Gucci, Orange Julius and Botox?
Picture this: You’re in the mall. You’ve just splurged on a fabulous handbag. You’re eyeing a pair of Gucci sunnies in that cool starlet style. You’re sucking down an Orange Julius. And in fifteen minutes, you’ll be getting a Botox injection.
No, this isn’t the dream you had last night, this is the life of many American women who pony up for a little more than a sweater or pair of shoes at the mall…they’re also buying non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
Yeah, at the mall.
The newest and fastest growing trend in cosmetic procedures is the Med Spa revolution, an in-and-out spa situation where walk-ins are welcome and services such as Botox and Restylane injections are on the menu. These quick-stops are so popular, in fact, that the International Medical Spa Association estimates there are between 2,000 to 2,500 med spas nationwide, as compared to only 25 in 2002.
Younger Baby Boomers - those born between 1955 and 1964 - are said to be the leading party for such growth (non-invasive treatments have increased more than 700 percent since 1997, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery). And since 12,000 Americans turn 50 every day, this type of “store setting” is slated for tremendous growth.
What’s more, with the possible FDA approval of a competitor for Botox, cosmetic drugs may become less expensive, driving up demand even higher. Patients will also demand constant maintenance (most cosmetic fillers wear off within 3 to 9 months), making an even greater case for in-mall med spas.
Convenience is also key, and most med spas take both appointments and walk-in clients. For those procedures causing bruising or swelling, a paparazzi-ducking type get-away is usually offered through a back entrance, ensuring the patient “saves face”.
Right now, most of these med spas can be found in affluent areas with high-end shopping centers, but in time, more markets will likely be served. If this comes to your neighborhood, will you go (assuming your practitioner has an outstanding record of both training and experience)? Has our society gotten out of hand when buying vanity becomes a retail endeavor? Or is this just par for the course of Not-Growing-Old-Gracefully? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think.
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POSTED IN: Beauty, Cute Rx, Extreme, Medical History, Skin, Surgery, Your Body
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