Medical Spa Demand Growing Rapidly
as Baby Boomers Age
According to the 2000 ISPA Industry Study,
Consumers' perspective on health is increasingly focused on
prevention and fitness. This is particularly true among baby
boomers and the aging population that makes up 51.2% of the
U.S. population. The Echo boomers (the babies of the baby
boomers born after 1979) and Generation Xers are a growing
market segment for the spa industry, as the younger generation
seeks escape from work-related stress. Consumers are increasingly
seeking the spa experience as an alternative or complement
to other leisure activities.
The popularity of the medical spa is
rising as baby boomers with discretionary income aggressively
seek to maintain youthful looks, and search for preventive
healthcare services in environments that are more pleasant
than clinics. Such treatments include: acid peels, Botox
and collagen injections that require a doctor to administer.
Medical spas also appeal to the growing number of Americans
who want to combine conventional and alternative medicine
in their quest for optimal health.
Medical Spa Growth Industry
Day spas, which are the fastest-growing segment of the spa industry, are incorporating medical services at a fast and furious pace. Some day spas offer minor surgical procedures, like mole removal or laser hair removal. Others offer treatments designed to help clients prepare for, and recover from, cosmetic surgery.
Over the past decade, a number of plastic surgeons and dermatologists have incorporated skin care into their practices by hiring estheticians to provide a range of pre- and post-operative spa services as well as beautifying and "medical-grade" anti-aging treatments - so-called because they can only be administered by or under the supervision of a physician.
More recently, these physicians have gone a step further by adding spa services to their medical practices or by creating separate, stand-alone day spas that also give clients access to many of the services available in their medical practices.
All Medical Spas are not the same..
Pick the one that's right for you!
Medical spas are facilities run in conjunction
with a medical practice. A day spa offering medically directed
services as defined by the laws of the state in which the
facility is located.
Four basic medical spa categories
- and many variations on each theme:
Beauty
/ Skin Medispa: Physician owned, usually
a plastic surgeon or dermatologist who is on premises, offering
medically based treatments, and physician trained and supervised
aesthecians.
Therapeutic
Medispa: These facilities are owned by
orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine or rehabilitation physicians,
who enhance their treatments by offering chiropractic, physical
therapy and therapeutic message, as well as other therapeutic
spa treatments.
Hospital
Based Medispa: Hospital / medical facilities
provide fully integrated care, employing conventional and
complementary therapies in a specially designed healing
environment. Services include: clinical evaluation and treatments
(both eastern and western), spa services, mind-body techniques,
nutrition, biofeedback and other modalities.
Wellness
Centers: This type medical spa comes in
many varieties. It is usually owned by primary care physicians
or entrepreneurs, and encompasses alternative treatments,
i.e., holistic medicine and Chinese medicine, acupuncture,
herbal and supplemental counseling, bariatrics, and modalities
based on cardiovascular issues.
Let's Get Started on Your Medical
Spa Business Plan!
