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Anti-Stress Tips You’ll LOVE! Leesburg, VA

July 23, 2020

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for sticking with us through this difficult time! We know so many of you have been patiently waiting to get the treatments that help you look and feel your best. It’s not easy when your routine gets disrupted, and we are with you every step of the way.
Woman laying on the couch
Speaking of routines, we thought it’d be fun to share a few ways our team here at AVIE! has been able to keep our stress down in recent months. For example, we’ve been trying to limit the amount of time we watch or read the news each day, because research indicates that being exposed to disturbing news can raise your body’s stress response. It’s important to stay informed, of course! We’re just saying that you won’t find the news blaring in the background over here. At AVIE!, listening to relaxing music while we work is more our speed. And speaking of music…
Here are a few wellness tips we love:

Playing your favorite tunes!

When our favorite song comes on the radio, we perk up a little, our mood elevates and we may even start to move our body in rhythm to the music. We all intuitively know that music can be uplifting and soothing, and there’s research to back it up! According to Harvard Health, music therapy was shown to reduce symptoms of depression in four separate clinical trials. In another study of 60 chronic pain sufferers, music reduced pain, depression and disability. Music has also been clinically shown to help improve quality of sleep in patients with sleep disorders.

Dancing!

We’re not suggesting that you go out and start hitting the dance club circuit right now, but what about dancing to your favorite tunes in the kitchen? It’s silly, we know, but it may also be super good for you! An inspiring study in 2011 measured the effect of dancing on adults who were 65 or older and at risk of falling but otherwise healthy. Of the 134 adults, half were trained to walk and perform movements in time to music (in other words, dance), while the other half continued with their usual lifestyle. After six months, the “dancers” exhibited better gait and balance and experienced 54% fewer falls. In similar studies with Parkinson’s patients, dancing was shown to help improve mobility.
We adore studies like this! Doesn’t it inspire you to take a dance class and expand your horizons a bit? When social distancing guidelines have relaxed, what about learning how to salsa with your partner?

Treating yourself at least once a day

Treats can be anything, from a simple piece of chocolate to a visit to our medspa for SkinTyte^™ II, CoolSculpting^®, Botox^®… Other ways to indulge yourself include taking cat naps, tea breaks, reading a good book, knitting, painting or buying a new skin care product. (Check out our medical-grade skin care here!) The most important
beginning and presents a new opportunity to be kind to yourself. Best of all, kindness is contagious! Being good to yourself helps you spread goodness to others, which means the positive possibilities are endless.
We are ready to help you look and feel amazing this summer. We hope you are ready, too! To learn more about our services, please call us at 703.870.3844 or request a personal consultation online today.
— Kim
Source used in blog:
Music and health

Tips for Getting Your Best Cosmetic Benefits Leesburg, VA

July 16, 2020

We’ve been working hard to fit you in for your injectables sessions, and we apologize for any delay you may be experiencing as a result of this pandemic. Our goal has always been — and always will be — to bring out your absolute best in every way. After all, you can’t look your best without also feeling good on the inside. So, we’ve compiled a few tips for navigating your aesthetic needs during this strange and stressful time so you can achieve your goals and feel amazing throughout the process!
Woman resting her head on her hand

Tip #1: Start scheduling your treatments months in advance

We know this sounds like a lot, but it’s really not. Take Botox^® and dermal fillers, for example. Botox needs touch-ups about every four months, while dermal fillers may need sessions twice a year or less, depending on the types of fillers you use.
Photofacials are another smart treatment to schedule in advance. Many of our clients schedule seasonal BBL^™ photofacials to help reverse sun damage and reduce redness and dark spots that pop up and keep looking “Forever Young!” Routine treatments are clinically proven to help your skin look younger, more evenly-toned and healthier, so you really can’t go wrong with routine treatments. Plus, there’s no downtime, so it’s easy to fit into your daily routine.

Tip #2: Timing is everything

This month is a terrific time to purchase and schedule your injectables treatments because we’re having a big special. When you buy Botox (minimum 25 units), Juvéderm^® or Kybella^®, you’ll get $150 off. During the same visit, if you purchase a second product, such as Botox and Juvederm, you’ll receive an additional $150 off for a total of $300 in savings! This is only while supplies last, which is why you should call us now!

Stop correcting and start preventing

Getting ahead of the cycle of sun damage and aging is always the goal. Once you undergo a few aesthetic treatments and start enjoying optimal results, whether it’s smoother, younger-looking skin and fuller lips with dermal fillers or a more sculpted abdomen with EMSCULPT^®, you’ll start realizing that it’s much easier to maintain your results with periodic follow-up treatments than it is to correct your concerns initially. The great thing about maintenance treatments is that they save you money because it takes less time and product to achieve your desired goals. Simply put, you’re not starting at the beginning — you have a higher baseline, and that means you’re enjoying buildable benefits!
No matter what your aesthetic needs may be this summer, we can help you schedule your treatments at times that are ideal for you, so you’re never stuck having to live without the benefits you’ve come to love. We can’t wait to help you look and feel amazing, so call us at 703.870.3844 or request a personal consultation online today.
— Kim

4 Collagen Boosters You Can Do Now! Leesburg, VA

July 9, 2020

Collagen is the building block of skin, the secret sauce that keeps your complexion looking plumped up and youthful. And even though collagen levels naturally decline with age, there are plenty of ways to amp up collagen growth to keep your skin looking its best. Here’s a look at proven collagen boosters that anyone can do!
Start using retinoids/retinol.
What’s in your beauty bag? If you don’t have some form of retinoid/retinol, you need to rethink your skin care regimen pronto. A retinoid is a vitamin A-based drug that was originally invented for acne in the 1960s under the brand name Retin A (generic name trentinoin). Retinol is simply a fat-soluble formulation of a retinoid. Retinoid and retinol are clinically proven to stimulate new collagen growth in skin. Retinol/retinoids also speed cellular turnover and help reveal a smoother, clearer, more evenly toned appearance to your skin. We carry several medical-grade skin care formulations featuring retinol and other results-driven ingredients to help reveal noticeable improvements in your skin. Don’t worry if you’re confused by our large selection — we personally use and believe in the products we sell (and we are honestly obsessed with them because they work so well!). Our favorites are SkinMedica^® retinols and Alastin^® Skincare retinols, all clinically proven to fight wrinkles and stimulate collagen. Depending on your skin type and goals, we can help you choose the ideal products for you.
Reduce sugar intake.
How much sugar do you eat? We hate to say it, but sugar is a major complexion wrecker according to diabetes research. For starters, sugar creates an inflammatory response in your body, spiking your skin’s sebum production and encouraging acne. But there’s a lot more to it than just blemishes. Sugar binds to molecules, a process called glycation, which contributes to the formation of free radicals, your skin’s major enemy. Free radicals weaken your skin, resulting in fine lines and wrinkles, sagging, age spots and other signs of damage. To help maintain your skin’s collagen levels, your best bet is eating a colorful, varied diet rich in antioxidants, which halt free radicals in their tracks. Antioxidant-rich foods include leafy greens like kale and spinach, green and white teas, dark chocolate, red cabbage, beans, artichokes, avocados, garlic, berries, tree nuts and so much more!
Renew your skin with us!
To help boost collagen growth, we highly recommend scheduling a periodic skin renewing treatment with us. Skin renewal refers to any treatment that literally renews your skin by creating “controlled damage” and triggering your skin’s natural healing response. There are so many amazing treatments to choose from, such as Vivace^™ Microneedle RF, Halo^™ and BBL^™, chemical peels, MicroLaserPeel^® and ProFractional^™ skin resurfacing…Honestly, we offer a lot of skin renewing treatments because they work so well! We can help you choose the right skin treatment for you during your personal consultation.
This month is the perfect time to treat your complexion to our medical-grade skin care products, while we’re offering 10% off when you buy one product, 15% off when you buy two, and 20% off plus a FREE SkinMedica^® travel bag when you buy three!
Product Special:
Purchase SkinMedica^® TNS Serum and Lytera 2.0, HA5 or Lumavive, and one additional SkinMedica product, for a total of 3 SkinMedica products and receive 20% off PLUS $40 rebate and SkinMedica travel bag valued at $125 (while supplies last).
Your lifestyle matters.
● Do you still “tan” or “catch rays” in the name of getting vitamin D? Believe us, you can get your vitamin D elsewhere. There’s absolutely no good reason for exposing your skin to the sun, your skin’s #1 collagen destructor. You can protect your skin by wearing a physical sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day of the year.
● Another major collagen killer is smoking. It actually accelerates your skin’s aging process, so don’t smoke!
● Do you exercise? Exercise helps your skin stay young by boosting blood flow and encouraging your skin’s healthy cellular processes.
We certainly covered a lot of collagen boosting tips, and we truly do follow them all here at AVIE!, because we know they work! But if you can do only one thing right now, wear sunscreen! Your #1 collagen boosting tool is sun damage prevention. For even better results, of course, we recommend doing more than one thing, like applying daily sunscreen and using a retinol at night. Or better yet, applying sunscreen, retinol and other results-driven skin care products and undergoing periodic skin rejuvenation treatments with us. No matter what, we’ve got you covered here at AVIE! Call us with any questions at 703.870.3844 or request a personal consultation online today. We can’t wait to help you achieve your best complexion!
— Kim

4 Steps to Ditching Belly Fat! Leesburg, VA

July 2, 2020

If your belly happens to be your “difficult spot,” we have good news for you: we can help you reach your goals! All it takes is a little know-how and some expert help to slim down this notoriously tricky area of the body. Here’s a closer look at belly fat, and some strategies for achieving body contouring goals that last.
Woman wearing workout clothes
Know what you’re up against
Is your belly pinchable, as in “pinch-an-inch” fat? That’s called subcutaneous fat, and it’s the harmless fat that causes muffin tops and double chins. It happens to most people, so no need to feel bad about it! Especially since CoolSculpting® was invented specifically to tame this common type of fat.
If your belly fat isn’t pinchable but more like a beer belly, you may have a different type of fat called visceral fat. Visceral fat is internal and wraps around your organs, affecting your health in negative ways. Visceral fat can only be reduced for the long-term through a healthy diet and exercise regimen. No surgery, liposuction or non-invasive fat reduction treatment can effectively reduce visceral fat.
Weight loss is your gain
A lot of people who are above their ideal weight have a combination of visceral and subcutaneous fat. If this is your case, and you would like to lose weight, we can help with a clinically-proven diet that can reduce weight and belly fat beautifully. We use Prolon^™ The Fasting Mimicking Diet^™, which is based on research to help people lose weight quickly, especially in their abdomen. ProLon is five-day diet that puts your body into fasting mode without inducing the deprivation and hunger of traditional fasting methods. The ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet is clinically proven to reduce inflammation in the body, helping your body to reset, so to speak. We’re not scientists here, but we know how to rely on science, which is why we offer ProLon at AVIE! It not only works to help you lose weight and belly fat, but it’s also healthy for you.
Get specific
Once you’re within your ideal weight range, it’s time to get a handle on your pinchable belly fat with professional body contouring treatments. CoolSculpting helps to reduce up to 25% of targeted fat per cycle by freezing fat cells away with special cooling applicators. Depending on the amount of fat in your target areas, you may need a series of CoolSculpting treatments. This month, we’re offering a special where you get 25% OFF four CoolSculpting cycles. That’s awesome savings!
Don’t forget toning
After the pinchable fat comes toning and sculpting with EMSCULPT^®, a non-invasive muscle toning treatment. Imagine being able to do thousands of crunches in one 30-minute period. That’s what EMSCULPT does for your abdomen. It also tackles the buttocks and thighs, by the way. This month, we’re having a sale on EMSCULPT: Buy four series of EMSCULPT for $1,800 ($1,200 in savings) or buy six series of EMSCULPT for $2,200 ($2,300 in savings).
Keep in mind that our professional body contouring treatments and services are intended to enhance your lifestyle, not to be a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. This means you’ll need to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regimen for the long term to achieve your best results and maintain them. No matter what, we are here to help you, and we can’t wait to see you soon for a personal body contouring consultation!
To learn more about fat reduction and body toning, please call us at 703.870.3844 or request a personal consultation online today. We can’t wait to help you achieve your goals!
— Kim
Sources used in blog:

Your Best Ways to Beat Belly Fat

How to Avoid Weight Gain Right Now Leesburg, VA

June 25, 2020

Like the rest of humanity, have you been noticing your weight ever-so-steadily creeping up in recent months? To help you keep your weight in check, here are some proven weight-management tools we’d like to share, based on a recent article in everydayhealth.com.
Man drinking a cup of water
1. Ask for help!
Here at AVIE!, we offer the ProLon Fasting Mimicking Diet^™, which is clinically proven to help slim belly fat and reduce inflammation. We love ProLon because it’s a safe and fool-proof way to reset your metabolism and detox your body. We like to think of it as a way to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle or body contouring regimen. What’s more, once you’ve achieved your ideal weight, body contouring treatments like CoolSculpting^® and EMSCULPT^® can help you slim, trim and tone specific “problem spots” to get you closer to your ideal body without the stress.
2. Eat smarter.
All those chips are tempting to toss into your cart, and while they certainly taste yummy in the moment, they may actually be stoking and perpetuating your cravings, according to research in the journal Cell Metabolism. In a recent study, adults ate “ultra-processed” foods (i.e., food that comes in packages with long ingredient lists) for two weeks and then ate unprocessed foods for two weeks. During the processed diet phase of the study, adults consumed about 500 additional calories per day.
3. Drink more water.
The ultimate hydrator is water, and it’s calorie-free! Drinking water throughout the day helps you stay hydrated, but it also helps your belly stay a little bit full, helping to quell hunger pangs. According to a review of animal studies in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, adequate water intake was associated with weight loss. The researchers concluded that drinking water may promote a healthy metabolism to burn fat and improve insulin sensitivity as well as decrease food consumption. Another promising study found that drinking 2 cups of H20 boosted the metabolic rate of participants by 30% for up to an hour.
4. Stress less.
Eating junk food when you’re stressed out makes perfect sense from a chemical standpoint. When we’re stressed, the stress hormone cortisol spikes, and eating sugar helps thwart the release of cortisol in the brain, helping you feel calmer. Unfortunately, eating sugar also starts a vicious cycle of sugar cravings; the more sugar you eat the more you want. Rather than cutting out sugar entirely, which only leads to more cravings, experts advise portion control. Try keeping single-size servings handy, like pudding cups, mini cookies or ice cream pops.
5. Practice portion control.
We’re all aware that food portions have grown larger over the years, which has skewed our perception of what’s a “normal” amount of food. Fortunately, limiting your portion size offers immediate progress. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who served themselves smaller portions ate less the next day, too! By shrinking your serving size for one meal, you are helping to retrain your brain into accepting less. A helpful tip when starting to reduce portion sizes: Try using smaller plates or bowls for your meals.
6. Be mindful of eating out of boredom.
We often eat because we are bored, when our brains trick us into thinking we’re hungry. Keeping yourself busy can help you stay on track with your eating schedule. You might also limit the number of times you pass your kitchen throughout the day. The saying “out of sight, out of mind,” actually works when it comes to food.
7. Plan what you will eat.
Experts also recommend planning your meals in advance, so you are never stuck without healthy food choices. People who plan their meals have a higher-quality diet and are less likely to be overweight or obese, according to a study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Therapy.
8. Plan when you are going to eat.
Unstructured “grazing” is an easy way to gain weight, as we tend to grab what’s convenient, which often also happens to be snacks that are not very nutritious or satisfying. Eating randomly also increases our chances of overeating because we tend to lose track of our consumption. A bunch of little “snacks” throughout the day can add up fast.
Putting yourself on an eating schedule helps train your stomach when to be hungry, so you can stay in control of your consumption and plan your meals. A schedule prevents you from feeling blindsided by sudden pangs of hunger, which can lead to poor dietary choices.
To learn more about weight management tools, please don’t hesitate to call us with any questions at 703.870.3844 or request a personal consultation online today!

Sources used in blog:

How to Avoid Weight Gain When You’re Cooped Up Inside

Water-induced Thermogenesis

Wrinkles Got You Down? Leesburg, VA

June 18, 2020

There’s no substitute for Botox^® and dermal fillers. So, when we had to temporarily close shop this spring to keep you safe, we realized how hard it would be for our clients who enjoy an established injectables regimen. Fortunately, we are open again and running, and we can’t wait to help you smooth away wrinkles and replenish lost volume with an expert injectables session! It’s our passion and privilege to serve you, and our Master Injectors truly can’t wait to help you achieve your aesthetic goals!
Woman with black hair smiling
To help you get your very best results, here are a few tips for your next injectables session with us:

Plan ahead.

We know you’ve been without your injectables for too long, but so have hundreds of other clients, so call us as soon as you can to schedule your next injectables session to secure your place. We also recommend thinking ahead and scheduling the next few injectable sessions in advance. With our help, you’ll be able to secure a spot in our appointment book so you never miss a touch-up when you need it. Some clients schedule their injectables sessions for the year. It sounds like a lot, but when you think about it, it amounts to three Botox sessions every four months and maybe one or two dermal filler sessions, depending on your needs. An unexpected benefit of advance planning is that it saves you money, because the more you do it, the less injectable you end up needing.

We can’t wait to plump up your pout with Juvéderm®, but if you’re going to invest in fuller lips, it makes sense to give your lips a little TLC beforehand and afterward with proper hydration and exfoliation — because no one wants a plumped and parched-looking pout. Another smart investment is taking care of your skin with soothing skin care formulas. Alastin®, one of our favorite medical-grade skincare lines (which we carry in our store and is available for sale on our website), recently released INhance Post-Injection Serum with TriHex Technology®, a post-injectables serum that’s specially formulated to help heal and prevent bruises and swelling after your injectables session. We highly recommend stocking up on this, and we also recommend stocking up on other results-driven skincare formulas that will help you maintain and enhance your results. Glowing skin is about strategy and involves a proactive skincare regimen based on the daily application of potent ingredients. We are obsessed with providing you with results, so we recommend consulting with us to determine which skincare products are right for your unique complexion needs. You will truly be amazed by the improvements you’ll see in your skin after incorporating medical-grade skincare into your routine!

Other aspects of doing your part include:

• Avoiding blood-thinning substances before and after your treatment. Blood thinners like alcohol, ginseng, ginkgo and garlic increase your chances of bruising.
• Hands off! The less you manipulate the area the better!
• Avoiding strenuous exercise or yoga poses that place your head upside down. This type of movement exacerbates swelling.
• Keeping it simple. The week of your injectables session is not the time to redecorate your house or plant a new garden. Give yourself time to lay low and relax while your injectables settle in and any side effects subside on their own.
We are so excited to administer your next injectables session! Call us today at 703.870.3844 or request a personal consultation online! See you soon!
—Kim

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