JUVA® Skin &
Laser Center And MediSpa®
An Industry Cornerstone
by Wendy Craft
 JUVA® MediSpa® is a pioneer in the medical-spa community. In
fact, medical spa director Bruce E. Katz, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist,
coined the term “medi-spa.” The midtown-Manhattan facility represents more than esthetic
treatment and services, providing cutting-edge science and knowledge to its
clients and industry professionals since April 1999.
The bustle of New York City fades away upon entering the
elegant and comfortable JUVA facility, as guests instantly unwind in the luxury
of fine marble floors and the warmth of soft earth tones. The expansive
5,000-square-foot mid- Manhattan retreat encompasses the entire second floor of
a building on 56th Street, between Park and Madison avenues.
“It’s very central and the best place to be in Manhattan,
because it’s easily accessible by public transportation and close to airports,”
Katz says. “We have a lot of patients coming in from all over the world.”
What these cosmopolitan guests find here is abundance. There are 12 exam rooms dedicated to different procedures—
three specifically are used for laser treatments, utilizing the facility’s 20
on-hand lasers. Clients can choose from a host of spa and medical treatments,
including face and eye lifts, liposuction and breast augmentation, all of which
are performed in an operating room by recognized experts. “We were the first medi-spa to be accredited by the AAAHC
[Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care],” Katz says.
JUVA is staffed by 60 employees, ranging in specialty from
dermatology, anesthesiology, plastic surgery, nutrition, nursing and
psychotherapy to massage therapy and acupuncture. Each staff member is properly
credentialed and in good standing. The medical spa also promotes and facilitates
continuing staff education.
“Some of our nurses are taking graduate courses, and Juva
pays half of the cost of their education,” Katz says. “Doctors are
reimbursed up to $2,000 a year for continuing medical education. We encourage
our staff to continue their education, to learn more and keep up with the latest
advancements.”
Standing Apart From the Crowd
 In addition to pioneering the medi-spa concept, JUVA practices
serious medicine and produces peer-reviewed clinical studies. It is a place
where medi-spa professionals come to advance their capability. For example, a
cosmetic surgery fellow currently works at JUVA, spending a year at the facility
learning about new procedures and the spa’s operations. JUVA in no way keeps
all this expertise to itself. Results of studies performed at the facility are published in medical journals, and Katz and his colleagues lecture
nationally and internationally on a regular basis.
“This past year we just finished writing three chapters for
medical textbooks,” he says. “We’re very cutting edge in terms of
developing and testing new technology. We have the latest laser devices here
that are being presented at meetings around the world.”
Katz recently took part in a Webinar about the Titan™ laser
by Cutera®. This infrared
laser tightens skin on the jowls and neck, abdomen, upper arms and knees. JUVA
offers these laser services ($715 per treatment), and clients can come in once
every two weeks for four or five treatments.
“There is no downtime, and it’s very easy to tolerate,”
he says. Another new popular treatment for cellulite at JUVA is the
Tri- Active™ LaserDermologysm laser by Cynosure, Inc. (16-treatment package,
$1,200).
“Today we have 12 or 14 appointments just for that,” Katz
says. “We presented a study on the Tri-Active in Italy last
November; my associate, Dr. Kathryn Frew, performed that study.”
The information exchange at JUVA flows freely to existing
patients as well as the public. Katz believes the medical spa’s best marketing
method is its quarterly newsletter, JUVA® News,
which includes details on spa events such as its lecture series, “Skin Chats.”
The two-hour meetings take place on the second Tuesday of every month. Fifty to
60 people fill the spa’s reception area and enjoy hors d’oeuvres,
refreshments, a PowerPoint presentation and a closing question-and-answer
session. There is no charge to attend, but pre-registration is required. Past
Skin Chats featured such topics as the newest developments in liposuction,
treatments that appeal to the urban dad, cellulite issues and the Tri-Active
laser.
“People love hearing about new things, and they don’t have
to worry about making an appointment with a doctor or esthetician,” Katz says.
“They can ask questions and meet the staff; lots of people book procedures
because of it.”
Treatment Offerings
With all of its creative educational features, JUVA spa guests
become very savvy about their favorite treatments. In addition to the Tri-Active
treatment for cellulite and the Titan laser treatments for skin tightening, one
of the spa’s signature treatments is the laser facial (45 minutes, $715). The
nonablative, anti-aging treatment incorporates two lasers, which can remove
broken blood vessels, sun spots and wrinkles at the same time, according to
Katz. Spa guests usually enjoy three to four treatments, booking one every two
weeks.
The facility has three lasers designated just for hair removal
and now can accommodate guests with any skin type. Katz notes that one
technician tends to hair removal all day. One of the popular signature spa
treatments is photodynamic therapy, which removes blond and gray hairs. The cost
of these laser treatments depends on the size of the area to be addressed.
The most popular medical treatments at JUVA MediSpa are Botox®
and Radiesse™ treatments. The cost of Botox
treatments ranges from $600 to $650, depending on the number of areas to be
treated. Radiesse injectable filler treatments ($900 per syringe) can treat deep
laugh lines, acne scars and wrinkles, and the effects last about 18 months to
two years, according to Katz. Clients who wish to supplement spa treatments at home also can
choose from JUVA’s line of 75 skincare products, which range from moisturizers
to cleansers to hair care.
Looking Forward
As education, treatments and products abound at JUVA, plans
for facility expansion are in the works. According to Katz, the spa is looking
to expand to an additional floor in its current building location, in an effort
to accommodate both its growing business and staff. “We started with six
employees in 1999, and now we’re at 60,” he says.
On the educational front, JUVA is working with the nonprofit
Medical Spa Society to shape the medical spa meeting curriculum for Reed
Exhibitions. “They asked us to develop the curriculum, pick the speakers and
run the meeting for their medical spa meetings,” Katz says.
Despite the growth, JUVA remains dedicated to maintaining the
quality of its staff, service and guest experience. Superior care and safe,
reliable and effective treatments are the spa’s standards of service. Overall,
guests of JUVA MediSpa can feel the effects of the staff’s synergy.
“We have a great team of people, and what makes JUVA work is
that everyone is really motivated to deliver the best possible care to our
patients, with the best possible services. Our patients can tell that this is a
special place because people really enjoy working here,” he says.
At A Glance
Facility: JUVA® Skin & Laser Center And MediSpa®, New
York City Unique Feature: 20 types of lasers are available for treatments.
Client Demographic: 70 percent of visitors are female, in
their 20s through 60s.
Top Requested Medical Treatment: Tri-Active™
“ LaserDermologysm
Best Marketing Method: JUVA® News and Skin Chats.
The Bottom Line: The facility grows by about 20 percent a
year.
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