LaserBodySculpting(SM) has created a whole new dimension to the Canadianbeauty industry. The revolutionary new procedure has given clinic owners and operators an exciting and unique new treatment to offer their clients.

 Smartlipo(TM) works by delivering a proprietary pulsing format of laser energy thatliquefies localized deposits of fat and then is removed through a canola.  The procedure generally causes less bleeding, swelling and bruising than traditional liposuction.

Cosmetic procedures continue to increase in Canada, with a preferencetoward procedures that allow clients to resume their normal lifestyle withlittle down time.  

Smartlipo quickly and safely removes stubborn pockets of unwanted fat while tightening skin on the face, neck, arms, back, abdomen, hips, thighs and even the knees. Recently approved by Health Canada, the Smartlipo procedure is a physician-performed treatment that is performed under local anesthesia in an outpatient setting and requires minimal recovery time. 

Smartlipo(TM) is now available in select clinics across Canada.Interested consumers can visit www.cynosure.com to find the nearest clinic currently offering Smartlipo treatments.

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Spavelous Spa Finder

 What is it really? A $200 pedicure.  It takes place at La Prairie Spa at the Beverly Hills Hotel. You slip into a terry robe and slippers and sip a cup of Introspection tea, then an attendant leads you into a candle-lighted massage room. Once you’ve disrobed (for a foot treatment?), you stretch out on the table and await your “reflexology.” La Prairie lotion is lavished on your feet, which are then given a vigorous shake.

But the reflexology never comes — just some light petting. The robe goes back on, you’re led into a pedicure room — a really nice pedicure room, with a reclining chair that makes you feel like you’re floating, and a view of a gorgeous garden. The pedicure looks and feels great — this time there’s real massage — and then you relax in the garden while the polish dries.  The “After Shopping Paradise” is just one of a growing number of crazy-expensive spa treatments at luxury hotels. Not so long ago, hourlong massages for $60 were easy to find, even at upscale day spas.

Now a regular old 60-minute Swedish massage will set you back $220 at Montage Resort & Spa’s ocean-view facility in Laguna Beach.  In the spa at the Peninsula Beverly Hills, a two-hour massage costs $385 — but the massage oil is “infused” with rubies and emeralds.  Spa directors explain that there are reasons for the astronomical prices. As hotels and even some day spas build multimillion-dollar facilities, their owners say they’re pressured to make a profit. “In the ’90s, spas were thought of as an amenity that would drive room rates,” says Anne McCall, general manager of spas for Fairmont Raffles Hotels International.  

The spa industry doesn’t have a formal rating system, explains Maureen Schumacher, director of Le Spa at Sofitel in Los Angeles. “In the eyes of the public, we are judged by the rates we charge,” she says. “The more we charge, the more exclusive we seem.” (Le Spa’s basic massages range from $125 for a 50-minute “So Relaxing” treatment to $145 for a deep-tissue massage.) “The massage is often the first introduction to a spa experience,” says Lynne McNees, president of the International Spa Assn. “And once you have it, you’re hooked at top resort hotels across the nation and particularly on the coasts, treatment prices have shot up in sync with room rates and ever-increasing expectations.

Hotels are especially adept at creating the most lavish environments, complete with prestige beauty products, marble showers, heated massage tables with silk blankets and daylong treatments. They spin the treatments as “indulgences,” and charge accordingly.  . Day spas also are reaching deeper into wallets as they upgrade the treatments and the trappings. The basic 50-minute massage at the 6-week-old Voda Spa in West Hollywood is already pricey at $125, and guests must also pay a $50 admission fee that allows access to a pool, saunas, steam rooms, a cafe and even a bar outfitted with Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Sparing no expense, the spa at Santa Barbara’s Four Seasons Resort, the Biltmore, hired star architect Peter Marino for its recent redesign, which includes two-level, loft-like treatment rooms that overlook the ocean and a rose garden. 

Someone’s getting a raise IF the rising salaries of top spa personnel are any indication, there’s lots of money being made inside those gilded treatment rooms. This year, spa directors are expected to see their average salaries jump at least by $10,000 to $85,000 a year, according to the International Spa Assn. and WageWatch.  

Spa trade groups such as the International Spa Assn. say they are trying to address the issue of perception and value by instituting standardized business practices that will help unify the industry.

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Woodstock practice part of growing trend of spa, or concierge, dentistry  A waterfall adorns the entrance and heated sidewalks lie underfoot. Leather couches, hardwood floors and free Wi-Fi await visitors.

Tischler Dental, a three-dentist practice, moved from an aging building two miles down the road and opened the $3 million, 10,000-square-foot office on Route 375 in January. Here, patients gaze through large windows toward a wooded landscape and watch movies on TV screens mounted to their chair.

Capitalizing on the new office, quaint town, and proximity of a 4-star resort, the dentists hope to attract cases of tooth decay and stained smiles from New York City and beyond.

Most of its clients are Ulster County adults and children seeking general dentistry, but Tischler Dental wants to be a national destination.

Concierge dentistry, or spa dentistry, is on the rise. A national survey conducted in 2003 found that half of dentists offer some type of amenity, such as headphones, neck rests, warm towels and free beverages. About 5 percent take it further with massages, facials and pedicures.

A hot oil and herb poultice massage certainly takes the edge off the pain and discomfort.

Guests also can choose from a long menu of spa treatments — from a Bindi herbal body treatment to a maple syrup bath. And of course, the chef will prepare meals that accommodate the guest’s dental situation.

Sharon Johnson’s hands gripped the armrests of the dental chair, and she watched CNN on the TV through tinted glasses. The Clifton Park resident was in the final stages of a full-mouth rehabilitation under Tischler’s care.

“I’m very funny about my teeth,” Johnson said. “I like them white and even.”

Johnson has stayed at the Emerson during several of her visits to the Woodstock dental office. The resort’s high price tag doesn’t ruffle her.

Anything that relaxes patients is good, said Matthew Messina, a Cleveland dentist and consumer adviser for the American Dental Association.

“There are dentists that have spas right in their office.

Tischler said his spa package isn’t for everybody, but he hopes it appeals to 20 or so patients a year.

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Leading Skin Care Line Undergoes Changes in Company Leadership and Product Branding

Jennifer Linder, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist, Mohs skin cancer surgeon, biomedical engineer and chemist, and Richard Linder, a Harvard Business School graduate, have joined PCA SKIN as Chief Scientist and CEO respectively. Dr. Linder’s extensive practice experience and commitment to clinical research will further develop

PCA SKIN’s product pipeline, while Mr. Linder’s expertise in international business will expand the markets offering the line.

“PCA SKIN’s commitment to developing products with the highest quality ingredients attracted me to become more involved with the brand.

Dr. Linder leads all product development and clinical trials for PCA SKIN, developing new products that bridge the gap between aesthetics and medicine. The company has put global skin care education at the forefront of its mission.

Founder Margaret Ancira, who developed PCA SKIN in 1990, remains an integral part of the PCA SKIN organization. Mr. Linder and Ms. Ancira comprises a strategic partnership combining the best of aesthetics, science and business expertise

in the cosmeceuticals industry.

“Dr. Linder and Richard bring exciting ideas, a rare expertise in chemistry and an unparalleled commitment to quality to PCA SKIN,” commented Ms. Ancira. “Under their leadership, PCA SKIN will continue to grow and thrive globally. I am thrilled to have them onboard and our partnership thus far has been a success.”

New Leadership, New Branding

In addition to the new leadership, the company has officially re-branded  itself as PCA SKIN. PCA Professional(TM) Products, PCA(R) MEN, and PCA SKIN(R) Clinical Care Products will fall under the new umbrella of PCA SKIN in order to clarify the company’s vast product offerings. PCA SKIN has also recently launched new product packaging.

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