ALL THAT SHNAZZ - Alexei Villaraza (The Philippine Star ) - July 22, 2020 - 12:00am

My 130-plus day- lockdown came in phases: March to April felt like the break I’ve been wishing for since 2002 when my main thrill was to chill all day. Anxiety ruled by the end of May, a phase riddled with unanswered questions: When will I see my friends again? How much hydroponics can I actually do? Should I attend that free webinar, again? Doing the groceries was just as worry inducing: Is that woman standing too close to me? Did I just hear someone cough? Are there droplets on my clothes? Was this cart sanitized? I wanted to UV everything.

By June, as if Mercury Retrograde wasn’t already making things worse, my tummy was also showing signs of my stress eating and uneasiness, filled with countless chocolate chip cookies, homemade taho, and servings of sushi bake.

Overwhelmed by my mental and physical state, I dedicated July to self-care. As soon as our barangay captain eased quarantine restrictions, I began sleeping earlier, eating healthier, and walking around the village — filling my system with endorphins. I now feel lighter, having acknowledged my anxiety and deciding to quit the productivity “race” I had unwittingly entered myself in. With a clearer head, I started paying more attention to my quarantine skin, which, because of erratic sleeping patterns, heat, too much sugar, stress, and anxiety, had produced breakouts from wearing a mask, dry skin and blotchy patches.

Needing help after I couldn’t find any effective remedy on YouTube, I went straight to the experts at You+, an aesthetic clinic in Bonifacio Global City, that offers a wide range of services to address various skin conditions, both cosmetic and pathologic or medical.

Dr. Arnell Quiambao, who is the clinic’s medical director, says to alleviate the effects of stress on the skin, one could, “simply stick to basic cleaning. If lesions pop out, you can, for the meantime, use over-the-counter medicine for pimples. If it worsens, then that’s when you should consult a doctor.”

Constant, thorough decontamination is done before, during, and after the operating hours using medical-grade disinfecting solutions, and linens are always changed. Infection control measures such as Hepa filters, UV disinfection lamps, and aerosol evacuators are also used in the clinic. Temperature check and disclosure of health and travel information are likewise required for every patient upon entering.

Before reporting back to work, all employees were required to undergo a rapid antibody test, now given every three weeks, and are currently all housed near the clinic to prevent a chance of transmission if they were to go back to their own homes.

Collaborative treatments

The main draw of You+ is its medical expertise complemented by the guiding philosophy of its president, Marco Protacio. “We wanted to develop a center where the private practice of our doctors is just as important as the brand itself,” said Protacio, who is also chairman and CEO of the family-owned Protacio Medical Services. “You + is not your go-to place for mindless beauty enhancements, but a center where physical attributes can be improved intelligently. We’re in the business of beauty and brains and we want people to feel good inside-out,” he said.

The team of board-certified specialists at You+ have the expertise and technology to help patients do just that.

Services include lasers, which rejuvenate the skin and remove unwanted discolorations, hair, vascular lesions, varicose veins, and unsightly tattoos. Equally popular among its clients post-lockdown are services, to help achieve tighter and younger-looking skin such as Microfocused Ultrasound with visualization and injectable procedures such as fillers and threads with amazing results and minimal downtime. All treatments are backed by science and technology at cost, that aren’t prohibitive.

Dr. Quiambao said one of the most common mistakes is when a patient demands drastic change in the way they look or when they want more than what they need.  “We’ve all seen this: the lips too plumped, the brow too high or too low, the cheeks too puffed. We at You+ advocate the philosophy of less is more.  It is always beneficial to make small but impactful changes rather than to do grandiose changes.”

After lockdown, the most requested services were injectables such as botox, fillers, and threads because it only requires a short recovery time and gives excellent results after a few days. For men, the most popular are skin-tightening services because they prefer quick fixes since they don’t have the patience to lie down for one to two hours for a facial while women plan their visit and do a series of treatments already once they’re at the clinic.

Even with so much uncertainty, Dr. Quiambao says a positive mindset is key to coping in these difficult times. “Taking care of our body is also of paramount importance. Fuel your body with healthy food, engage in physical activities and get enough sleep. And despite the social distancing protocols, find ways to connect socially. Have family Facetime dinners or play virtual games with friends. A few Zoom parties every now and then won’t hurt as well.”

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You + is located on the second floor, High Street South Corporate Plaza, 26th St. cor. 11th Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

For inquiries, visit http://www.youplus.ph/ or @youplusph on Instagram.