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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
GENERAL
Sanctuary Skin offers customized facials at our Virginia Beach location. Our address is 1624 Laskin Road, Suite 734, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Sanctuary Skin is located inside the Hilltop North Shopping Center. Our facials are designed to combine relaxation with results and can be adapted for concerns such as dehydration, congestion, acne, sensitivity, dullness, pigmentation and signs of aging.Your master esthetician will evaluate your skin and customize the treatment rather than performing the exact same facial on every client.
For many clients, a facial every three to six weeks works well because it provides consistent professional care while allowing us to monitor changes in the skin and adjust home care as needed.However, there is no universal schedule. Clients actively working on acne, pigmentation or another corrective concern may initially benefit from a different treatment frequency, while someone primarily interested in maintenance and relaxation may choose a longer interval.We'll recommend a schedule based on your individual goals, schedule a consultation to receive a customized treatment plan.
Yes. Sanctuary Skin works with both teenagers and adults experiencing acne, congestion and the discoloration or scarring that breakouts can leave behind.Because acne can have many contributing factors, we don't rely on one treatment for every client. Your plan may include acne-focused facials, Aerolase Neo Elite laser treatments, chemical peels, microneedling, and professional skincare.Our goal is not only to address the breakout you see today, but also to understand your skin and develop a realistic strategy for managing future breakouts.
Yes. Sanctuary Skin offers treatments for teens experiencing acne, clogged pores and congestion.Teen appointments also provide an opportunity to teach young clients how to care for their skin without creating an unnecessarily complicated routine. When appropriate, we may recommend professional home care and a series of treatments based on the severity and type of acne.
Aerolase Neo Elite can be incorporated into treatment plans for active acne. Its 1064 nm Nd laser technology can target factors associated with acne while also helping address inflammation and the redness or discoloration that can remain after a breakout.Whether Aerolase is appropriate for you depends on your skin, acne and medical history, so we evaluate each client individually before recommending treatment. Schedule a consultation to begin.
The best treatment depends on whether you're dealing with true textural scarring or the red or dark marks that acne leaves behind.SkinPen microneedling is one of the treatments we use for textural acne scarring because it stimulates the skin's natural collagen-remodeling process. Aerolase may be incorporated when redness, pigmentation or active acne is also present.Some clients benefit from a combination of treatments rather than relying on one modality alone. We recommend treating active acne and inflammation appropriately before aggressively addressing deeper scarring.
Yes. Hyperpigmentation is one of the common skin concerns we address at Sanctuary Skin.Dark spots can develop for many reasons, including sun exposure, inflammation, acne and hormonal changes. Because the cause matters, we first evaluate the type and pattern of pigmentation before recommending treatment.Depending on your skin, treatment may include Aerolase Neo Elite, chemical peels, microneedling, facials and pigment-supportive professional skincare, along with consistent daily sun protection.
Yes. Sanctuary Skin works with clients experiencing melasma and other forms of facial hyperpigmentation.Melasma is a complex and often recurring pigmentation condition, so we take a conservative approach. Rather than simply trying to remove pigment as aggressively as possible, we consider factors such as inflammation, sun and heat exposure, hormonal influences, skin tone, previous treatments and your current skincare routine.For appropriate clients, Aerolase Neo Elite and microneedling treatments may be incorporated into a personalized melasma treatment plan along with professional skincare, sun protection and other supportive treatments.
There isn't one treatment that is best for every person with melasma.Melasma behaves differently from ordinary sun spots and can be triggered or worsened by factors such as UV exposure, visible light, heat, inflammation and hormonal changes. For that reason, aggressive treatment isn't always the best approach.At Sanctuary Skin, we evaluate your skin before recommending a plan. Depending on the individual, that may include Aerolase Neo Elite, microneedling, pigment-supportive skincare, and other carefully selected treatments.Long-term management and consistent sun protection are especially important because melasma can recur even after significant improvement.
Some laser and light treatments can aggravate pigmentation when they aren't appropriate for the individual's skin or when excessive heat and inflammation are created.This is one reason we don't treat every type of pigmentation the same way.Sanctuary Skin uses the Aerolase Neo Elite, a 1064 nm Nd laser that can be used as part of a carefully designed treatment plan for melasma and pigmentation. We still evaluate each client individually because having access to a particular technology doesn't mean every person with melasma should receive exactly the same treatment.
Yes. Sanctuary Skin works with clients concerned about persistent facial redness, rosacea and visible vascular concerns.Depending on the cause and presentation of the redness, Aerolase Neo Elite may be used to target hemoglobin and visible vascular redness while also helping calm inflammation. Professional skincare may also be recommended to support a sensitive or compromised skin barrier.Because not every red spot or rash is rosacea, we first consider what may be causing the redness before treating it cosmetically.
Aerolase Neo Elite can be an option for clients with rosacea, diffuse facial redness and certain visible vascular concerns.The laser's 1064 nm wavelength can target hemoglobin within unwanted visible vessels while its short pulse duration allows treatment without excessive heat at the skin's surface.Rosacea is a chronic condition, so treatment is generally focused on improving its visible appearance and managing the skin rather than promising a permanent cure. Some clients may benefit from a series of treatments followed by occasional maintenance.
Certain visible facial vessels and broken capillaries may be treated with Aerolase Neo Elite.However, it's important to determine what a red spot actually is before treating it. Redness can come from visible capillaries, rosacea, inflammation, cherry angiomas and many other causes.If a spot looks unusual, has changed or falls outside our scope of practice, we may recommend evaluation by an appropriate medical provider before cosmetic treatment.
Yes. Sanctuary Skin offers SkinPen microneedling for clients looking to improve acne scars, uneven texture, fine lines and overall skin quality.Microneedling creates controlled microchannels in the skin that stimulate its natural wound-healing response and encourage collagen remodeling.We customize treatment depth and technique according to the individual rather than treating every client's skin identically.
It depends on what we're treating.Microneedling is especially useful when collagen remodeling and textural improvement are the primary goals, such as indented acne scars or certain signs of skin aging.Aerolase may be preferred when we're primarily addressing active acne, redness, rosacea, pigmentation, melasma or concerns requiring minimal downtime.Some clients have several concerns at once and benefit from incorporating both treatments into a larger treatment plan.
Yes. Sanctuary Skin offers professional chemical peels that may be used to address concerns including acne, pigmentation, uneven tone, texture and signs of aging.Peels vary significantly in their ingredients, strength and expected downtime. Your master esthetician will recommend an option based on your skin, treatment history and goals rather than choosing a peel solely because it is stronger.
DMK Enzyme Therapy is a professional treatment designed to support skin function and is different from a traditional facial or chemical peel.We may incorporate DMK treatments into plans for clients working on concerns such as congestion, acne, pigmentation, texture and overall skin health.Because treatment plans are customized, your esthetician can help determine whether DMK Enzyme Therapy makes sense for your skin and goals.
You don't need to figure that out before your appointment.During your consultation or first facial, we'll discuss your concerns, skin history, current products, previous treatments, lifestyle, budget, tolerance for downtime and what you ultimately want to change about your skin.From there, we can recommend a treatment plan and explain why we're recommending it. Sometimes that means an advanced treatment such as Aerolase or microneedling. Other times, the best starting point may be a customized facial, home-care changes or simply giving the skin time to recover.
Yes, when appropriate.Many skin concerns involve more than one process. Someone with acne scarring, for example, may have textural scars, persistent redness and pigmentation at the same time.For these clients, a thoughtful combination of modalities may produce a more comprehensive result than repeatedly performing one treatment.Your esthetician will determine which treatments can safely be performed together and which should be spaced apart.
Estheticians and dermatologists have different roles in skin health.Sanctuary Skin focuses on cosmetic skin concerns and professional esthetic treatments. If we see something suspicious, believe a condition requires medical diagnosis or treatment, or feel that your concern falls outside our scope of practice, we will recommend that you see an appropriate medical provider.We believe good skincare includes knowing when not to treat something cosmetically.
Sanctuary Skin carries a curated selection of professional skincare chosen to support different skin types, concerns and treatment plans.Our current brands include: DMK, Face Reality, Epicutis, Hydrinity, ÂNFISA, Glymed+, Living Libations, IMAGE, Lumisque, Demathod.Rather than recommending products simply because they're popular, our goal is to build a home-care routine that complements your professional treatments and makes sense for your individual skin.You can receive personalized product recommendations during your appointment or shop our available skincare online.
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