Medspas winning fans, but you need to do your homework

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Medspas winning fans, but you need to do your homework
Oct. 16, 2007
Susie Steckner
azcentral.com

Chris Sheets is a true medspa believer.

The Tempe woman has seen her sun spots disappear, her skin brighten and the lines around her mouth and on her forehead vanish. Her friends are always guessing what "new moisturizer" Sheets must be using.

"I love it. I feel really good about myself," said Sheets, 55. "I think it makes me look 10 years younger."

Sheets isn't alone.

Women are flocking to medspas, short for medical spas, for a range of procedures that erase sun damage, improve the appearance of scarring or other skin flaws, get rid of unwanted hair and, most importantly, turn back the clock.

The International Medical Spa Association said there are between 2,000 and 2,500 medspas nationwide, up from 450 in 2004. Medspas largely are concentrated in major metropolitan areas, especially on both coasts and in states with hot, sunny climates, such as Arizona and Florida, according to the association. Spa-industry experts say medspas are the industry's fastest-growing segment.

Medspas differ from traditional spas in that they focus on results-oriented procedures, such as reducing wrinkles. Some medspas offer only cosmetic services, while others offer cosmetic and traditional spa services, such as massages and facials. Some also offer plastic surgery.


Arizonans love Botox


There are no statistics available for Arizona medspas, but doctors and others in the industry say the state is a particularly good market for these businesses. The three keys: the state's booming population, the high number of desert dwellers who have suffered sun damage, and the large minority population, whose members often have special skin-care and hair-removal needs.

Scottsdale is home to two national medspa companies: Radiance Medspa and Dermacare Laser & Skin Care Clinics, each with Valley and national locations.

Dermacare has had such success in Arizona that it plans to open laser clinics inside obstetrics and gynecology practices in Payson and Flagstaff. "Arizona is where we started. . . . It's been very successful for Dermacare," marketing director Brandy Witte said.

The company has more than 30 locations nationwide. And when comparing the gross sales of those businesses, Witte said, "Arizona continues to have clinics that perform in the top three of our clinics every single month."

Last year alone, doctors nationwide performed more than 9.1 million minimally invasive cosmetic procedures, such as Botox injections or laser hair removal, according to a study released this year by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That total was up from 5.5 million in 2000.




Does it really work?


Sheets is a regular at Dermacare's Chandler location. She initially was drawn to medspas to improve sun-damaged skin and tried a treatment called Cosmelan, a mask that improves skin pigmentation.

"I loved it. . . . I had lots of girlfriends asking me what moisturizer I was using," she said.

The roughly $1,300 procedure included three microdermabrasion treatments - a process that sands the skin - and skin-care products. Sheets said the treatments leave her skin looking clear and feeling fresh.

Sheets also has used Botox injections to erase wrinkles on her forehead and between her eyebrows and Radiesse injections to plump up lines around her mouth. The two treatments take just minutes and offer "phenomenal" results that last about three to four months, she said.

Her first Botox session cost about $400; the second was about $180 because she didn't need as many injections. Her first Radiesse treatment cost about $800, and a second one was $300.

Of course, not everyone has a success story. Earlier this year, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery surveyed its members about complications from cosmetic procedures that weren't performed by a doctor. The survey showed patients suffered burns caused by the improper use of lasers, scarring caused by chemical peels and skin discoloration caused by laser hair removal, and there were many instances of skin cancer being overlooked, misdiagnosed or untreated.

There also are critics of some cosmetic procedures. One treatment gaining popularity is LipoDissolve, a procedure promising slimmer tummies and tighter chins. It isn't approved in the United States, and critics say there is no history with LipoDissolve and no known long-term effects of its use. Still, more physicians are getting certified to perform the procedure, as patients continue to ask for it.

Even Sheets has run into problems with medspas. Before finding Dermacare, she went to another medspa and received treatments that produced no results. She had to threaten legal action to have the work done satisfactorily.

It's a cautionary tale.


Do your homework


Experts say the proliferation of medspas makes getting treatments more convenient than ever, but they warn consumers to do their homework and comparison shop before undergoing any procedure.

"There's so much advertising out there. It gets really confusing for people," said Dr. Kelly Bomer, 42, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon who owns Rejuvent Medical Spa & Surgery in Scottsdale. "(Customers) can't help but be driven by advertising and going toward what might seem like a good deal."

Bomer and other skin-care professionals offer several considerations:


Ô Know your risks.

It's easy to get caught up in treatment results without questioning whether there are risks involved. But this is a critical part of the decision-making process.

"Although these minimally invasive procedures have a low risk of complications, that risk is never zero," said Dr. Julie Salmon, 43, a board-certified dermatologist with Southwest Skin Specialists in Scottsdale and Phoenix.

She said the risk increases significantly if the person performing a procedure is inexperienced or insufficiently trained. There also are risks if the person isn't knowledgeable about skin, anatomy, prescription and over-the-counter medications, drug interactions, a patient's medical conditions and prior treatments that could increase the possibility of complications, she said.

If a physician isn't going to be doing the procedure, Salmon suggests the consumer first consult with a doctor at the facility to review the skin problem, skin type, medical history and treatment approach.


Ô Seek out referrals, and check out a few medspas.

"Just drop in and ask for a brochure," said Margaret Ancira, 58, an aesthetician and founder of Scottsdale-based PCA Skin, a clinical skin-care company. "See if it's a professional setting. How did they greet you? Is it clean? Who's running the place?"

While shopping around, Rejuvent's Bomer said, consumers also should ask whether a doctor is on-site while procedures are being performed. "Who's in charge, and are they physically present? Is it an internal-medicine doctor who's across town?"


Ô Research the people performing the procedure.

It's important to know the background and experience of doctors and other professionals at the facility. Ask who will be performing the procedure and how much experience he or she has doing that work.

At medspas, clients may see a medical doctor, naturopathic doctor or an osteopathic doctor with board certifications in a range of specialties, such as dermatology, family practice or internal medicine. Clients also may see nurses or aestheticians.

Consumers can check out licenses and disciplinary action through the appropriate state licensing boards, such as the Arizona Medical Board or the Arizona Board of Cosmetology. They also can review a spa's latest state inspection through the cosmetology board.

Bomer also advises asking about the person's training on the machine being used for the procedure. She said, "Just going to school on the general safety of lasers isn't enough. . . . Did they go to school to learn that specific machine or work with a practitioner on that specific machine?"


Ô Understand your options.

Medspas offer many procedures, and the choices can be overwhelming.

Salmon, of Southwest Skin Specialists, said consumers should understand all of the options available and expect individualized treatment plans. She said it's important for consumers to discuss what they want done and equally important for the doctor or other professional to discuss what will get the best aesthetic results.

Consumers should be clear about the length of treatments, the number of treatments required, any necessary follow-up and all of the costs involved, said Ancira, of PCA Skin.

"Don't expect on some of these things that one treatment is your cure-all," she adds.

For instance, a Botox treatment may involve injections in several areas. Consumers who want to keep the new look can expect another treatment in about four months.

FotoFacial, a procedure that uses light pulses to improve sun-damaged or aging skin, may require five or more sessions, Bomer said.

"How that's sold to the patient is really important," she said. "Everybody is different with this series."

Ô Finally, experts say consumers shouldn't just focus on in-spa treatments.

Ask about skin-care products that can help prevent problems and repair damage.

"It's making your fabric better," Salmon said.

Diane Stockwell, 46, is another Valley woman sold on medspas.

The Scottsdale woman was given a gift certificate to Radiance Medspa in Scottsdale as a Christmas present and now is hooked on microdermabrasion treatments.

"My first one felt so great, like a baby's bottom," she said.

This story appears in the October issue of "Arizona Woman" magazine. For a free subscription, go to www.arizonawoman.com.

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