Advances In Anti-Aging Spa Treatments

by Matt Morgan

As spas continue to gain acceptance in society, more people are turning to their skincare professionals to slow what age is doing to their appearance. The desirable results afforded by anti-aging spa treatments— combined with improving technology, lowering costs and increasing availability—make them a viable solution. Trends developing in the realm of anti-aging add up to a potential boon for the spa industry.

Anti-aging treatments appeal to all levels of spa-goers. Even novices view spas as places to maintain their physical body and cosmetic appearance, according to the International SPA Association (ISPA) 2004 Consumer Trends Report.

Research for the ISPA 2004 Industry Study uncovered these trends: “The emphasis is now increasingly on self-preservation” and “baby boomers and their children will pay to look young and healthy.”

However, self-preservation often stops short of the knife.

“There is a ‘revolution’ in cosmetic procedures and consumers can ‘look better without the need for cosmetic surgery,’” the industry study states. “As the baby boomers age, there is increased interest in cellulite treatments, glycolics and skincare products. Many of these products are influenced by European, Asian trends, and there is a ‘desire and need for natural versus artificial processes.’”

It seems like a contradiction but it’s true: Less-invasive treatments require more upkeep. This trend toward natural and more frequent treatments bodes well for spas that can seize the market and deliver with effective treatments.

“Natural but enhanced faces are becoming more typical,” says Melinda Minton, executive director of The Spa Association. “More maintenance is also more common, whereas it used to be the 10-year lift for most women. Now rejuvenation services keep their skin taut and beautiful in between less drastic surgical work.”

Evolving technology at the disposal of spa staff is expanding clients’ options for anti-aging treatments.

“The newest laser systems have become remarkably precise and selective, allowing treatment results and safety levels not previously available,” the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery (ASDS) states on its Web site.

“Medical anti-aging treatments include laser rejuvenation, microdermabrasion, surgical skin resurfacing with a CO2 or a YAG—or lately both,” Minton says. “I think the biggest change in anti-aging in terms of these types of treatments has to do with the more artful ways that surgeons and technicians are utilizing lasers.”

Early CO2 lasers required weeks of recovery time, Minton says, and skin seemed to get worse before it got better. New generations deliver short bursts of extremely high-energy laser light to actually vaporize unwanted skin tissue and reveal the fresh skin underneath, the ASDS site states.

When CO2 lasers are used—to aid deep wrinkles and scarring—in combination with YAG, “there is less downtime while the skin is still renewed and the collagen and elastin mesh is mildly damaged to encourage more collagen and elastin production, creating a more taut finish,” Minton explains.

Microdermabrasion continues to be a staple on the spa’s anti-aging menu. The process exfoliates and polishes the surface layer of skin. Miniature crystals are moved over the skin by a handheld device that attaches to the skin with suction. Used crystals and skin cells are gently sucked away, helping to diminish the appearance of aging, sun damage and other facial imperfections.

A person’s desire to look younger also can include a desire to look thinner. That’s why detoxifying and slimming services such as body wraps, Endermologie®, Lypossage and lymphatic drainage are gaining popularity.

Body wraps have instant appeal due to their therapeutic and cosmetic benefits. They can be used for moisturizing and conditioning skin, withdrawing impurities from skin, and/or reducing inches.

Endermologie is a French technique used to reshape the body and improve skin quality and texture. It works through motorized rollers that fold and unfold skin to improve cellular and fluid exchanges.

Lypossage is a blend of massages that derive from physical therapy, including lymphatic drainage and deep-tissue release. The process cleanses the body of stagnant lymphatic fluid that can create lumps and bulges in the body.

These body-contouring services work best in series, which signals another trend in anti-aging services.

“When treatments are not done regularly, in a series, and are not reinforced with homecare, everyone loses,” Minton says. “The client doesn’t receive or maintain the potential results. The spa loses revenue and referral sales that would be generated from a more regular client. Manufacturers lose because their professional and retail lines aren’t used as prescribed.”

Topical products are a key to the success of anti-aging treatments. More attention will be paid by manufacturers to what’s inside the products and how those ingredients are delivered to the skin.

“The last few years has seen a trend where everybody has wanted naturally derived ingredients,” says Diana Howard, Ph.D., vice president of research and development for Dermalogica and the International Dermal Institute. “But many of the synthetically made—in particular, the proteins or peptides—are very effective in helping to reverse the signs of aging.”

“Delivery is so important because of the sensitivity of the product—for instance, a vitamin C cream delivered in a water solution,” Minton says. “Water destroys vitamin C. As a result, some companies have created anhydrous vitamin C products that are more stable.”

Vitamins are among the best ingredients when it comes to anti-aging. Vitamins A, C and E fight the effects of pollutants, environmental toxins and stress at the cellular level. When applied topically, they combine to reduce the dermal oxidative damage that leads to wrinkles and age spots.

“Vitamin C has been touted for years for stimulating collagen, but if you had to pick one vitamin, the one that’s so effective in fighting or reversing the signs of aging is vitamin A: the retinol and the retinol derivatives,” Howard says.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) acts much like moisturizing vitamin E—it prevents oxidative damage, reducing signs of aging and enhancing the skin’s immune capacity.

Other popular ingredients include: hyaluronic acid, for moisture retention and tissue hydration; alpha hydroxy acid, which includes glycolic, lactic, malic, citric and tartaric acids, to slough off dead skin cells and possibly stimulate the production of collagen and elastin; beta hydroxy acid (salicylic acid), which also works as an exfoliant, causing dead skin to slough off; and rooibos extract, made from a rare South African red bush that contains powerful antioxidants.

Proprietary Matrixyl supports and refurbishes deteriorating collagen to optimize wrinkle reduction. It causes fibroblast cells to synthesize the molecules of connective tissue.

System 9, developed by Immanence Dermo-Innovation, Inc., is new to the market.

“It consists of nine powerful high-technology main active ingredients to enable 15 main mechanisms of action that simultaneously address the most common causes of skin aging,” says Marc Samson, vice president of business development at Immanence Dermo-Innovation.

“The formulations can be used in up-market anti-aging facials … and with high-frequency or other aesthetic equipment,” he says. “The product must also be used at home on a regular basis for a few weeks.”

Homecare is so vital to the process that many spas, like Immanence, require it as part of a series of anti-aging treatments. The importance of topicals to the success of anti-aging treatments implies the need for spa staff to educate clients. They must be taught the importance and proper use of take-home retail products.

“Day spa retail should focus on promotions, messaging and communications that evoke the possibilities of at-home spa rituals and use clever story-telling that acknowledges the pitfalls … of creating a true spa experience in a busy home,” the ISPA 2004 Consumer Trends Report concludes.

The new cycle of anti-aging spa treatments—series visits supplemented by homecare—is designed to yield younger-looking skin without surgical lifts or tucks. Such procedures require spas to retrain their clients into a routine of maintenance, but the result could be a payoff of satisfied customers and a steady stream of revenue.

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