The Inclusive Medical Spa

By: Howard Murad, MD

Posted: February 25, 2009, from the March 2009 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.

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1. External care. Used to address skin, the body’s largest organ and the first line of defense, external care utilizes topical treatments, such as esthetic facials, appropriate skin care regimens and cosmetic medical services.

2. Internal care. Needed to support all aspects of a healthy lifestyle, internal care includes nutrition, supplements, physical activity and prescription medication.

3. Emotional care. Utilized to help clients achieve psychological and social balance, emotional care includes feel-good services that can be offered at spas, stress-reduction activities, such as exercise, and support groups to nurture the psyche.

Working hand-in-hand

Because everything in the body is connected, inclusive health therapies must be connected, as well. Inclusive programs offer a synergy of care largely absent from today’s medical spa market. Practitioners in the inclusive medical spa work hand-in-hand to map the best course for each patient. Every aspect of well-being is covered, never losing sight of the client’s concerns or wishes. Furthermore, every inclusive program should be as unique as each of your clients. Because skin care and anti-aging are not one size fits all, this revolutionary strategy offers a myriad of cutting-edge treatments aimed at making people healthier, happier and ultimately more beautiful, which will carry the industry to the future and beyond.

GENERAL REFERENCES

AH Bittles, Human Aging: A Cellular Phenomenon or Evolutionary Determinant, I J Antroph, 1 4 289–296 (1986)