Surgery at a Spa? Buyer Beware.

Posted by Chris Pace on November 5, 2009 under Healthcare Trends | Be the First to Comment

There is little to suggest that the TriBeCa MedSpa in Manhattan is a medical facility, at least in the traditional sense. In the waiting area, called the Tranquillity Room, a waterfall cascades down one wall. A client may have a pedicure or facial before entering a softly lighted space where a plastic surgeon performs laser Fraxel treatment or some other minimally invasive procedure that would cost twice as much in a harried doctor’s office.

TriBeCa MedSpa is one of 1,800 medical spas in the United States, hybrid facilities that offer treatments like laser hair removal and liposuction alongside massages and other traditional spa fare. In recent years, the business has become a growth industry: from July 2007 to December 2008, the number of medical spas increased 85 percent, according to the International Spa Association, far outpacing the growth of day, destination and resort spas.

Read more of this article at the New York Times by clicking http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/05/fashion/05skin.html