Nancy Griffin

Are your treatments and protocols changing along with the seasons? Seasonal promotions create a level of excitement that encourages your regular clients to try something new. Smart promotions will attract new blood and encourage retail sales.

Here are some suggestions:

–Get creative with fall promotions that reward your current clients and also bring new clients in the door. ESPA at Acqualina Resort offer the “Bring a Friend” Fall Spa Promotion. Guests get 50% off on a treatment Monday through Thursday.

–Create a “Celebrate Fall” tea ceremony with White Lion Organic Teas in earthy fall blends like Cranberry Hibiscus or Pomegranate Oolong. Of course, make the same teas you service back bar available retail.

–Create a product mixing area in the reception area or treatment room. Spa Pantry makes it simple to develop custom treatments and signature menus. Combine active ingredients, essential oils, herbs and exfoliants with base carriers, muds or masks to target clients’ individual needs. 

Care to share some of your creative fall promotions? Spa Insider welcomes opinions from spa operators “in the trenches.” Please comment below!

Nancy Griffin

Fall means back to work, back to school, and back to “the grind.” The Stress in America Survey reports 40 percent of adults lie awake at night because of stress. Smart spa operators are waking up to the opportunity of sleep wellness to add value to their treatments. Without additional expense and a little creativity, spas can offer sleep wellness programs that create results and client loyalty.

–Consider developing stress management programs, special massage protocols, aromatherapy and nutritional advice that will improve your clients’ well-being.

–Check out the new research portal spaevidence.com for information on the stress-reducing benefits of the treatments you deliver. The site provides a comprehensive database of studies on therapeutic modalities such as aromatherapy, reflexology, hydrotherapy, massage and many more.

–Retail products that reduce stress, such as a  Spa Moments Herbal Wrap. Perfect for tight shoulders, this microwavable herbal pack helps clients relax by soothing aching muscles at home.  White Lion Chamomile Citrus Tea is the ideal nighttime ritual. Chamomile has been used for centuries to reduce stress and promote relaxation.

Any great stress management tales to tell? Spa Insider would love to hear from you!

Monte Zwang

There is a perfect storm brewing that bodes well for the future of forward thinking doctors, spas, and wellness practitioners. We’re finding our way through a fusion of the services and care provided by physicians, wellness practitioners, and spa operators. In order for this to occur, spas have to be more involved with preventive wellness oriented services, and doctors need to view spas as more than an opportunity to bolster their practices with cash (non-insurance paying) patients. Spa operators, physicians, and wellness practitioners must all become lifestyle coaches and service providers. As both spas and medical clinics currently exist, an opportunity to merge the two is clearly on the horizon.

In these challenging economic times, our clientele has less money to spend on luxury or optional services. Spas are struggling because our clientele is struggling financially. Our clientele wants our services, but they have less money to spend and they want services for less money. Coupon sites like Groupon and Living Social have driven prices down and have challenged guest loyalty.

Primary care physicians are struggling and disappearing. As the number of primary practices decreases as it has over the past several years, many of our communities are underserved in basic medical care. Health care costs are spiraling out of control due to the procedures of the insurance companies and inefficiencies in the business practices of medical offices. 47% of health care costs are paid for by public funds, panic has set in, and our efficient and practical government is attempting to mitigate the issue. For some time now, and in the foreseeable future, private practice physicians are not making enough money.

Spas are already providing wellness. The tradition of spas as a place for healing, renewal, relaxation, and feeling well, positions the spa industry as one of the most logical sectors to help lead the wellness movement. Wellness also provides an opportunity to reshape the image of spas, to regroup after the global recession, and to position spas as an investment or an essential element in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. There is a growing opportunity for spa operators to move into the world of preventive care services by joining forces with physicians, naturopaths, alternative, and integrative health practitioners. Physicians who operate medical practices have difficulty understanding that spa is not merely a cash opportunity to bolster their practices. Physicians are not trained to deal with the hospitality required to operate a spa. Some hospitals “get it”, have done their research and are leading the band wagon. Take a look at the Cleveland Clinic, The Wellness Center at Dowell Springs and Waters Edge at Lone Pine Village. On a smaller scale this opportunity for spas and medical practices is real and timely.

So what happens to pampering and beauty? I see salons becoming  more “Spalons” taking on the beauty services of skincare, waxing, nails, and hair in a less pampering, less opulent setting similar to what happens with the walk-in anytime street front massage studios in Asia. In their 2011 Spa Trends Report, Spa Finder identifies this as the “Spa in a New York Minute” trend stating that “the spa industry is currently responding to this by providing extended hours and all-night spas to ‘express,’ ‘sampler’ and simultaneous treatments to new, more efficient treatment technology and facility design.”

Now, the rest of that “Perfect Storm”. Remember when the housing bubble burst? Well, the commercial real estate bubble is heading towards burst-dom soon. There are financial and business benefits to real estate ownership. Lower real estate costs with motivated sellers will create an opportunity for physicians, spa operators, and wellness practitioners who are prepared to purchase real estate.

I like collaborative businesses. I like businesses that band together in a synergistic manner, share costs, and operate efficiently. Businesses can co-market and refer each other. If they take a holistic and preventive approach to caring for clientele, physicians, spas, fitness centers, body workers, estheticians, nutritionists, and yoga studios could work together to care for their clientele and lower the cost of healthcare in the process.

We propose the development of Wellness Villages, Health & Wellness Suites, and Healing Arts Campuses. The opportunity exists to provide doctors, alternative medical practitioners, spa owners, and wellness providers with a suite or building where multiple practitioners share a common lobby, reception, administration, conference room, lab, and dispensary. Each would maintain their own consultation and treatment rooms. We feel that this would let the healers heal and provide executive suite business support services. This would create increased practice marketing opportunities via the proximity to and operational synergy with complementary practitioners. The client/patient experiences a unique and supportive healing community where they receive hospitable and professional care and services. The Health & Wellness Village provides centralized and focused preventive care as a result of like-minded physicians and wellness practitioners practicing in a village of complementary practices. Many of the business services required are provided as part of the lease agreement at the village. By focusing on preventive, holistic treatments and primary care medicine, it also brings down the cost of healthcare.

The tenants of these villages would be synergistic pairings of Health, Wellness Fitness, Spa & Beauty practitioners. Wellness Villages could be constructed in office buildings, retail centers or mixed use centers. They could also be built on floors or suites within office buildings. Funding is available in today’s market for owner occupied real estate like this.

Interested? Wellness Capital Management would like to assist in the development of Wellness Villages like this around the country. We can help with assembling a group of like-minded practitioners, setting up the necessary structure, business planning, development and management of the village. If you’d like to talk about it, give us a call: the first call is always free.

Call 888.727.5489 or e-mail us at Monte@WellnessCapital.com.

Leslie Lyon

Now is the time many will re-process and re-direct their old thought patterns towards more purposeful, meaningful goals and outcomes.  This new mindset encompasses both giving and receiving, and is rapidly affecting business building strategies around the world.   

The term “mindful consumption” refers not only to our $pending habits but also what we eat, our use of personal and environmental energy, and so on.  Just as importantly, “mindful generosity” represents such things as acts of kindness, activism, paying it forward, and community presence.  These two terms combined equal “mindful experiences”.  Those who are embracing mindfulness want deeper, more personally enriching experiences.  And to the mindful spa-goer, luxury no longer represents the most expensive choices and luxurious possessions. More and more, it represents an enriching personal experience.  

With that being said, your mindful clients, now more than ever will be spa-ing skillfully, considering both expense and enrichment.  So we’d better be able to deliver, right? Yes, but to add to the challenge, we have at least five generations who view expense and enrichment very differently.   In order to match the experience to the expectation, consider thinking in generational differences, strive to understand their character traits and triggers. Understand beliefs, not just behaviours.

1.  Baby Boomers: 1946 – 1954
They may prefer to communicate face to face or on the phone, with email and mobile used a bit and texting very little.  They are starting to use social networking; Twitter is big for them.  They are slowly entering their sunset years as the lead generation to watch, although they still hold vast spending power and mustn’t be underestimated.  They were the creators of “50 is the new 30″, refusing to get old.  They are more mindful of spending than any other generation.  Because of their self-ish nature however, they still believe they should have it all, and have it now, so the enriching spa experience is probably of paramount importance to them. They are confronting bigger challenges with their age; therefore, they are the most prominent generation needing spa “cures”, at great value, with a moving experience.  As employees, they appreciate money and prestige, but also a variety of options and incentives.  Retirement for this segment is slowing with the economic downturn–nest eggs have decreased or even disappeared.

2.  Cuspers (Late Bloomers; Generation Jones): 1954 – 1965
They may prefer to communicate on the phone or email, with texting and mobile now also taking hold.  This generation is a “moral belief system” and considered by some as the “knowledge worker” – they know their stuff and there is a worldwide shortage of them.  They bridge the gap between Boomers and Gen X.  They have the ability to identify with all other generations and therefore may lead well (think of your staff needs here).  They respect tradition but believe in equality (they may therefore be more accepting of well designed co-ed comfort zones than some others might be); they still believe in older practices (European facial and Swedish massage), but embrace technology wholeheartedly (photo facials and bio-feedback); they are philanthropists; and challengers to the boomers.  As clients, being a very reasonable generation, they probably do not have unrealistic expectations of the spa, but will perhaps place great emphasis on being “one of the group” and therefore may look for genuine personal efforts and interaction with their therapists and the spa owner.  As well, they will look for fair market value with good incentives.  To them, this proves there is meaningful interest in retaining their business and enriching the business/personal connection.

3.  Generation X : 1965 – 1979
They may prefer to communicate via email and texting, still using their mobile for voice calls.  They are the “working smarter, not harder” advocates.  These self-reliant, non-conformists coined the phrase “multi-tasking”.  They tend to bump the rules and go for freedom and flexibility vs. rigid formalities.  So, they may appreciate customization and multi-technician treatments in the spa.  They don’t believe in established practices and protocols, so they may prefer to book spa time vs. spa services.  They look to friends before family, as they are the original “latchkey kids”, and as a result, they will probably enjoy relating to their therapist as a peer rather than a professional authority figure.  They will tell you what they expect in the process, and they will look for the “fun factor”.  They witnessed their parents’ job insecurity and an economic downturn, so they may be committed to individual therapists, but not the spa.  They may hesitate on pricing if it is not “tailored to their needs” but will most likely tip well, spend on those products that their therapists have enjoyed, and return often if there is a personal connection with their service provider. As employees, they will seek information from multiple sources, so may not be mentored well – they will gather and create their own “hybrid” solution.  Money is important to them.

 4.  Generation Y (Millennials): 1979 – 1997
They prefer to communicate via texting and facebook, almost exclusively!  These “loved ones” mean everything to their parents and are starting to show up in droves at the spa.  All this parental attention has developed high levels of self-confidence and even over-confidence!  They are known as the “Self-Esteem Movement”. They are used to being acknowledged simply for their presence!  They will probably question and compare your choice of products and techniques used, and while you are servicing them in your “cell-free zone”, they will promise only to text their friends.  They love the feeling of teams, camaraderie, and community, and may therefore enjoy group visits and guest interaction in the comfort areas of your spa.  As employees, their need for community and the “life experience” may look like job hopping to an employer – the average number of jobs an 18-35 year old has had is 7-10. They take well to being mentored by a Boomer or Cusper because those generations love to share, and the Y’s are knowledge hunters and lifelong learners.  They value experiences and social consciousness, and will switch money for opportunity – (e.g., Days off without compensation because they have other life agendas “cause-oriented” – they will stay with you longer if they can volunteer during working hours.) They like “Experiential Leadership Development”. They were raised communicating with adults and may respond well to, and even look for the attention from the spa director and/or spa owner.  Due to parents focusing on more deliberate development for these kids, they may be inclined to choose structured services and packages vs. the “latchkey kids” who demand customized experiences.

 5.  Generation G – For “Generosity”
Giving is the new taking.  Anyone who feels the importance of generosity, please go to http://www.trendwatching.com/briefing/ . This information is fascinating and refreshing.  But beware, in order to merge with, or call yourself a Generation G, you will need to be able to justify prices; esthetic values/usefulness; quality; enrichment; and outcomes of your services; products; and those who administer them.

Consider carefully:
–Behavioral interviewing

–Communicating with staff and clients about their motivators. Stay on the pulse, be actionable.

–Know the difference between “change management” and “crisis management”

–Have a multi-generational staff task force at your business and allow them to provide real time feedback

–Know objectives – immediate/short term/long term

–Think results, now old ways of thinking–if they get the job done, do you really care how they do it?

Ellen Clark

There are a variety of ways to extract open/closed comedones and pustules.  It takes practice and tools that are effective in reducing any trauma to the surrounding skin tissue.  During our recent clinical study, I was performing our 02 Clear Facial on an acne-prone adult woman (32 years of age) with a typical combination of both open/closed comedones and a few papules.  She has made the commitment to a 6 week treatment series and products. 

She was a classic hormonal acne woman with redness and congestion.  As I began working with her, it reminded me of a message I share with esthetic students when teaching:  Take it easy with extractions.  When first beginning an esthetic career, there is a tendency to be either overzealous with the extractor or afraid of performing extractions all together.  When the client goes home with effective products, much of the acne clears up on its own over several weeks.  So, while extraction methods are very important and whether you use a comedone extractor, cotton tip applicators, or your fingers and tissue, your goal is to help remove the excess oil and sebum without causing additional inflammation to the skin. 

Here are a few tips to help in this effort:

• Extractions are easiest when the skin is still moist.  So, shortly before the steam is turned off, apply a small amount of our Skin Nourishing Balm or 02 PRO Booster and massage into the congested areas.  You can occlude with plastic wrap if desired.  Perform extractions around the face, then come back to this area, tissue off the excess balm or oxygen cream and you will find extractions are much, much easier.

• Apply cold after extractions.  The skin will naturally get red and/or inflamed if lots of extractions are performed.  The client’s skin also may become warm.  When the skin is inflamed the client is more at risk for prolonged redness or hyperpigmentation.  This is the ideal time to use cold stones, beauty globes or simply aloe ice for 30 seconds.  The client’s skin calms down and it is greatly appreciated by the client.

• Apply Clear Med 5% or 02 Med after extractions or at the end of the facial on acneic areas.  Provided you know that your client is not allergic to benzoyl peroxide (which most people are not), apply a very small amount of either product on the areas you performed extractions, wait a minute or so for the treatment product to penetrate, perform high frequency if desired, then apply your usual moisturizer and/or sunscreen.  This will help ensure that your client will not breakout after the facial and aid in clearing. 

Should you need any additional help with your clients, feel free to drop me an e-mail anytime: ellen@controlcorrective.com .

Lisa Sykes

vē-gən: a strict vegetarian who consumes no animal food or dairy products; also: one who abstains from using animal products –Merriam Webster Online Dictionary

Veganism is somewhat controversial. For every argument for it, there’s one against it. Even some vegetarians question it. I became a vegetarian in 1993 and converted to veganism in 1999, but when I became pregnant with my son in the fall of 2001, an intense craving for a buttery local cheese did me in. I’ve been an intermittent cheese head since then, especially when I visit the Earth Fare. But, I won’t get into my personal weaknesses. . .

I have enormous respect for vegans. It’s tough, especially in the South. You label-read everything—everything. Your friends and family think you’re nuts—at least mine did—and laugh when they hear the word “Tofutti”. But, veganism stretches beyond mere dietary preferences. It includes clothing, shoes, and personal care product choices too.

Of the many arguments that vegans have, one of them is very relevant to the spa industry: the environmental cause. Green spas would be remiss to ignore the environmental contention of veganism because it is profoundly compassionate. Vegans maintain that the use of animal by-products contributes to three major environmental problems:

Depletion of natural resources: The amount of fossil fuel energy invested in animal protein is over 10 times greater than the amount used for grain protein production. In addition, raising animals for food requires massive amounts of water; for example, one pound of beef necessitates about 2500 gallons.

Global Warming: Meat consumption is partially responsible for razing the Amazon rainforest. Several South American governments allow the clear-cutting of lush forest for cattle crops and grazing in order to satisfy the western demand for beef, thereby increasing the amount of CO2 that goes back into the atmosphere. Further, animal waste and methane also produce greenhouse gases, many times over the warming impact that CO2 generates.

Pollution: Factory farms are some of the most culpable air, land, and water polluters in the United States. Factory farms are owned by corporations that have literally outgrown themselves and the natural resources that surround them, creating a surplus of legal cases and EPA violations.  

With these concerns in mind, clients have demanded vegan products for ethical and environmental reasons. They have challenged personal care product manufacturers to cease the use of cheap slaughterhouse by-products. In fact, major vegan brands have emerged like SpaRitual, the finest in eco-luxury. Furthermore, a quick search for “vegan” on SpaFinder yields 155 results for spas that offer vegan treatments and vegan dining options, and the numbers continue to grow.

Essentially, vegan clients practice the “live and let live” doctrine; they’re concerned about the environment and have compassion for all living creatures. Spas that present vegan treatments and cuisine offer benevolent refuges for vegans and non-vegans alike. Beautifully simple, the vegan theory is this: If consumers insist on vegan products and meals, the demand for meat and animal by-products will plummet. Accordingly, if the demand for animal flesh drops, the meat industry will no longer have the means or the need to clear-cut forests or build factory farms, thereby drastically reducing resource depletion, contributions to global warming, and pollution. Arguably, one could say that if it came to fruition, the vegan theory would resemble a strong shimmering chain of reactions that would ultimately hold the earth in perfect balance.

Felicia Brown

I subscribe to a number of e-newsletters from spas, salons, and industry vendors; many of them are done with Constant Contact. While I really love the flexibility and ease of sending out e-mailed newsletters, I see too often these common mistakes that hurt more than help the business that is sending out the newsletter.

1. Typos. I am always surprised to see typos or bad grammar in any marketing communication. If it is a one-time event, it may not do major damage. We are all human! But I usually see typos or poor grammar multiple times from the same business. This chronic lack of editing leaves your client questioning the quality of your services. If you want to be associated with high-end and quality services, your marketing (which is a written extension of you and your business) absolutely has to reflect that. Double and triple check all printed, e-mailed, and web page text prior to sending it out to your customers.

 2. “Sale” in the subject or title. It is almost too easy to want to attract attention with a discount. However, it is important to realize that clients who visit you only because of a discount will probably come back only when you give them another discount.

So instead, provide value in other ways by talking about pain relief or skin care tips, highlighting a recent charity activity to the local community, or provide a small upgrade (such as 15 min massage after a scrub) to a specific service. The idea is to give value to your clients in your e-mail communications, without giving them charity.

3. Erratic e-mail templates. The brand of your business should be communicated in your e-mails, and switching newsletter templates every week does not help you do this. I know it is VERY tempting, fun, and cheap to use the various holiday templates. However, you can relate to the season-du-jour within a customized e-mail template that will deliver a consistent visual memory of your business through the use of additional images, imaginative headlines and engaging articles or features.

Good marketing is heavily dependent upon consistency. And even though it is a bit boring for you as a business owner, having the same template makes it easier to send out your communications and makes a bigger long-term impression of you.

PS…If you would like to learn more about how to get started with online marketing, I just did a webinar with my friend and colleague, Allissa Haines, called “Online Marketing: Getting past the “I don’t wanna” syndrome”. It was fun and filled with lots of great ideas and resources on how to make online marketing work for you. We taped the whole thing and it’s just waiting for you to listen in. Just click here to sign up for the free replay and get your email and online marketing in motion!

Toula Victor

It began with what I believed to be a minor toothache–nothing to worry about.  But, as the days passed, the pain got stronger, and I tried harder and harder to ignore it, as my fear of the dentist put me in a state of denial.  I told myself that if I just didn’t pay attention to the pain, it would go away; unfortunately, it didn’t. There was no getting around it, so I began my search for a dental office in Athens.  I needed a place with an atmosphere that could disguise the fact that I would soon be sitting in a dentist’s chair with my mouth wide open and full of metal tools poking and prodding.

After some searching, I came across something that I previously believed did not exist in Athens, Dental Pearls Luxury Dental Spa.  It seemed too good to be true.

Housed in what looked like a regular ‘70s style Athens apartment building, I ascended to the first floor and rang the doorbell with no expectations. I slowly pushed the door open and found myself pleasantly surprised.  Inside, an airy, relaxing atmosphere calmed me almost immediately, as did the pleasant dental assistant who greeted me as I walked in.  I was escorted to the modernly appointed seating area, complete with cookies, a Nespresso machine, flat screen TV, and absolutely none of the magazines typically found in dentist offices.  The floor to ceiling window to my left, overlooking a couple of beautifully restored neoclassical buildings, seemed almost like a painting, and the teardrop shaped light fixtures exuded warmth (in contrast to the cold fluorescent lighting that comes to mind when thinking of a traditional dental office).

After filling out my initial paperwork, I was asked to step into Dr. Vicky Deligiorgi’s office where she thoroughly explained the procedure we would follow in order to diagnose the problem and ensure the experience would be pleasant.  Indeed, as I sat in the dentist’s chair, I was given a neck pillow and sunglass-style goggles so that the light would not strain my eyes as I lay back. As I made myself comfortable, I glanced slightly upwards only to notice a flat screen TV in clear view, showing scenes of beautiful landscapes, city skylines, and wildlife. I lay there watching and began to discern the soothing music that filled the room and almost didn’t notice that the drilling, poking, and scraping had begun (although the local anesthesia may have helped a bit as well). 

As I walked out of the office, one side of my mouth still numb, I thought, “Why would I ever go back to a regular dentist’s office again?”

Note:  Dental Pearls Luxury Dental Spa offers additional services such as a paraffin treatment for the hands and warm and cold eye masks for relaxation and toning, respectively.

Nancy Griffin

The SpaExec event in Sonoma, CA featured an excellent panel entitled “realities” of social media. The panel of social media experts included Jamie Ginsberg with SpaSmart, Stacy Bergdahl of Berglon Marketing Agency, Blanca Caballero of AvantGard Spa, and Michael Martello with Demandforce. All the panelists agreed that social media has changed the marketing landscape forever. Although the time commitment involved in social media is substantial, savvy spa operators MUST join the party.

Here are some more tidbits from the panelists:

Fake it ‘til you make it: Bottom line, you must jump in and get started with social media. “Don’t be afraid to copy,” says Jamie Ginsberg. “Emulate others and you will find your voice over time.” Go forward and tweak as you go along. If your blog or Facebook post gets comments and “likes”—keep on that path. If ideas you find revelatory fall on deaf ears, change it up!

Speak in a personal voice: It can be dangerous to delegate your social media to your staff or an outside firm. “It is your brand and your story,” said Blanca Caballero. “I would spend as much time watching what my staff are posting. Social media is a party and I show up.” Tell stories. Be real so your audience can connect with you. “Have fun and be playful,” said Stacy Bergdahl. “People like to do business with people they like.”

Manage your online reputation: Spas cannot hide their heads in the sand and ignore their online review on Yelp and other sites. “Consumers are talking to you online whether you like it or not,” said Mike Martello. “Listen and get involved in the conversation.” All the panelists recommended following both positive and negative reviews. Negative reviews can give you insights into operational issues and can also be a great opportunity to try to rectify the situation.

How much time are you investing in social media? Are you seeing benefits from your efforts?

Lisa Sykes

As I’ve mentioned before, I spent most of my teen years at the beach. Hey, it was the 1980s, so like everyone else, I squeezed and slathered my way through innumerable bottles of baby oil. Unfortunately, this bad behavior has generated copious clusters of freckles and moles on my chest and back. I’ve monitored them over the years, and never saw any changes. . .until recently.  Naturally, the mole that concerned me the most was the one I could only see by folding myself into a contortionist-like pose in front of the mirror. The suspect mole had turned pink around the edges, so I immediately made an appointment with a dermatologist.

As I waited in the exam room, I focused on a laminated poster displaying large, colorful photos of dysplastic nevi, benign atypical moles that may resemble melanoma. (Apparently, the higher number of these, the higher the risk of melanoma.) It certainly heightened my awareness. When the doctor arrived, I explained my concerns to her and showed her the moles that concerned me. She looked me over and said that all of them were “birthday spots” except for the questionable one in the center of my back. She took a biopsy and scheduled me for a follow-up in two weeks.

On my way back to the work, I thought about the incredible opportunity that estheticians and massage therapists have to help their clients by keeping an eye out for suspicious looking moles or lesions. Practitioners can find them in areas where clients normally don’t look, such as the scalp or the back. And, by recognizing them and urging your clients to seek treatment, you may help prevent the advancement of a deadly disease.

The “ABCDE” mnemonic is a great reminder for spotting potential melanoma:

Asymmetry

Borders that are irregular in shape

Colors that vary (brown and tan, pink)

Diameters that are fairly large (generally larger than 6mm)

Elevation or bumps

Non-melanoma skin cancers (e.g., basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma) usually appear as chronic reoccurring lesions that look like blisters, scabs, or ulcers. The basic rule is this: If you spot an abnormal mole lesion, then it should be examined by a dermatologist.

Don’t be shy. If you spot an irregular looking mole or lesion, gently ask your client if he or she knows about it. The goal isn’t to send your client into sudden panic but to suggest that the client consult a dermatologist. It may save your client’s life.  Fortunately, if detected early, skin cancer is 100% survivable. That’s a great statistic, and as a wellness center, the spa may be the best place to detect these abnormalities.

Incidentally, I did return to the dermatologist, and the biopsy came back negative.  I am relieved, but because of my youthful folly, I must return every year for a check-up.