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Summary Medical spas are becoming
more common. Opportunities abound for Healthcare professionals Medspas
are appealing to baby boomers.
You may indulge yourself at a spa occasionally. But have you ever thought
about working at one?
It's not as far-fetched as it sounds. Spas aren't just for pampering anymore. Across
the country, medical spas, or "medspas," have begun offering medical services,
therapies and advice along with more traditional spa indulgences like facials and
manicures. As the trend gains steam, you may find yourself earning your living -- rather
than just relaxing -- in a spa.
From Facials to Physicals
Many types of spas -- from spa resorts to day spas -- are incorporating medical
services into their menus of options. For example, the world-famous Canyon Ranch Health Resorts in Tucson,
Arizona, and Lenox, Massachusetts, employ a range of health professionals including
physicians, nurses, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, psychologists, health
educators, acupuncturists, Chinese herbalists, physical therapists, chiropractors and
podiatrists. The health professionals perform an assortment of medical services for spa
guests, from bone density evaluations to cardiac treadmill stress tests to personal
medical consultations. In addition, Canyon Ranch hires cutting-edge medical authorities to
share their expertise at specialty weeks designed specifically for people with arthritis,
diabetes or heart disease.
Healthcare professionals are key to the success of other medspa resorts and programs as
well, like the Cooper Wellness Program
in Dallas and the Pritikin Longevity Center in
Santa Monica, California.
Beauty Inside and Out
Day spas, which are the fastest-growing segment of the spa industry, are also
incorporating medical services at a fast and furious pace. Some day spas offer minor
surgical procedures, like mole removal or laser hair removal, on their premises. Others
offer treatments designed to help clients prepare for and recover from cosmetic surgery.
Ajune, a day spa in Manhattan, was founded by a
plastic surgeon to offer medical and beauty treatments for the skin and body all under one
roof. Ajune's staff includes a dermatologist, a registered nurse, a nutritionist, a
fitness expert, massage therapists and aestheticians. Besides Botox injections, glycolic
peels and other aesthetic treatments, Ajune clients have access to fitness and nutrition
consultations, reflexology, Pilates classes and other services intended to rejuvenate the
mind and body.
DePasquale, The Spa in Morris Plains,
New Jersey, and Aesthetica MedSpa in
Austin, Texas, are other examples of day spas that are now offering medical services and
employing healthcare professionals.
Coming to Your Neighborhood
Whether you think you may want to visit a medspa or work at one, you'll probably have no
trouble finding at least one in most urban areas soon, experts say. The popularity of
medspas is rising as baby boomers with discretionary income aggressively seek preventive
healthcare services in environments that are more pleasant than clinics, experts say.
Medspas also appeal to the growing number of Americans who want to combine conventional
and alternative medicine in their quest for optimal health.
Although medspas will probably never employ as many health professionals as hospitals
and clinics, opportunities at medspas are certainly growing, experts say. And while
working in a spa may sound like a contradiction in terms, someone has to do it. It may as
well be you!
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