WD Spa: Helping Austin Women Look Their Best

I recently received an e-mail from a high school friend asking me if I would be attending our high school reunion in November. My immediate response was, “I’ll do what I can to get there. It will be great to see everyone.” Since that e-mail I’ve had some time to ponder the event okay, to panic!

This will be my 26th high school reunion (those of us in the class of 1983 like to say, “better late than never!”), and a LOT has changed in the 26 years since I walked off my high school’s football field. I walked off that field a svelte cheerleader and gymnast. I’ll return a very active mother of two not so svelte. Now I know I seem vain, but heck, I want to go back looking fierce! How can I pull that off with a diet, some Botox, a little (or a lot) of Lipo? Where should I start?

“When people come into our spa, they often want to start with peels, microdermabrasion and laser therapies,” says Erma Morris, a licensed aesthetician at the WD Spa in Westlake. “But often, after looking at their skin I see that they really need to begin and follow a good skin care regimen before they embark on any of those more advanced services. For the more advanced treatments to have the desired maximum effect, the skin has to be in good condition and that starts with good basic, skin care.”

The WD Spa in Westlake is a separate division of the Westlake Dermatology Clinic despite being housed within the dermatology clinic. Because it is affiliated with the clinic, the services provided by the spa are skin-focused. There are no massages, manicures, pedicures or hair styling services and you don’t change into a robe and sandals when you arrive. The WD Spa offers skin clarifying and detoxifying facials, fillers and injectables such as Botox and Juvederm, hair removal procedures, chemical peels, laser treatments and thermage (a method of skin tightening). Some of the laser treatments and thermage are available for the tummy, hips and thighs.

According to Solta Medical the distributor of Thermage and Fraxel equipment WD Spa is #1 for the number of Fraxel procedures performed in Texas and #2 in Texas for number of Thermage procedures performed. Looking at the number of both procedures performed, WD Spa performs the most procedures in the nation. It is second in the nation for each individual procedure performed. While the aestheticians provide the bulk of the procedures, some of the advanced therapies are done by Gregory Nikolaidis, MD, a cosmetic surgeon and the medical director of the spa.

The Westlake Dermatology Clinic is designed around the large nursing station, which is the central feature once you come into the clinic from the waiting room. This busy hub is much more stylish than most doctors’ offices with modern lighting, wood floors, stylish dark wood trim, leather seats and abundant artwork and plants. Various doors surround the nurses’ station and lead into consultation rooms for the dermatology clinic. But one door leads into the spa and without the escort from Morris, I would have walked right by it, assuming that it was another patient consultation/ treatment room.

By crossing the threshold into the spa, you enter into another realm. The clinic décor is stylish, modern and energetic. The browns are coupled with gold, so the whole atmosphere is vibrant and there is a lot of activity. In the spa, on the other hand, the brown is paired with a beige tone and the softer lighting combines to make a much more soothing atmosphere. The waiting room for the spa is large and spacious with comfortable sofas, a modern coffee table and modern accessories. Abundant reading materials and beverages are available for the clientele.

Patients are greeted by one of the four licensed aestheticians Morris, Emily Rodrigues, Meg Stewart or Christal Cureington Sims and escorted back to one of five treatment rooms for their skin care treatment. I really had no idea so much was available in the very office where I have had moles evaluated, my eczema flare-ups treated and my son treated as an infant.

But then again, I was not looking for a major skin care treatment. “That’s such a common misconception,” says Morris. “We are not only a med-spa. We offer advanced skin care services and medical grade make-up but we also offer services for people without any major skin conditions who just want to look better. A detoxifying facial is not only therapeutic it is also calming and relaxing and clients can come in when they’d like. You don’t have to be referred by a physician. Simply come in, we can discuss what your skincare needs are, what your goals are and then how best to proceed.”

After learning the particulars of the spa, I spoke with Morris about my own skin care needs. To get that fierce “glow” that I want for my reunion, she recommends that I start with a cleansing regimen using Skin- Medica products. After several weeks using the SkinMedica products, I can have a peel (or series of peels), which will more effectively clarify and even out my skin tone. Sounds like a plan to me! (I wonder if I could trade a peel for body Thermage?)

Although the WD Spa is closely affiliated with Westlake Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, it is a separate establishment. The spa division provides services in North Austin, Round Rock and Marble Falls, all within Westlake Dermatology Clinics. The Westlake location is the only location with the separate spa facilities. Clients need not be dermatology clinic patients to schedule appointments. So if you want to learn how to take better care of your skin, want to reverse the signs of aging or need that fierce glow for a special occasion, schedule an appointment today!