Face Value

That's how Carney became the first dermatologist in the Twin Cities to own, manage, and directly supervise a medical spa. "Now six [dermatologists] who have had a presence in the Twin Cities for 10 to 20-plus years have evolved our dermatology practices by adding a level of service called a medical spa," he says. "I'm the only one, though, that completed a fellowship through the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, so in addition to my dermatology expertise, I provide services that often times are only done by plastic surgeons—for example, facelifts, eye lifts, tummy tucks, liposuction, deep phenol chemical peels-all done under local anesthesia." Skin Speaks Spa MD also provides a traditional facial, lip waxing, and eyebrow shaping, services more likely to be found in a day spa than a doctor's office.

Carney notes that while the proliferation of medical spas and the popularity of nonsurgical cosmetic procedures are often attributed to the aging of the baby boomers, Generation X also is taking a shine to the procedures.

"Generation X is the generation that wants to do something unique and expressive, whether it is a tattoo, a body piercing, full lips," he says. "We are seeing younger people, who are getting tattoos and body piercing, also interested in lip augmentation and lipodissolve [an injection of a mixture of compounds used to dissolve fat]. We are starting to see the age of people coming to our clinic get younger."

Carney's experience once again dovetails with national stats. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, people between the ages of 35 and 50 accounted for 47 percent of total procedures last year. Those age 19 to 34 accounted for 22 percent.

But despite the popularity of these procedures, Carney doubts his spa would be as successful without Queenie Dahlin, Skin Speaks Spa MD's marketing director. "Without Queenie's services, we probably would not be able to compete with the growing competition in the medical spa business, despite my reputation as a 'top-doctor' [as listed in Mpls.St.Paul magazine] dermatologist and being in the business for 20 years," he says. "It still isn't enough."

About half of Skin Speaks Spa MD's clients come directly via Carney's dermatology practice, which sees 200 to 300 people per day. The rest are attracted through Dahlin's marketing efforts. One of her strategies, a botoxisthebomb.com campaign, offers a sort of frequent-flyer program for those who get Botox injections. A 20-unit injection earns its recipient two free units, and a 40-unit injection earns six. Dahlin also aired radio and television spots, and had a botoxisthebomb.com billboard installed early this fall on Highway 100 near the Excelsior Boulevard-36th Street exit. Dahlin says that Skin Speaks Spa MD and Carney's four Advancements in Dermatology medical clinics make him the "Midwest's leading provider of Botox cosmetic and dermal fillers."
 
"I've always said even a bad dermatologist is busy in Minneapolis-St. Paul," Carney says. "That is not true in the medical spa business, because we are competing now with business and private enterprise and with people who are not MDs who have greater skills with marketing and advertising."

In fact, more than 80 percent of Twin Cities-area medical spas are owned by businesspeople, some of whom have backgrounds in the field. Many are supervised by core or non-core physicians, the latter including specialists in obstetrics, gynecology, and family practice.
 
And that's causing some concerns in the industry.