Introduction
Originally, a spa was meant to be a place for relaxing and getting treated for ailments through water. It evolved through ages to bring under its purview, myriad other ways of relaxation, unwinding and getting pampered. Alternative therapies overtook the traditional ‘cure through water’ concept, and spas meant for specialized purposes such as a spa for kids, destination spas, hospital spas, and the like started proliferating. Medical spas are the latest addition to this growing list of spa classification, and though a relatively new entrant, it is a welcome addition nonetheless.
Definition of a medical spa
A medical spa is an integration of the spa services with conventional and unconventional yet effective medical procedures. It provides medical care in a typical spa setting, thus giving rise to a new enhanced service portfolio, which includes the care of an expert dermatologist or a plastic surgeon.

Medical spa in comparison with a day spa
A medical spa is essentially akin to a day spa, with its overall ambience stimulating a sense of well being among clients. It soothes the nerves through its ergonomic design and intelligent use of colors and textures. It basically differs from the day spa on the type of treatments offered on the service menu. While day spas cater to clients coming in for cosmetic procedures or rejuvenating massage, they do not necessarily offer relatively complex medical treatments or procedures for their clients. On the contrary, a medical spa, armed with a qualified doctor, offers both medical and cosmetic treatments to its visitors. A medical spa essentially quenches the client’s search for complete overall wellness by integrating the science of medicine with the art of aesthetic treatment procedures. It seamlessly fuses the procedure of complex medical treatments with a genuine and practiced care before during and after the actual treatment.
Service menu
None can strip the service menu of its undisputed importance to a medical spa. It is necessary to be sure of what services and treatments you will offer the clients before jumping upon the bandwagon to design its structure. Remember that a medical spa’s proverbial ‘captain of the ship’ essentially needs to be a doctor. The development of service menu, therefore, needs to happen under the guidance of one. There could be many treatments and procedure that the doctor would disapprove of, or be ambivalent about. The trick lies in creating a menu that appeals to the science-savvy doctor, and is marketable to the hoi polloi, at the same time.

Here, the creativity of the spa developer will come to rescue. Anti oxidant masks and glycolic peels are the safest bet because of their proven medical benefits and immense mass appeal. A creatively crafted treatment menu that bridges the gap between a proven medical procedure and a comfortable, luxurious treatment is what is needed.

Concept design
Once the service menu has been finalized, the obvious next step seems to be the design or the theme of the spa structure. Since a spa – be it a medical or a day spa - holds on to the concept of a soothing ambience for its clients, its ergonomic design definitely plays a major role in its structure. A medical spa needs to be more focused upon its design because it has to carry out complex medical procedures on its clients, which puts them in an uncomfortable position in the very first place. Soothing colors, bright and cheerful materials, and a variety of textures in the upholstery are some of the choices on the ergonomic front.

Product development
The treatments offered at the medical spa can be supported with in-sync products that allow a pre and post care routine to its patients. Housing such products will be a definite value addition to your spa facility. Specially designed products for the medical spa model are now being made available by pharmacy giants. The display of these products is allowed at your centre on the condition of the presence of a certified doctor on the premises.

Esthetic staff training
Doctors and Para-medical estheticians need to work in tandem to provide the required treatment to clients. The responsibility of the estheticians involves preparing the patients for medical procedures and advising them on the contraindications for treatments. Hence, a working knowledge of the procedures performed by the doctors is a must. Disparate medical backgrounds of the esthetic staff – such as dermatologist assistants, registered nurses, etc, - will definitely add to the credibility of the spa. Regular interaction and lectures between the doctors and the estheticians are necessary for a constructive working relationship between them.

Medical treatments
The fusion of varied medical procedures with the wellness concept of a spa is the magic potion that has seen the medical spa successfully survive the onslaught of multiple specialty spas. Dermatology treatments like collagen, botox and laser resurfacing can be integrated with the regular spa services. Apart form this there are copious other medical procedures that can be carried out at the spa to enhance its curing effect on the body of the patient. Treatments such as plastic surgery, gynecology and oncology, can be successfully merged with yoga, reiki, acupuncture, nutrition, weight loss sessions, scar management, facials, and ayurvedic purva and pancha karma treatments to offer a varied menu benefial to both clients facing specific medical conditions and others coming to simply rejuvenate.

Conclusion
The immense stress levels widespread in today’s society have given rise to innumerable diseases that can be cured naturally, with a helping hand from popular medicine. The happy union of medical science with the art of relaxation and rejuvenation is what medical spas are all about. The most important function that a medical spa performs is that, it uplifts the dull spirits of the patients and allows them to experience a slice of life that is quite soothing in contrast with the emotional pain of diseased body and its harsh cure.