Putting the Zen in Beauty
by Dinah S. Ventura

Ayen Laurel is one of the most beautiful faces in local show business, but she is the first to say that maintenance is key to keep looking good. Unlike many celebrities, however, Ayen did not immediately jump into the aesthetic center bandwagon. Like many women, she was at first hesitant to try the services of the numerous beauty centers around, until her friend Fanny Serrano, the hairstyle and fashion guru, introduced her to Dr. Mary Jane T. Valdecanas of The Zen Institute: A Medical Spa.

"I had also heard about the clinic and seen it at the Fort", Ayen relates just after lunch at her favorite restaurant, Abe at Serendra. "I have tried other places before. Pero takot ako sa surgical way. My concerns are: there should be no downtime, and no scarring. Here in the Philippines, I get intimidated. I was looking for a comfort zone and I found it in Zen Institute." Ayen's flawless face, devoid of makeup, glows with health, which could be partly credited to the unique care of her clinic of choice.

"She's very conservative when it comes to skin care. She only wants the basic treatments, nothing fancy", affirms Dr. Valdecanas. "Being mestiza, Ayen's type of skin ages faster, but luckily she is blessed with good genes. When she came to us, Ayen was worried about eyebags."

Zen Institute, of course, had more to offer than getting rid of eyebags. This, they did, and more. Before long, Ayen was able to experience the wonders of the Institute's pride: the Resonax.

Exclusively available at the Zen Institute, the Resonax is a non-invasive, non-surgical treatment with anti-aging, facial contouring benefits. Ayen, being an advocate of non-invasive maintenance, found the perfect match in Resonax, which makes use of Resonance Frequency through a patch attached from the machine to the area of concern. The technology, of Italian creation, increases collagen induction of one's own collagen. It tightens pores, lifts and increases the body's lymphatic drainage (cleansing).

The Resonax has higher energy than Thermage or Fraxel, but there is no overwhelming heat. It is a higher technology, says Dr. Valdecanas, yet there is no need for an operating room or anesthesia to undergo the procedure. All it takes is 45 minutes, once or twice a week.

Ayen definitely liked the fact that she did not have to spend too much time undergoing the treatment. She found it relaxing, and reveals that sometimes she finds herself dozing off whenever she has her regular treatments.

She was also very happy with the Derma Roller, which closes the pores uimmediately after treatment, as well as the Diamond Peel, which reveals new skin and makes one look fresh and glowing after just a session.

"Zen Institute does not feel like a clinic at all where you wait your turn in a waiting room full of people," Ayen shares. The place's de-stressing atmosphere is one of the reasons the chanteuse has chosen to keep going back for her treatments. The Zen Institute prides itself for its discreet and efficient service.

Dr. Valdecanas, an advocate of healthy living and total well-being, encourages her clients to find the time to come to the clinic at least once a week in spite of their busy or active lifestyles. "I used to do lipo surgery in the early years of my career. But I noticed that after three months, my patients would come back because they had gained weight again. I felt bad that I was just treating the problem, but I was not correcting their lifestyle."

This led Dr. Valdecanas to establish a place that would offer more than the usual aesthetic treatments and procedures. "Surgery is always an option, but we are maintaining the philosophy that one should explore non-surgical options first," she says. "I have nothing against surgery, but let's go back to the basics. After all, it's not about vanity, but feeling good about yourself."

She adds: "All our programs at Zen Institute are weekly programs. They are all designed to pamper and treat at the same time. For instance, the Facial Spa is a relaxing experience, but it treats specific skin conditions, depending in skin type. We focus on the needs of the client. We try to tailor fit our programs to the needs, lifestyle and budget of each individual. What is unique to us is the formulation of the program and the medications, which I make myself. There is something in our formulations that whiten skin, which is unique to the Institute," Dr. Valdecanas states.

Beyond skin, hair and body concerns, the Zen Institute offers total well-being packages that include personal trainers for weight loss, and nutrition and diet programs. "Our solutions are non-invasive and non-surgical," Dr. Valdecanas stresses. "We have integrated the best of European technology and American fitness to suit the lifestyle of Filipinos."

For Dr. Valdecanas, achieving perfect beauty or indeed total well-being need not be a painful, stressful experience. "It's a behavior modification that we try to do. We try to direct or assist a client on where to focus to achieve their goals."

Ayen, through the Zen Institute, proves that beauty is effortless, especially when one has found a perfect match in a medical professional that cares for one's well-being.

The Zen Institute offers a Body Sculpting program, Skin Pampering treatments, Anti-Aging Therapy, Skin Rejuvenation, Facial Contouring, Facial Spaand Mesohair therapy. It is located at C1 and C2 Bonifacio Stopover, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. It will open its second branch in Quezon City (through Fanny Serrano's salon in Scout Rallos) soon. For more informatio on Dr. Valdecanas and the services mentioned above, please call 856-2027 to 28, email drmj@thezeninstitute.com.