Salon & Spa Supplies » See the Future

The Death of the Iconic Hairstyle?

cheryl — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:19:10 +0000

By Melissa Hill, Modern Salon

Fifteen years ago, it was “The Rachel.” Twenty years before that, it was “The Farrah.” And those are only two examples of iconic hairstyles that have graced thousands of heads over the last hundred years. But can there be another? With today’s trend toward individualism, colorist and Matrix Artistic Color Director, Patrick McIvor, and stylist and L’Oreal Professionnel Portfolio Artist, Amit Abraham, say it isn’t likely. Read more…

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The Evolving Faces of Diagnostic Centers and Medical Spas

cheryl — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 13:17:24 +0000

A visit to the doctor is a scary occasion for many people. Hospitals and clinics are almost always painted in white to convey cleanliness and efficiency. Add to that the prospect of being subjected to diagnostic tests using machines and needles. Truly, medical facilities are the most unwelcoming of places. This is probably the reason why diagnostic centers and clinics are reinventing themselves to make them more appealing to the patients. On the other hand, traditionally non-medical institutions like wellness centers and spas are also trying to gain credibility in an era where consumers are more health savvy and demand more scientific-based health services.

Reinventing the names

Many diagnostic centers have coined their facilities’ official name to include the term “wellness.” Wellness is a word associated by many with alternative medicine and spas conjures pictures of well-being and relaxation. The Diagnostic & Wellness Center for Women of Pacific Medical Center (PacMed), the Diagnostic and Wellness Center at Harbor-UCLA, and the Women’s Diagnostic and Wellness Center of Coral Springs Medical Center in Florida are examples of this trend. Even the renowned Cleveland Clinic has its Florida Health and Wellness Center. One would seldom associate these names with mammography or calcium scans. Spas on the other hand, have adopted the term “medical spas” or medispas” to emphasize the medical and health benefits of their services. In the same way, alternative medicine is trying to keep up with technology. Whereas traditional acupuncture uses manual stimulation, acupuncture centers use new technology for stimulation, from electrical impulses and lasers to moxibustion and heat.

Reinventing the environment

Many clinics are redesigning their facilities to make them less sterile and more relaxing. PacMed’s Diagnostic & Wellness Center for Women in Seattle describes its setting as “spa-like”, with interior decor in warm, soothing colors and furniture and fixtures one wouldn’t normally find in a normal clinic setting. “The soothing, warm hues of the decor and custom-made, heated robes are a few touches that aim to put anxious patients at ease,” according to their October 2007 press release. However, despite the spa-like atmosphere, this unique wellness center has all the state-of-the-art medical and diagnostic equipment as well as top notch medical staff necessary to perform diagnostic tests. “Our goal is to change the healthcare experience for the better and encourage people to take a proactive approach to wellness”, according to a PacMed Center spokesperson. The Women’s Diagnostic & Wellness Center at Coral Springs Medical Center in Coral Springs Florida calls its setting “home-like” to do away with the impersonal atmosphere that is associated with many diagnostic centers. Read more …

Cosmetic Surgeon Announces Six Cosmetic Pre-Summer Makeover Treatments

admin — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 01:00:26 +0000

Everyone wants to look “hot” in a swimsuit when they hit the beaches and pool parties every summer. But for many people, skin and body blemishes, such as: excess fat, hair, cellulite, sun spots, stretch marks, moles, scars and spider veins keep them from baring their bodies in bikinis and swimsuits each year. Dr. William Hall, Chief Cosmetic Surgeon at Infini Cosmetic Associates reveals six top treatments “to help you look your best in less” this summer.

“Every year there are literally thousands of people who are terrified of getting into a suit and attending a pool party because they are insecure about their body image for any one or more of these reasons,” Hall proclaimed. “The good news is that these issues can be easily remedied with simple, painless cosmetic procedures, advanced treatments and techniques,” Dr. Hall said.

Now is the perfect time of the year to consider the following six cosmetic procedures to restore self-image and to heal properly before swimsuit season:

Tumescent, Laser or Smart Liposuction to Remove Unwanted Fat and Bulges: Tumescent, Laser and SmartLipo™ are of the latest advances in body contouring, fat removal and skin tightening. Men and women who want to look and feel better seek out doctors that perform liposuction surgery. It is pain free and patients are back to a normal, active life within days.
Candela Gentlelase Plus® for Laser Hair Removal: Laser hair removal has never been easier. A flash of light and a few treatments is all it takes to make unwanted hair disappear, permanently and safely. Remove unwanted hair on the face, back, legs, bikini line or just about anywhere else.
Varicose/Spider Vein Treatments and Elimination: The most commonly used treatments are sclerotherapy and laser treatment for vein removal. Vein removal treatments are permanent and successful, so patients can feel less self-conscious and more comfortable wearing summer clothes.
Endermologie Treatments for Cellulite Removal: Endermologie® is an innovative cellulite treatment available to sculpt most areas of the body. Endermologie® treatments work by massaging the tissue where cellulite exists with a state-of-the-art machine to break down the gatherings of fat groups and increasing circulation. Endermologie® treatments help remove cellulite and dimpling of the skin and help restore patient confidence.
Mole, Stretch Mark and Scar Removal: Many people have scars, moles, stretch marks, warts, pigmented spots and other lesions on their head, face, neck and body. There are several laser treatments that remove moles, scars and stretch marks and result in smoother, even-toned skin.
Levulan Kerastick Treatments for Age Spot/Sun Damage Removal: Levulan PDT Therapy treatment is a new procedure now available to treats sun damage and active acne. The treatment is a photosensitizing agent (Levulan) applied to the skin and then activated with a specific wavelength of light. After the procedure, the results leave a smoother skin tone. Levulan has been used extensively for the treatment of a variety of different skin conditions, and it is approved by the FDA and Health and Welfare Canada for the treatment of sun damaged skin.

Medical beauty therapies on the mend

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:48:06 +0000

Medical beauty treatment sales will be on the mend again in the next years after a decline of about 15 percent in 2009, with more women looking for natural-looking touch-ups and pampering in increasingly popular medical spas. IMCAS, the International Master Course on Aging Skin, expects beauty therapies including laser treatments, breast enlargements and wrinkle-filling injections to grow 5 to 10 percent a year worldwide until 201

The financial crisis meant the keenest users by far of medical aesthetic treatments, women, pruned spending on their quest for youthful appearances or beauty in whatever shape or form.

Revenues in the medical aesthetic treatment industry as a whole fell 15 percent to 3 billion euros ($4.30 billion) due to fewer surgical acts and a 40 percent decrease in energy-based therapy equipments like ultrasound massages or laser skin treatments.

However, wrinkle fillers and active cosmetics — creams that contain vitamins or promise to lift the skin — resisted the crisis best, down 0 to 5 percent in 2009.

Businesses Try to Tap into Twitter

admin — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:58:58 +0000

More than 2.6 million people know the answers to at least one of those questions thanks to one of the fastest growing, social-networking Web sites, Twitter. The Web phenomenon has spread to Lancaster residents and businesses looking to making stronger connections with their customers. Twitter is a free micro-blogging Web site that lets users post messages in real time to people who choose to be “followers.” The site allows for small bursts of information to be shared in 140 or fewer characters.

Twitter is growing popular with businesses locally and abroad. A Nu-U Salon and Spa owner Maria Waibel first saw the success of using Twitter when she posted a “tweet” about an appointment opening at the last minute.

“As soon as we put our number up, we have people calling us,” she said. “(The first time) it was literally seconds. It was so quick it startled the receptionist.”

Waibel posts messages on the spa’s account – @mariaw1 – about three times a week about discounts, promotions and appointment availability. The spa has 140 followers as of Monday.

Source: Lancaster Eagle Gazette

'Lipstick effect' replaced by looking good for less

admin — Fri, 22 May 2009 04:01:27 +0000

It is commonly thought that in the face of an economic crisis, sales of lipsticks go up. However, new research from Mintel shows that this is in fact not the case and that women are choosing other basic cosmetic products over lipstick as they start to view the items as a necessity rather than a luxury.

Mintel conducted research in France, USA and the UK to monitor how consumers were reacting to beauty purchasing in the face of the financial concerns and found that a very small number of people were actually purchasing lipsticks. Just 3% of women said that they purchased a lipstick to make themselves feel better, indeed lipstick came top of a list in of cosmetic products that women would actually spend less on or stop using altogether.

Nica Lewis, head consultant for Mintel Beauty Innovation said of the trend, “In this recession, Austerity Chic – or looking good for less – is replacing the Lipstick Effect. Beauty is now marketed as a necessity rather than a luxury and women are being creative with their spending to keep up appearances. This means women are investing in moisturisers, body lotion and hair care, rather than lipstick.”