, discussing what bothers you, and understanding the different ways your concerns could be addressed before deciding on treatment.
As a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner, experienced aesthetic provider, Sciton KOL and trainer, and owner of Skin + Face Phoenix, Tonya Tuggle combines clinical training with years of hands-on experience in aesthetic medicine. Her background in injectables and laser treatments, combined with the surgical expertise available through Dr. Eric Tuggle, allows patients to explore a wide range of facial rejuvenation options within one collaborative practice.
Whether you are interested in Botox, lip filler, facial balancing, laser treatment, or simply want to understand which aesthetic options may be appropriate for you, Tonya and the Skin + Face Phoenix team can develop a personalized plan based on your features and goals.
Contact Skin + Face Phoenix to schedule a consultation and meet Tonya Tuggle.