The Medical Spa: Inside the Services

If you’ve noticed a medical spa opening in your town, you’re probably curious about what all the fuss is about. After all, the concept of a “spa” is certainly nothing new. It’s the place you go to get your hair done up nice and some pickles put on your eyelids, right? Well, the new facility opening up down the street probably bears little resemblance to the day spa type of place you’re thinking of. In fact, it has more in common with a plastic surgeon’s office. These facilities are performing beauty treatments that have less to do with pampering and old wives’ tales and more to do with science. Here are some of the services you may be able to find.

Microdermabrasion

This treatment is based on dermabrasion, a very effective skin reconditioning treatment that is—unfortunately—rather painful. The micro variety, however, takes most of the pain out of the treatment while still delivering results. The technician will use a special wand to move over the patient’s skin, blasting the surface of the epidermis with crystals. When the technician moves back over the skin with a vacuum, it will remove both the crystals and the top layer of skin cells. This allows the lower levels of skin to shine through and leaves the patient looking refreshed and more youthful.

Laser Treatments

A medical spa usually has several forms of laser treatment in use, treating the skin in various ways. Hair removal has become quite popular and is now available in many of these facilities. This is a treatment that uses a laser to blast follicles, causing them to go dormant, which means they no longer produce hair growth. Fraxel and other similar lasers have also found a home in the medical spa. Technicians use these for similar purposes as microdermabrasion, removing old skin layers and getting to the fresh, healthy skin underneath.

Injectables

Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock has probably heard of Botox. It is commonly in use at the medical spa facilities around the country. Unfortunately, its popularity has also led it to be used in places where it probably shouldn’t be. While a relatively safe treatment, you should make sure you trust the individual or company giving out the injections before you trust your health to them. This goes not only for Botox, but for any other treatments that include having something injected, whether it be collagen or a medication of some kind.