We were lucky to catch up with Alexandra Medel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Alexandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on was a photoshoot I did with a lymphatic DME company.
It wasn’t just content, it was me stepping into a space I used to avoid.

I live with lymphedema, and my compression garments are literally my second skin. They’re part of my everyday life, part of my routine, and honestly, something I’ve been self-conscious about for years. So being able to show up in front of a camera — doing something I love while wearing the very things I once tried to hide was a huge shift for me.

The backstory is simple but heavy: I’ve spent a long time learning to live with a disability that people don’t often understand. And this shoot reminded me that you can still create beautiful things, do meaningful work, and show up fully. Instead of letting my lymphadema limit me, I let it be part of my story.

Turning something that used to make me feel insecure into something empowering and beautiful meant everything. That project wasn’t just about modeling; it was about acceptance, representation, and proving to myself and anybody watching that this is what resilience looks like.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a multi-disciplinary professional. A barber, extension artist, and a medical-management veteran currently studying to become a certified CPC medical coder. My path blends creativity.

Before stepping into the beauty world, I spent many years in medical management and insurance. I understand the entire process from every angle, from the moment a patient checks in, to how physicians document, to billing, appeals, contracting, and getting a claim actually paid. That background shaped how I operate: detail-driven, structured, and always focused on the real human experience behind the work.

My transition into the beauty industry started with barbering, then expanded into hair extensions as I fell in love with the craft of transformation. Over time, I had the opportunity to work backstage at different festivals doing hair, which pushed me creatively and exposed me to fast-paced, high-pressure environments that sharpened my artistry. Every event taught me something new about collaboration, precision, and the energy that comes from creating looks that help people step into a moment with confidence.

What sets me apart is the combination of what I know and how I show up. I bridge two industries that rarely overlap: the creative beauty world and the highly technical medical field. I bring anatomy knowledge, safety awareness, and structural understanding into every service paired with creativity, artistry, and a commitment to healthy, sustainable hair practices.

For my clients, I solve problems many people struggle with: confusion about hair extensions, fear of damage, and not knowing what styles or maintenance routines actually work for their lifestyle. I focus on safe application, real education, and long-term results.

And at the same time, I’m not done growing. I’m currently preparing to sit for my CPC exam to elevate the medical side of my career, building on years of hands-on experience in the insurance and healthcare world.

What I’m most proud of is that both sides of my career serve one purpose: to make people feel seen, supported, and empowered. Doing hair allows me to create beauty. My medical background allows me to navigate complex systems and advocate for clarity and accuracy.

If there’s one thing I want potential clients or followers to know, it’s this: I’m committed to authenticity, precision, and real connection. My brand is built on the belief that transformation whether physical, emotional, or professional is a form of empowerment. And everything I do is rooted in helping people feel confident in who they are and how they show up in the world.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

One of the clearest examples of my resilience comes from my journey with lymphedema and everything it forced me to relearn about my body, my identity, and my limits. Before my diagnosis, I was a runner. It was my freedom, my stress release, my pride. And when lymphedema came into my life, it changed the way I moved, the way I functioned, and the way I saw myself. I had to adjust everything, how I exercised, how I dressed, how I carried myself, even how I planned my days.

There were moments when it felt like my own body had turned against me especially after experiencing a miscarriage. It was one of those moments where I felt deeply disappointed and disconnected from myself. Those experiences made me question my strength, my worth, and my ability to keep going.

But every single one of those moments also pushed me to rise in a different way.

Instead of letting those experiences harden me, they made me softer, more compassionate, more intentional. They made me care deeply about mental health, about showing up for people, about advocating for anyone who feels unseen or unsupported.

One of my biggest goals is to return to running to train my body again, to rebuild my endurance, and to show people that you can do incredible things regardless of your physical limitations. I want people to see that resilience isn’t about having a perfect body; it’s about having an unshakable spirit.

I carry that same resilience into my work. Creating transformations, making people feel beautiful, and helping them see themselves through a softer, kinder lens is my way of giving back. It’s my way of spreading love and empowerment through my hands and through my craft. Every client who sits in my chair gets a version of the empathy I learned through my own battles.

My journey hasn’t been easy, but it has shaped me into someone who leads with heart, advocates for others, and shows up even when life gets heavy. And that more than anything is what resilience looks like for me.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

One thing non-creatives often struggle to understand about my journey is that creativity isn’t just a skill it’s an emotional process. It requires vulnerability every single day. When you work in a creative field, especially beauty, people see the end result: the transformation, the confidence, the “pretty.” What they don’t see is the mental and emotional energy it takes to pour parts of yourself into every client, every look, and every piece of work you produce.

For me, creating isn’t just about hair. It’s about holding space for people. It’s listening, comforting, encouraging, and helping someone see themselves differently sometimes for the first time. That takes heart. It takes empathy. And it isn’t something you can shut off at the end of the day.

On top of that, my creative journey is layered with my health challenges, my healing from past experiences and physical setbacks. So the act of creating becomes even more meaningful. It’s not just a job it’s the part of my life where I get to turn pain into purpose. Where I take the things that hurt me or slowed me down and use them to make someone else feel stronger, softer, or seen.

What many non-creatives don’t understand is that creativity is deeply tied to who we are. When you’re struggling mentally, physically, or emotionally, it affects your work. And when you’re thriving, your work reflects that too. Creativity is personal even when the work is for someone else.

I hope people understand that being a creative means constantly pouring out energy, emotion, and intention not because we have to, but because we genuinely care. And sometimes, the most powerful part of the creative process isn’t what happens with our hands… it’s what happens in the connection between us and the person sitting in front of us.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Iamalixrose

Image Credits

Walter Scott Wilson was the photographer lymphadema photo shoot