Meet the Team Behind Nuance

Functional medicine and wellness providers in Columbia, SC helping patients improve metabolic health, hormone balance, weight loss, gut health, and long-term wellness through personalized care.

At Nuance, you’re not just another appointment on the schedule. We take time to listen, look deeper, and help you move forward with confidence.

Why We Created Nuance

After years working in traditional healthcare, we kept seeing the same thing. People felt rushed, dismissed, or stuck managing symptoms without real answers. We have also seen people want to take control of their health and not have the tools in place to do so.

We created Nuance to do this differently. Our clinic combines functional medicine, preventative care, metabolic health support, longevity medicine, and personalized wellness plans to help patients in Columbia, SC feel better long term, not just temporarily manage symptoms.

Your Board Certified Providers

A smiling woman with long blonde hair wearing a colorful, patterned dress standing indoors against a plain light-colored wall.

Emily Ferguson, MSN, FNP-BC

Founder and Co-Owner of Nuance Aesthetics and Wellness

I’m a Family Nurse Practitioner, a wife, and a mom of four. I love being outside, staying active, traveling, and just spending time with the people I care about. A lot of what I value in life comes down to feeling good enough to actually enjoy it.

I grew up in South Carolina where fried food and not a lot of movement were just normal. I always joke that I probably learned to drink from a straw out of a Diet Coke can at my grandmother’s house. Old habits are real, and I get how hard they can be to change.

I started my career as an oncology nurse at Emory University Hospital. That experience changed how I see the body. It gave me a deep respect for how everything works together and how much happens at a level we don’t always think about.

As I moved into a provider role, I kept seeing the same patterns. Patients dealing with fatigue, weight gain, high cholesterol, diabetes, things that build slowly over time. Most were managing it with medications, but no one was really getting to the root of why it was happening.

That’s what shifted things for me.

I’m really passionate about helping people understand what’s going on in their body and make sustainable changes that support weight loss, metabolic health, energy, and long-term wellness. Not extreme, not overwhelming. Just realistic changes that help you feel better, have more energy, and enjoy your life again.

A woman with long brown hair, wearing a red blouse and colorful earrings, smiling and sitting at a white table in front of a plain white wall.

Ashley Hazelrigg, DNP, AGACNP-BC

CO-OWNER OF NUANCE AESTHETICS AND WELLNESS

I’m an Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, a wife, and a mom of two boys. We also have three big dogs, so life is usually a little loud and busy in the best way. I love sports, being outside, good food, and traveling whenever we can. I’m a big believer in living life with intention and actually enjoying it.

South Carolina has been home since I was 12. Losing my mom to cancer at 18 and then facing my husband’s cancer diagnosis years later profoundly changed my perspective on health, resilience, and the importance of caring for the whole person. 

As a nurse, I spent eight years working in critical care at Level 1 trauma centers. It was fast-paced and intense, and I learned a lot in those environments. I later went on to earn my Doctorate of Nursing Practice and stepped into roles as a nurse practitioner both in vascular surgery and in an outpatient integrative medicine setting.

Across all of that, I kept seeing the same thing: chronic conditions that slowly take a toll on people. Not just physically, but emotionally and financially too. And not just on the patient, but on the people around them.

Both my personal and professional experiences sparked a greater passion for helping others take a more proactive and personalized approach to their health. I care a lot about prevention and getting to the root of what’s going on early, before things progress. I want people to feel strong, have energy, and actually enjoy their lives. That’s what led me to this kind of work, and it’s what I’m most passionate about now.

Emily Ferguson credentials: BSN, University of South Carolina | MSN, University of South Carolina | Board Certified Family Nurse Practitioner

Ashley Hazelrigg credentials: BSN, University of South Carolina | DNP, University of South Carolina | Board certified Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

A Collaborative Approach to Wellness

At Nuance, you’re not just getting one perspective. YOU’RE GETTING TWO FOR ONE!

Emily and Ashley bring different backgrounds and experiences, and they work together to make sure you’re getting well-rounded care that actually fits you.

A lot of the time, the best answers come from looking at things from more than one angle.

Our Focus Areas

  • Functional Medicine Care

  • Medical Weight loss + metabolic support

  • Hormone replacement support

  • Root-cause wellness care

  • Strength + vitality

  • Longevity + preventative health

  • Gut Health

  • Preventative wellness

  • Energy + lifestyle optimization

  • Sustainable behavior change

  • Thyroid Health

You May Benefit From Our Approach If...

You know something doesn't feel quite right, but you haven't found the answers you're looking for.



You may be experiencing:

  • Weight gain or difficulty losing weight despite healthy habits

  • Low energy, fatigue, or feeling run down

  • Hormonal changes that affect mood, sleep, or overall well-being

  • Digestive issues such as bloating, discomfort, or food sensitivities

  • Blood sugar concerns or metabolic health challenges

  • A desire to improve long-term health, longevity, and overall wellness

Whether you're dealing with a specific health concern or simply want a more proactive approach to your health, our team is here to help you uncover what's contributing to your symptoms and create a personalized path forward.

Explore our services
Schedule a consultation

What You Can Expect Here

  • You’ll be listened to

  • You won’t feel rushed

  • Your goals will matter

  • We’ll look deeper when needed

  • We’ll be honest with you

  • We’ll support you every step of the way

OUR MISSION

At Nuance Aesthetics & Wellness, we provide personalized functional medicine and aesthetic wellness services in Columbia, SC designed to help you look, feel, and live your best.

To provide comprehensive, patient-centered functional medicine care that goes beyond symptom management to uncover and address the root causes of health concerns. By focusing on metabolic health, gut function, disease prevention, and longevity, we empower our clients with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to achieve lasting health, vitality, and a higher quality of life. 

Ready to Work With the Team?

If you’re looking for functional medicine, hormone support, weight loss care, gut health or long-term wellness support in Columbia, SC, we’d love to help you take the next step.

At Nuance, we go beyond surface-level solutions.

Start with a discovery call and let’s talk about what support could look like for you.

i'm READY TO GET STARTED
have Questions? email or give us a call.