Abstract

From day and resort spas, to medical spas and integrated wellness centers, these havens for wellness are popping up everywhere--even in local hospitals. Whether seeking emotional balance, personal rejuvenation, or anti-aging therapies, there are no age or sex restrictions when it comes to the quest for wellness. Offering a wide variety of techniques and services, be they traditional or modern, from the East or from the West, spas meet the diverse needs of their clients. Spas come in many shapes, sizes, and focuses-from day spas where clients can get a single treatment to spa resorts and destination spas where they can stay for a week or more. There are also medi-spas that operate under the supervision of a medical doctor. A hybrid between a medical clinic and a day spa, they are the newest niche in cosmetic surgery. Along that same line, hospitals across the United States are beginning to add complementary and alternative medicine to their practices. Patients are being introduced to a new level of healthcare where massage, water therapies, reflexology, and even facials are par for the course.