For a nation obsessed with looking young and beautiful, more help is on the way.

A new industry is sprouting up in South Florida and around the country, designed to cater to the growing population looking for such quick fixes as a shot of botox, laser hair removal and cellulite treatments.

Known as medical spas, they're taking nonsurgical procedures traditionally performed in the office of a dermatologist or plastic surgeon and moving them into malls and shopping centers with a more customer-friendly approach.

''It's definitely the wave of the future,'' said Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, a Bay Harbor Islands dermatologist and president of the Dade County Medical Association. ``A lot of cosmetic doctors are thinking that if this is successful, we'll consider it as an alternative to our practice or as a way to expand.''

GROWING REVENUES

Medspas are already the fastest-growing segment of the spa industry, with revenues expected to exceed $1 billion by the end of 2006, according to Eric Light, president of the International Medical Spa Association in Union City, N.J.

And South Florida is turning into a prime battle ground for that growth. Several of the national companies already have locations in Boca Raton and this month others will open in Coral Gables, Cooper City and South Miami. Coming soon are sites in South Beach, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale and Weston.

''Florida is going to be our biggest market behind California,'' said John Buckingham, chief executive of Solana MedSpas, which has 16 open locations. ``The demographics are all there. You have people who are wealthy, sun-burned and aging baby boomers.''

Right now the development of the medspa business is dominated by several national companies, including Solana, Radiance, Sleek and Sona medspas. They typically recruit local entrepreneurs or doctors to open as franchises or licensed operators.

''There hasn't been a brand front-runner in the category,'' said Heather Rose, president and chief operating officer of Sona, with 36 locations. ``Ultimately you will see consolidation in the space so that there will be one or two dominant brands. That brand recognition is really essential.''

But Solana is the only one of the major players that doesn't believe in opening medspas under the same brand name, preferring to let individual operators choose their own names.

''High-end women and men make decisions based on local trust,'' Buckingham said. ``Branding isn't going to appeal to them. This is not McDonald's or Mail Boxes Etc.''

The medspa concept appeals to consumers because it removes the clinical atmosphere often found in the doctor's office and replaces it with the luxury trappings of a spa. Think soothing background music, comfortable couches and herbal beverages while you wait.

EASY ACCESS

Medspas also offer the convenience of evening and weekend hours, plus the assurance that appointments run close to on schedule.

Since medical insurance doesn't cover these type of cosmetic procedures anyhow, the idea is to make sure customers get better customer service. Prices at medspas can run anywhere from a couple hundred dollars for a single service to a couple thousand for a package of treatments.

''We're going to offer Ritz Carlton service,'' said Brian Sidella, owner of Forever Young Medspa opening this month in Cooper City. ``You're a client, not a patient. You have rights to be seen immediately. It's not like a doctor's office where you're waiting for someone behind a glass window to give you the time of day.''

Dipak Parekh, owner of Radiance Medspa opening this month in South Miami adjacent to Dadeland Station, hopes to attract new customers with added services like a complimentary 10-minute massage, a paraffin treatment and a digital skin analysis.

''Our idea is to offer good service and we think people will see the value,'' Parekh said.

But building the business hasn't been easy for Peter Phillips, owner of SpaMedica in Boca Raton, which is celebrating its one-year anniversary this month.

''It was pretty hard at first,'' Phillips said. ``There is a lot of competition. Now we're getting a lot of referrals and we've got brand recognition.''

Rachel Darwish, 61, of Hollywood, likes the setting at SpaMedica much better than a doctor's office. ''They relax you, and they don't pressure you,'' said Darwish, who is getting a series of myofacial treatments instead of a traditional face lift.

There's no doubt that the market for medspas exists. It's simply about cashing in on the growing demand for cosmetic surgery. In 2004 there were 3.1 million cosmetic surgery procedures performed, including 1.9 million of the minimally-invasive procedures typically performed at a medspa.

But as the industry grows there is some concern about the degree of medical oversight provided at some of the medspas.

SAFETY ISSUES

''We want to make sure that safety is the primary concern and not just about making money,'' Light said.

Most medspas have at least one affiliated doctor, who is responsible for supervising the staff and ensuring that all medical protocols are followed. That doctor isn't necessarily a dermatologist or plastic surgeon familiar with all these type of procedures.

Typically the doctor is on site for no more than a few hours per week and the procedures are performed by a combination of aestheticians, nurses and physician's assistant.

Ciraldo thinks consumers should be concerned about having injections like Botox or Restylane performed by someone other than a doctor.

''Buyer beware,'' Ciraldo said. ``Please be sure that the person administering your injections is very highly-qualified. Not all medical spas are created equal.''

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Post Date : October 11, 2005

BY ELAINE WALKER