The Facial Saga
Let’s face it, these days you can get a facial treatment at a day spa, nail salon, lash bar, massage facility, hotel, or even a gym! But other than convenience, what factors should you consider before entrusting your face and body to an aesthetic provider?
In my youth, I would get facials at day spas and laser hair removal from non-medical technicians in boutique businesses. Receiving laser treatments for years as a college student, my wallet was tight and online coupons were good to me – so I went for what was cheap and close by. Frequent business travels years later also made hotel spas too good to pass up when I had time to kill.
My skin – super oily, blackheads, olive tone, occasional acne, and of course thanks to my Persian genes, unwanted dark hair in all the wrong places. Over years of trying to treat my issues, convenience and bargains were costing me more money without delivering results. Fast forward a decade – still the same hair in all the wrong places, the same oily skin without improvement, and an embarrassingly high amount of money down the drain with nothing to show for it. Products were not potent enough to treat my issues, lasers used were not for my skin type, pigmentation issues were not going away, and I had limited options to see more targeted anti-aging treatments.
My last esthetician snapped at me when I told her I was curious about Botox and Dermal Fillers. ‘Just jump rope every day’ she says. ‘It yields the same result over time because it tightens your face muscles’ While I was certain that gravity works against us, and the extra jolting wouldn’t seem to help, she then tried to give me an ‘alternative treatment’ to Botox. Next thing I know, my face is getting pinched, tapped, and slapped for 10 minutes. Sure, my face swelled nice and plump for half the day, but I was right back to the same facial drama before I knew it. That and my laser technician burning my face with a device that should’ve never been used on my skin type made me realize I needed a better investment, and a better understanding of my options.
Why Medical Facials? Why Javan?
Following 20 years of receiving numerous aesthetic face and body treatments, I partnered with my brother, Dr. Ehsan Abdeshahian, to open a Medspa envisioned from the physician’s and patient’s perspective. Oddly enough, my frustrations over the years coupled with my brother’s vast knowledge of medicine in aesthetics, pain management, and wellness informed our vision to deliver Javan Wellness to the DMV area!
Javan is a licensed medical aesthetic and wellness practice. Why does this matter? Licensed, medical professionals, or medical estheticians under physician supervision are better equipped to safely deliver advanced skincare, especially for issues such as malasma, rosacea, cystic acne, signs of aging, pigmentation or pigmented lesions, broken capillaries, and so much more. Oftentimes, skin problems may be a result of wider health concerns that relate to abnormal hormone levels, vitamin deficiencies, and poor lifestyle patterns – all issues that can be detected and addressed by medical professionals with the right expertise. Medical spas adhere to stricter standards with regard to hygiene, sterilization, patient care, and privacy in comparison to day spas, gyms, hotels, etc. Typically, there is also tremendous emphasis on continuing education for medical providers because new studies dictate the very strict practice of medicine regularly.
Medical skincare brands such as Obagi, Skinmedica, IS Clinical, Skinceuticals, etc. are only sold where a licensed physician is present. A medical spa can also offer more invasive treatments that can yield faster and more dramatic results (especially for anti-aging!), such as Plasma Facials (microneedling with one’s own platelet rich plasma), Radio Frequency (RF) Microneedling, Laser Facials, eTwo Sublime and Sublative treatments, or perhaps enhancements beyond skin care such as Botox and Dermal Fillers.
In some states, a laser technician can be trained in a single day to be entrusted to deliver a treatment generally considered to be the ‘practice of medicine.’ In other states, such as Virginia, medical supervision is required to perform these treatments. Good reason for this – there’s more beyond sun exposure that matters when operating a powerful laser. A proper assessment of your skin type and a review of medical history could determine the suitability of using lasers, among other aesthetic treatments.
Can you receive a facial when you are pregnant or breastfeeding? Can you receive aesthetic treatments if you are receiving cancer treatment? What facials can you receive if you have skin allergies? These questions are best answered by trained medical professionals who can ensure you are receiving the safest care without unnecessarily sacrificing an optimal treatment. Modified treatments can still yield powerful results with a knowledgeable provider.
Whether it’s your face or body, entrust it with the very best medical professionals who are trained to understand your unique needs. This was a hard lesson learned in my book, but an experience worth sharing. This is also why we never charge for skin assessments or consultations. You shouldn’t have to pay to know your options, or know your provider.
Show the world the best version of you. We’ll help you get there!