Med Spas: What You Need to Know

Ava Shamban, M.D., a dermatologist who recently opened Ava M.D., a med spa in Beverly Hills.

PHOTO: Theo & Juliet Photography

With the proliferation of medical spas (the under-one-roof fusion of medical and pampering cosmetic-treatment centers) in shopping malls and on street corners across the country, choosing among the unregulated and vastly different offerings has become a daunting task. Ava Shamban, M.D. who recently joined the ranks of the many dermatologists who have opened med-spa facilities, suggests posing the following questions before you make an appointment:

• Who is the medical director? He or she should be a physician trained in aesthetics and in the use of lasers.
• How often does that physician visit the clinic, and can you make an appointment with him or her?
• What kind of skin conditions does the med spa treat? Because there are many types of lasers for everything from hair removal to tissue tightening, and clinics tend to specialize, make sure the location has up-to-date devices, procedures and services for your skin type and condition.
• What is the training level of the person treating you? Your state may require that a doctor or registered nurse operate the laser, but he or she may have completed just a weekend course.

AVA M.D., Shamban's 3,000-square-foot space near the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, has a full-time nurse-practitioner on hand, the technologies necessary to deal with different skin types and issues (from acne to rosacea to aging), and seven treatment rooms.

Known to many as the dermatologist on ABC's Extreme Makeover, Shamban takes a comprehensive approach, like tackling signs of premature aging with not only an injectable filler but also a facial peel and a customized home skin-care program in order to achieve faster yet safe and natural-looking results. "If you are restoring an antique," she says, "it should look like the same beautiful piece of art — just fresher."

White terrazzo flooring sprinkled with emerald-green glass, and a decor featuring modern, streamlined Panton chairs in every room, along with turquoise and orange accents, contribute to the light-filled, cheery aesthetic. The place is a far cry from your typical medical office. "A med-spa experience should be soothing from start to finish," Shamban says. "So the sensory experience begins when you walk in the door." 9915 South Santa Monica Boulevard; 310-843-9915; avamd.com.