You’re the Best, Dad

This Father’s Day, treat dad to a little R&R!  Tension will melt away with a 50-minute Deep Tissue Massage and a 50-minute Gentleman’s Facial.  Package Value: $220

Just For You, Dad

Ideal for active dads, this signature package includes a 50-minute Sports Massage and a 50-minute Gentleman’s Facial.  Package Value: $215

Dad’s Quick Fix

For those dads who deserve a little pampering but may be crunched for time, try our Dad’s Quick Fix package which pairs a 25-minute Deep Express Massage with a 25-minute Rejuvenation Gentleman’s Facial.  Package Value: $140

Skincare is much more than just buying expensive products and hoping they’ll keep the skin looking healthy and young.  The skin is a living, breathing organ that reflects the body’s general state of health, regardless of what skincare products you choose to use.

In this post, I’ll review some helpful skincare tips to use at different stages of life and factors that you should include in your “health plan” to maximize the long term health of your skin.

Teenagers

Why should a teenager – male or female – bother with skincare?  After all, their skin is young, supple, wrinkle-free, and has all of the elasticity that it requires.

This is a stage at which skin is undergoing considerable change.  Hormones are going “crazy” and the whole body of a teenager is developing into its adult form and functions – even the skin.

·         Acne – A pimple starts when the pores in the skin become clogged with a type of oil called sebum, which normally lubricates the skin and hair.  Acne is common during puberty when hormones go into overdrive, causing the skin to overproduce sebum.  Because many oil-producing glands are on the forehead, nose, and chin, this area — the T-zone — is where a person is most prone to pimples. A few tips to help:

1.       Wash your face twice a day (no more) with warm water and a mild soap made for people with acne.  Gently massage your face with circular motions.

2.       Avoid touching your face with your fingers or leaning your face on objects that collect sebum and skin residue, like your phone.  Touching your face can spread the bacteria that cause pores to become inflamed and irritated.

3.       Keep hair clean and out of your face to prevent additional dirt and oil from clogging your pores.

4.       Protect your skin from the sun.  It may seem like a tan masks acne, but it’s only temporary.  A tan may worsen your acne, not improve it.

Adults

To keep your face looking as youthful as possible, you need to proper skincare.  Here are some helpful tips:

1.       Protect yourself from the sun — use sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

2.       Get adequate rest and nutrition.

3.       Protect yourself from stress — both emotional and environmental.

4.       Wash your face twice a day and put on the proper treatment product.  I’m amazed when women tell me they don’t wash their face in the morning.  A lot of icky stuff collects overnight — dead skin cells, dirt, and dust!

5.       Touch your face less and wash your hands more!  Don’t get too surgical on yourself. It’s very tempting to pick, poke, squeeze, and scratch in front of the mirror. But, the more you traumatize the skin, the greater your risk of scarring.  Apply treatment products and let them work.

6.       And last, but certainly not least, DRINK LOTS OF WATER!

-Posted by Licensed Master Aesthetician Lina Harooni

I find that many clients have heard of IPL before, but are often not sure of what exactly it is, how it works, or what it can do for their skin.  Well, IPL (Intense Pulse Light Treatment) can effectively help to treat these brown spots from sun damage and other skin imperfections with no down time.  You can wear makeup right away and proceed with your normal daily activities (although, you may notice slight redness for a few days).

Normally, IPL is done in 3-6 sessions and can be done on any area of the body with the most common areas being the face, chest, hands and arms.  IPL emits a light energy that breaks up the pigments in the skin cells, causing little to no discomfort.  In addition to treating skin imperfections, IPL activates natural collagen and elastin production in the active skin cells (fibroblasts), which enhances the skin’s overall texture and complexion.  After this rejuvenating skin treatment, you’ll see improvements in the skin’s color and texture, wrinkle reduction, and also minimal open pores.

It is very important to schedule a consultation before your IPL treatment so that you can ask questions and get the right answers.  Also, your aesthetician can analyze your skin at this time and provide you with the optimal treatment for you.  Unfortunately, dark skin types cannot be treated with this laser wavelength.

For more information about IPL, please click here.  Also, check out our specials page for a limited time IPL offer!

-Posted by Lina Harooni, AE

We’re excited to introduce a new All Levels Vinyasa Flow Yoga Class to our group fitness schedule!

Registered Yoga Instructor Irene Caruso will teach weekly on the following days:

• Monday & Thursday 9 a.m.
  
• Monday & Wednesday 12 p.m.
• Wednesday 7 p.m.

Like all styles of yoga, Vinyasa has both mental and physical benefits.  Physically, sweat expels toxins and re-energizes your body.  It’s also a great way to strengthen the muscles and work on your flexibility!  Mentally, the synchronized breathing as you flow through movements will relax your mind and will help to release any blockage of energy flow throughout your body.

New to yoga and feeling a little intimidated?  Not a problem!  Our intimate fitness room is the perfect place to give it a try.  This class will cater to all levels and new Yogis & Yoginis are welcome!  Call to reserve your space today – space is limited!

About Irene Caruso, RTY 200 hours
Registered Yoga Instructor

Irene has been personally practicing yoga for four years. She received her RYT 200 hour yoga training from Inner Power Yoga in Sterling in February 2011 and has been
teaching ever since.

Having taught in student’s homes, small businesses coupled with teaching and speaking to members of the Northern VA Epilepsy Foundation, Irene values the
importance of getting to know her students both physically and mentally. It’s not just the pose, it is practicing with a positive outlook, compassion and understanding.. (Thank you Ursula Cox, my mentor!)

“My students with chronic conditions have expressed how their Yoga practice integrated with the care of their healthcare provider has become an important part of their healing process. I focus on breathing techniques, hip and shoulder openers as well as taking care of the lower back. All can be accomplished through customizing accordingly to the student’s personal needs, while still benefitting the results of a yoga practice.”

Stress is all around us.   It has become an excepted and anticipated part of living in this fast-paced area.  

Whether the stress is self-induced by our own choices or from situations that are totally unpredictable, most people – including myself – try to ignore it.   Unfortunately, the daily stress that gets ignored can continue to build up and ultimately have negative effects on your health.

For example, stress can lead to obesity, which can then snowball into a host of additional health problems – including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, sleep apnea, and more.  Stress also has the potential to lead to break downs in relationships, premature aging, and – quite frankly – death.

So, what can you do to help undo the damage that stress may be playing in your life?   As the spa director at The Medical Spa at Nova, I wanted to share three excellent options that we have to offer:

·         Massage Therapy – As many of you probably already know, there are so many wonderful health benefits to massage therapy – including stress reduction!  Studies have shown that massage therapy can also help to manage anxiety and depression, alleviate pain and stiffness, control blood pressure, boost immunity, and help with cancer treatment. 

·         Exercise – Sometimes people forget that exercise can be pivotal in helping to manage stress.  The exercise can be as simple as going out for a nice walk.  Yoga, stretching and deep breathing can also help melt tension away. 

·         Wellness Coaching – A new service that we are proud to offer here at the spa is wellness coaching.  Coaching is a patient-directed process of tapping into internal motivators for change, creating a compelling vision in alignment with one’s greater dreams and values, setting goals, and holding the patient accountable with weekly action planning and assignments.

Coaching offers a deeper context for not only your wellness choices, but also how you live your life and relate to commitments.  Wellness Coaching can particularly help patients with stress and weight management.  If this sounds of interest, I encourage you to try a free coaching consultation. 

While we can’t always avoid stress, isn’t it nice to know that there are options out there to help us better manage stress and live healthier lives?

See you at the spa!

-Posted by Spa Director Pam Adams

Enjoy 20% OFF All Laser Hair Removal Packages

-&-

SAVE $50 When You Book a 30-Minute IPL Session

Offer expires June 1, 2013.  Cannot be combined with any other offering.  Call to book your appointment today!

Along with facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, waxing, IPL and Laser Hair Removal, she specializes in immaculate eyebrow and full face threading.  Call to schedule your next appointment today!

Azar Khodayari-Nejad, AE

Azar is a licensed master aesthetician and certified laser technician.  She completed her aesthetics schooling at AVI Career Training Center in Great Falls, VA.  Azar’s training and experience has provided her with an extensive knowledge of skin care concerns and she takes great pride in catering to each client’s individual needs.  She strives to deliver the very best experience for every client.

Along with facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, waxing, IPL and Laser Hair Removal, she specializes in immaculate eyebrow and full face threading.

Favorite Service at Nova: Threading

So, what exactly is a chemical peel?  A chemical peel is a treatment used to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin.  This procedure uses a chemical solution, usually an acid, to dissolve away the upper layers of the skin in order to improve conditions such as acne, unwanted pigmentation or wrinkles.

Typically, with a chemical peel, nothing actually “peels” off.  During a chemical peel, the chemical solution is applied to the skin and is allowed to soak in.  The solution works by destroying parts of the skin in a controlled way, causing new tissue to emerge.

Of our peels here at The Medical Spa at Nova, I suggest one of the following three basic types of peels – each differs based on how deeply the chemical penetrates the skin and what type of chemical solution is used:

SkinMedica® Illuminize Peel
This chemical peel is great for first-time chemical peel users, or for those looking for a very gentle, superficial peel.  It uses a newer generation of alpha-hydroxy acids (mandelic and malic acid) in combination with phytic acid and commonly used peeling agents to maximize skin rejuvenating effects with low irritation.  It yields little or no visible peeling, and can be performed on skin types I – VI.

Following this peel, expect to see improved clarity, color and skin texture.  It will also tighten and restore the skin for a more youthful appearance and leave the skin looking radiant.

SkinMedica® Vitalize Peel

This chemical peel helps to fight the effects of time, sun damage, and environmental assaults.  It’s a safe and effective peel appropriate for all skin types that delivers results you can see with little to no downtime or irritation. It will effectively treat common skin ailments such as dry and/or dull skin, skin tone and texture, pigmentation abnormalities, superficial lines and wrinkles, post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation, brown spots, melasma and photo-damaged skin, to name a few.

The Vitalize Peel by SkinMedica is a well-tolerated peel that combines a peeling solution or base with Retinoic acid that creates more exfoliation than other chemical peels penetrating the skin to the same depth.  Visible improvement is achieved after a single treatment; however, significant results are seen after a series of treatments.

SkinMedica® Rejuvenize Peel
Deeper than SkinMedica Vitalize Peel®, This peel uses an advanced formulation of peeling agents with a built-in anti-irritant and penetration enhancer – Salicylic Acid, Lactic Acid, Resorcinol, Panthenol, Isoceteth-20, and .3% Retinoic Acid – to provide controlled exfoliation of the uppermost damaged layers of the skin.  It’s effective for use on skin with sun damage, melasma, pigmentary changes, and acne scarring.

Rejuvenize® is recommended for skin types I – VI and is generally well tolerated with minimal down time.  Because it’s a deeper peel than the Vitalize Peel®, it does produce a moderate amount of peeling for 2 – 5 days, and can be repeated every 4-6 weeks.

A recent clinical study of female subjects, aged 23 – 62, with mild to moderate facial photo-aging, melasma, hyper-pigmentation, or mild acne receiving 3 consecutive peels (once ever 4 weeks) discovered the following results:

• 80% felt it improved evenness of skin tone and appearance of age spots and pigmentation
• 85% felt it made skin look healthier and more youthful
• 90% felt it improved smoothness of skin
• 90% felt it improved overall condition of skin

So, what are you waiting for?  Schedule a consultation today and see which peel is best for your needs!

-Posted by Lina Harooni, AE

A VISIA Complexion Analysis accurately detects and measures skin problems in both superficial and deeper layers of the skin that if left untreated, will eventually emerge and cause premature aging.  With a simple, noninvasive photographic image, VISIA technology accurately identifies underlying skin problems such as increased bacteria, clogged pores and surface irregularities, vascular and melanin conditions, spots (pigmentation), wrinkles, unbalanced skin texture, porphyrins, and UV- and photo- damage.  Because VISIA analyzes both the superficial and deeper layers of the skin, it defines actual and future skin problems that can be corrected through appropriate treatment.

From your customized report, we are able to determine the best skincare treatment interventions for correcting your individual issues and maintaining the optimal health of your facial complexion.  We can also use the VISIA analysis to track your progression from the skincare treatment plan that we provide.

We are happy to offer a complimentary VISIA analysis to our clients during a professional skin consultation.  Schedule an appointment today!

-Posted by Lina Harooni, AE

Shoulder injuries are very common due to the structure of the joint.  It’s one of the most mobile joints in the human body and is surrounded by muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursa, nerves and blood vessels.  Damage to any one of these structures can cause pain and loss of function, according Dr. Franchesca Harper in her article on Shoulder Injuries from Weight Lifting.

But, you don’t have to be an athlete to have a shoulder injury.  A repetitive action over time can lead to a plethora of possibilities for something to go wrong in this area of your body.  An injury could be very specific to a particular movement like an overhead throw for a pitcher, or as simple as reaching behind you to pull your traveling suitcase.  Activities combined with poor posture and muscle imbalances can all contribute  shoulder injury.

According to the  American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery, injuries to the tissue  surrounding the shoulder socket can occur from acute trauma or repetitive shoulder motion.  Some examples include falling on the outreached arm, a direct blow to the shoulder, or a sudden pull when trying to lift a heavy object or overhead reach.

Well, after ample research and some self assessments, my injury falls under the category of the overhead reach combined with a repetitive shoulder motion.  Yikes!  How could that have happened?

As a fitness “expert” and massage therapist, one would think I would have known better.  Years of weight training, swimming endurance events and just the nature of me getting older are several variables that contributed to this process.  The reality is that the term “modification of activities and movement” is now part of my vocabulary and upcoming lifestyle.

With that being said, I find that it is important to look at the big picture and really define wellness.  According to Dr. Dorette Nysewander’s Seven Dimensions of Wellness, physical is only one of them.  The other six dimensions of wellness include occupation, spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social and environmental.  Having an injury helps to learn how balanced you are with the other dimensions and how to create a homeostasis – even with an injury.

So, what is ahead?  Now that I’ve had a formal diagnosis made, it’s off to see a physician that can prescribe a treatment plan.  Keeping my fingers crossed, I am leaning towards medication and rehabilitation exercises. This combined with regular massages has worked in the past for some of my past injuries.  Massage helps to reduce the tension around the joint region and additional strain placed on the injury.  It also helps with circulation, bringing fluid needed to repair the tissue, while helping to reduce scar tissue that could develop.  educing scar tissue that could develop.

Surgery is not my preference, but may be necessary to avoid further damage.  Stay tuned for the results of consultation!

-Posted by Pauline Lockard, CMT