New York Spa & Resort and Medical Spa Events Bring Latest Wellness Trends to Light - From high-tech to all-natural, new spa products and services span the gamut of specialties

NORWALK, Conn. - The 2004 New York Spa & Resort and Medical Spa Expos and Conferences signaled the industry's shift from lotions and potions to the world of lasers and sophisticated diagnostic equipment. The events, held April 18-19 on Pier 94 in New York City, attracted more than 5,043 spa industry professionals to the third edition of the fastest-growing show in the spa industry.

At nearly 240 exhibits, leading spa, beauty and grooming companies such as Avancé, Ionithermie, Lumenis, Peter Thomas Roth, Silhouet-Tone, Physiodermie Methode, Universal Companies and Chadsworth & Haig, displayed their newest featured products.

The two-day event was kicked off with a standing room only keynote address given by Kyan Douglas, grooming guru from TV's popular series, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. The issues raised in his speech, "A Stressful Eyeful: Can Spas Turn Down the Steam in a Pressure Cooker World?" were answered in a variety of ways. Kyan noted that the spa industry in America is still in its infancy and has much to offer our fast-paced, highly stressful and competitive society. He followed up his speech with a tour of the expo hall, meeting and chatting with many sponsors, exhibitors and attendees.

This year, the overarching theme was the growing relationship between spas, technology and traditional medicine. The expo's highlights included high-tech makeup, airbrush tanning, all-natural treatments and innovative skincare devices. Pharmaceutical companies such as Allergen, Valeant, LPG, MD Formulations, and InvisLift were at the forefront of the technology trend that attracted many of the New York Metropolitan area's top doctors.

On Monday, the event opened with a remarkable keynote address by Dr. Sheldon Pinnell, J. Lamar Callaway Professor Emeritus of Dermatology at Duke University. Dr. Pinnel discussed, "What Your Mother Never Knew About Sun Damage: New Methods for Preventing Photo Aging In Skin, and his studies that revealed the effectiveness of Vitamin C and Vitamin E in helping to prevent skin cancer.

"I'm impressed at the breadth of the conference and exhibition," said attendee Dr. Richard Marfuggi, a prominent cosmetic surgeon and author of Plastic Surgery: What You Need To Know - Before, During, and After. "Physicians are starting to pay attention to other aspects of healing and care. On the spa side, the products I liked were the accessories - the candles, bedding and robes. In skincare, products are both therapeutic and soothing. Supplements are starting to play a role and are gaining momentum."

The expo was produced by Reed Exhibitions, the world's largest organizer of business-to-business events, and was divided into two separate exhibition areas: one for spa and resorts and the second for medical spas.

According to Greg Topalian, Vice President and Show Director of the Spa & Resort Expo and Conference, "This year signaled the exponential growth of the medical spa sector; the expo's medical section was almost as large as that for the mainstream spas. For the exhibitors, the main goal was to show that beauty, health and wellness are all inextricably linked."

Another trend that surfaced at the expo is the wave of consolidation in the spa business. Companies servicing cruise ships and chain spas are experiencing a boom in sales of products and services; apparently, success is not the sole domain of prestigious boutique spas.

"I heard great things about the exhibition and encouraged my staff to come," said Laura Pellico from The Spa at the Plaza. "It's my first time here, but it's not overwhelming. It's absolutely helpful. I'm always interested in new things, because we're always changing, always upgrading. The displays are incredible - they really caught my eye."

The next Spa & Resort and Medical Spa Expos & Conferences will be held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, September 12-13. For more information about the L.A., New York and Miami 2004/2005 events, please log on to www.spaandresortexpo.com or www.medispaexpo.com. For information about becoming an exhibitor, please contact Jim Fama, Group Sales Director, at (203) 840-5563, or email him at jfama@reedexpo.com.