In the world of skincare, a one-size-fits-all approach simply doesn't cut it. We all have unique skin types, concerns, and lifestyles that require consideration when it comes to our skincare routines. That's where integrative aesthetics comes in, offering a comprehensive approach to achieving a healthier, more youthful you.
At Cardi Aesthetics & Wellness in Cranston, Rhode Island, we specialize in combining top-tier aesthetic services with the principles of functional medicine. Our approach incorporates a wide variety of options, including balancing your hormones and improving your gut health, to deliver results that are as sustainable as they are stunning. Plus, we have cutting-edge aesthetic devices to help you achieve the look you’ve been dreaming of with no pain and no downtime.
Ready to see what integrative aesthetics can do for you and your skin? Schedule an appointment with us today and take the first step toward looking and feeling younger naturally.
Integrative aesthetics is not just about treating the surface; it’s about understanding the interconnectedness of several body systems and how factors like diet, gut health, hormones, and lifestyle impact you and your skin's vitality. Read on to learn more about how this approach can help you achieve a more balanced you.
The Basics of Integrative Aesthetics & Functional Medicine
When it comes to improving the look of your skin, plastic surgery and/or Botox or fillers are far from your only options. Integrative aesthetics is an approach that combines aesthetics with the principles of functional medicine. In other words, instead of just addressing what is visible on the surface, like wrinkles or sagging skin, functional medicine addresses the root cause of these issues.
There are several body systems that play an intricate role in your health and the health of your skin. At Cardi Aesthetics & Wellness, we offer tests to see if you have any hormonal or gut health imbalances that could be increasing how quickly you and your skin are aging. Then, we’ll create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs and goals.
By considering these aspects, our integrative approach aims to improve not only the appearance of your skin but also to slow down the aging process.
Understanding the Body-Skin Connection
Did you know that the skin is the body's largest organ in the body? It serves as an important protective barrier, but as part of this job, it's constantly exposed to various environmental stressors, both internal and external. This makes your skin the perfect window to what's happening inside your body.
Several lifestyle factors can either support or sabotage your skin health, but your diet and hormone levels are two of the most significant. A diet high in processed foods and sugars may lead to inflammation and breakouts, while regular consumption of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids can enhance your skin's health. Our team will help you learn how to eat for healthier skin.
Hormone levels, on the other hand, fluctuate as we age and can cause the skin to change in a number of ways. Between acne, wrinkles, sagging skin, and decreased elasticity, our hormones can affect not only how we look, but also how we feel. With our integrative approach, you have the option to be tested for hormonal imbalances and have them corrected simply and safely.
There are a number of skin conditions that can be addressed with an integrative medicine approach, including psoriasis, eczema, rosacea, acne, and more. In other words, medication isn’t your only option. With apersonalized treatment plan from Cardi Aesthetics & Wellness, our team can help your skin heal from these conditions, potentially allowing you to get off of your prescription medications under the supervision of your prescribing practitioner.
How Our Personalized Skincare Plans Work
With a free skin consult and an optional functional medicine consult, we’ll work with you to create a personalized skincare plan that works for you. Whether that means checking your hormones, identifying issues with your gut health, getting advice about how to find natural and healthy skin care products, or simply enjoying any of our treatments—it’s all up to you!
Initial Skin Consultation
During your brief complimentary skin consult with Donna Zaken, NP, you'll be asked about your skin concerns and goals. This information will help our team get a better understanding of your unique needs, and together, we’ll create a plan.
Optional Functional Medicine Consultation
During your functional medicine consultation, we'll dive into your health and lab test results to identify any underlying issues that may be affecting you and your skin.
One of the key areas we examine is your gut health. The gut is a complex environment filled with bacteria, creating a microbiome that plays a crucial role in your overall health. Certain bacteria in the gut help with essential functions like digestion and immune system regulation, but an imbalance in the gut microbiome can lead to disease and inflammation. In turn, this inflammation can manifest on the skin and contribute to conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, other skin rashes, and aging of your skin.
While some might already know that they have gut issues (due to gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, bloating, or constipation), many are unaware of how much their gut is affecting their health, as they may not have any symptoms. Fortunately, with a simple blood, saliva, or urine test, we can identify these imbalances. Then, we create a plan to modify the microbiome using herbs or antibiotics, prebiotics, probiotics, and more.
Certain foods also contribute to a healthy microbiome. By eliminating foods that your body is sensitive to and consuming foods that feed the good gut bacteria, you can help to heal your gut. Plus, because your skin has its own microbiome, improving your gut health can also greatly improve your skin health.
In addition, we also offer tests for over 150 foods in order to help you identify any potential food sensitivities. This testing is different from conventional allergy tests, as food sensitivities are not true allergies. Once identified, we can offer food substitutes when necessary, and once your gut is healthier, you may be able to eat those original foods once again.
Hormonal balance is another important factor. For women. hormone levels can be abnormal even while still actively menstruating, but for perimenopausal or postmenopausal women, imbalances are particularly common and often need to be addressed . For men, hormonal imbalances can be just as common and fluctuate throughout their lives.
In fact, we recommend that both men and women have their hormone levels checked. Balanced hormones can eliminate symptoms and improve the way a person feels, and with bioidentical hormone therapy prescribed and monitored by a skilled clinician, these imbalances can be corrected.
Optional Nutrition Consultation
When you go to the grocery store, you may be overwhelmed by the number of products claiming to be 'natural' or 'healthy.' Unfortunately, these labels are rarely more than a marketing strategy designed to sell products, making it difficult to make wise food choices. It can be challenging to know what is truly beneficial for your body, and searching the internet only leads to conflicting information and more confusion.
Our nurse practitioner, Donna Zaken, is specially trained in integrative nutrition. She offers invaluable assistance in navigating these tricky waters, helping you to sort out the facts from the fiction. If you choose to have a nutrition consultation, she will work with you to help you find healthy, delicious food choices that nourish your body and your skin and support you on your journey to better health.
How Non-Invasive Aesthetic Treatments Can Help
In addition to addressing the root causes of your skin concerns, our services also include non-invasive aesthetic treatments. By stimulating your body to produce more collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, these treatments can help to improve the appearance and texture of your skin without any pain, giving you a rejuvenated and refreshed appearance.
Some of the aesthetic treatments that we offer at Cardi Aesthetics & Wellness include:
Chemical Peels
Chemical peels are an effective way to exfoliate the skin and improve its texture and appearance. This treatment involves applying a specialized solution to the skin, which gently removes the top layer of dead skin cells. The new, healthier skin underneath is then revealed, giving you a brighter and more youthful complexion. Because these peels promote cell turnover, they are useful for reducing fine lines, age spots, and blemishes. The best part? Chemical peels aren't painful, and they don't require any downtime.
Microneedling
Microneedling is another treatment that encourages the skin to repair itself. This technique involves creating microscopic punctures that trigger collagen and elastin production, which are essential proteins that help keep your skin firm. This procedure does require numbing cream beforehand, and some people may experience redness that can last from a few hours to a couple of days. This treatment is most often used to reduce the appearance of scars, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation, helping create a more youthful and refreshed look.
Nano-Needling
Similar to microneedling,nano-needling also creates tiny channels in the skin's surface. However, unlike microneedling, this treatment is painless and doesn’t require any downtime. Plus, nano-needling allows your skin to better absorb serums, which our team will select depending on what your goals for your skin are.
EMFace
EMFace is a groundbreaking device that uses muscle stimulation and radiofrequency technology to lift and tone the facial muscles. This process tightens the skin, giving you results similar to a conventional facelift—but without surgery, pain, or downtime. By encouraging muscle contraction, as well as the production of collagen and elastin, EMFace effectively targets facial age-related concerns, helping to redefine and rejuvenate the face.
Take the First Step Toward a More Youthful You
At Cardi Aesthetics & Wellness, we understand that having healthy skin is about more than just having a flawless complexion; it's about identifying underlying concerns and working to fix them from the inside out. Our integrative approach to you and your skin focuses on addressing the root causes of your concerns and tailoring a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your goals.
Ready to transform you and your skin with a comprehensive,personalized plan? Schedule an appointment withCardi Aesthetics & Wellness today for a complimentary skin consultation. Let us help you look younger, naturally!
