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Medical Spas: The Hottest New Trend in Beauty.
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Added: 10/01/2004
Type: Summary
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Medical Spas: The Hottest New Trend in Beauty
September 29, 2004 -- Medical Spas: The hottest new trend in beauty. The International Spa Conference in Orlando, Florida 9/20/04 featured well known Raleigh, North Carolina day spa owner and medical spa expert Kile Law of Blue Water Spa speaking to sold-out crowd.
Blue Water Spa is a plastic surgery medical spa in Raleigh, North Carolina. The spa is owned and operated by Kile Law and her husband, board-certified plastic surgeon Michael Law MD. Prior to opening the spa, Kile was a medical spa consultant in her hometown of Orange County, CA. Kile has used her expertise and experience as a spa consultant in opening a very successful spa of her own. Kile recently received the honor of being asked to serve on the Day Spa Association Advisory Board in 2005 www.dayspaassociation.com
Six months pregnant and wearing spike heels, Kile took the stage in front of a sold-out crowd at the International Spa Conference (www.magda.com) in Orlando, Florida September 20, 2004. She first explained the appeal of medical spas. "I think I'm a pretty typical client. I'm a busy mom who also has a part-time career. I look forward to pampering, but if I'm giving up an hour, I want to see results, not just feel better. Likewise, I want to feel special and pampered. A sterile medical environment might have something for my skin, but it doesn't do much for my well being." Law continued, "In one hour, I want you to make me feel good. I want to be in a beautiful, elegant, relaxing environment. I want a therapist who will make me feel special and I want to see visible results."
Law explained that this special combination of pampering and visible results can only take place in a medical spa. The crowd seeking information on medical spas from Law in Orlando was a mix of physicians, nurses, spa owners and investors. Law encouraged the group to exchange business cards and work together. She explained that her competition is not the medical spa or doctor's office in her community doing good work, but the potential clients who have had bad experiences with a particular treatment and won't try that treatment again. "Laser hair removal is something that many people would like to have, but many individuals have had terrible experiences with laser hair removal treatments that didn't work and were painful to boot. I wish everyone would use the technology I use. Then, the word on the street would be positive about laser hair removal. There are still businesses using lasers that require a full hour or more to treat the legs. These businesses discount treatments in order to try to stay competitive. Clients experiencing treatments with older laser hair removal technology perceive laser hair removal as uncomfortable, very time consuming and often not effective."
Law feels that there is more than enough business for everyone, but urges medical professionals and spa owners to carefully evaluate technology and receive extensive training. When evaluating technology, she says, "Think revenue per minute, not revenue per treatment. If an outdated laser hair removal system requires an hour or more for a procedure, and a state-of-the-art laser requires just 20 minutes for the same area, you can make more money while charging your client less for the treatment. More revenue for the practice, a lower price for the client and more procedures performed in a day is a win-win-win!"
After discussing profits per treatments, she finished by stating, "The most important consideration is choosing technology that really works and treatments that are safe and proven to be effective. You can look at numbers all day, but the proof is in the results. If clients see great results and they are happy, they will be back and so will their friends. If they don't see results, they won't return and they will spread the word.
Law discourages businesses from selling treatments in a package. If the treatment works, the client will be back. "Why would you want to take someone's money before they see the results they are paying for?" She also discussed turning people away from treatments they don't need. "There have been many occassions in our practice that patients come in saying they need a face lift, and they are ready to pay. Sometimes, all they need to acheive the results they desire is microdermabrasion and a sunblock." She insists, "Do NOT sell people things they don't need! It will be quick money followed by the quick demise of your reputation and your business."
Law shared with the group some of the technology she uses in her medical spa that she feels is vital for a successful medical spa:
Laser Hair Removal, Candela GentleLASE Plus www.candelalaser.com
Rosacea, Spider Veins and Skin Tightening, the V-beam Laser from Candela, www.candelalaser.com
LED,Photomodulation, Gentlelwaves LED www.lightbioscience.com
Microdermabrasion, International Business Solutions, www.ibstn.com
Computer Scheduling and Spa Management Software, NexTech, www.nextech.com
She also mentioned companies by name that she would not work with again. Most of the time the problem was not just the technology, but absence of support and expert training. She urged all spa owners and physicians to have an attorney review all contracts before signing anything.
When asked to reveal her secret to success, Law answered, "Treating my clients and staff the way I like to be treated."
Blue Water Spa opened January 2003. In that time, they have expanded twice. The spa has been voted #1 day spa in their metropolitan area by Citysearch http://triangle.citysearch.com/best/results/8552/ and received the Metro Bravo Award for best day spa 2003 and 2004. Dr. Michael Law is the only private practice plastic surgeon voted among the best 2003 and 2004 by Metro Magazine www.metronc.com, the local lifestyle magazine.
Kile Law has been selected as part of the Day Spa Association (DSA) advisory board for the 2005 year www.dayspaassociation.com, She has written a number of articles that have been published in professional journals and interviews with Kile can regularly be seen in plastic surgery journals, spa magazines and consumer publications. She is in demand as a speaker at medical and spa conferences. Her next speaking engagement will be at the Southern Spa and Salon Conference www.southernspasalonconf.com in Hickory, North Carolina November 22, 2004. Look for an interview with Kile in the November / December issue of Luxury Spa Finder Magazine www.spafinder.com.
For more information about Kile Law and Blue Water Spa, go to www.bluewaterspa.com or www.michaellawmd.com. Kile can be reached via e-mail at kile@bluewaterspa.com.
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