Reston medical spa benefits from BOTOX boom
By Gregg MacDonald
A tight economy is apparently not limiting the demand for tight faces.
Despite some recent controversy, news articles continue to shed light on the continued growth in the popularity of Botox (Botulinum Toxin Type A) cosmetic procedures.
A recent article on CNN.com suggests that, "For a growing number of Americans, BOTOX is no longer a luxury, it's a necessity." The article also speculates that BOTOX will again be the top cosmetic procedure in 2008.
BOTOX injections are a popular method of reducing frown lines by reducing the muscle contractions that cause wrinkles to form.
“The forehead is one site where this happens,” said Dr. Kaleen Kitay, medical director and part owner of Scienna Medspa and Wellness Center in Reston. “The brows and the eye areas are two other sites.”
According to Kitay, a procedure can be completed in as little as 20 minutes and can easily be performed over someone's lunch hour.
“We are definitely getting busier,” she said. “It's not just a Hollywood thing. We are all living longer, and I think most people are living healthier lives and sometimes your outer appearance doesn't reflect how well you feel on the inside."
“And some damage done in your youth, when you didn't know any better, is not fixable now except with these procedures,” she added.
But BOTOX is also being used by some of those still in their youth. Some of Kitay's clients are as young as 20 years old.
“The younger women do it for prevention,” she said. “Some women say, 'When I smile, I see these lines around my eyes,' and they say they don't like that. We call those 'dynamic wrinkles,' and BOTOX can be used to prevent those from becoming permanent, what we call 'static wrinkles.'”
Kitay says that men can – and often do – also reap the benefits of the procedure, although primarily it is used by women.
“There has been a lot of negative press about it, but it is very, very safe when used correctly. It is very nice because people get immediate results,” she said.
Scienna Medspa also performs many other noninvasive procedures that optimize personal aesthetics and nutritional health, such as dermabrasion and laser hair reduction. A registered dietitian and a massage therapist are also available on site. All services are performed in the spa's design-award-winning office on Commerce Park Drive in Reston.
“It is a relaxing environment, and I think we offer a level of personal care that is not offered at other medical spas that compete with us in the area,” Kitay said.