At Blue Water Spa, Science and Beauty Meet Flawlessly
Just call it “a marriage of science and beauty.” Spa and esthetics expert Kile Law does. Not only is she describing her marriage to board-certified plastic surgeon Michael Law, but she is also describing the business they opened in December 2002: Blue Water Spa in Raleigh, NC. The pair met at Michael’s Beverly Hills practice, where Kile was brought on as a consultant to teach doctors how to do collagen injections. Now husband and wife for more than two years, the duo has merged their knowledge to create the first plastic surgery medical spa in North Carolina. Although Michael owned a private practice in Beverly Hills when he met Kile, he was looking to move himself and his business back to his hometown of Raleigh. While he had relied on estheticians in the past to help with patients, Kile’s expertise inspired him to delve into the idea ever further. Kile had worked for a product company, planned menus and training, worked as a clinical trainer for laser treatments and soft-tissue injections, and helped develop the protocol for microdermabrasion that is used in medical offices today. As a result, the two decided to open a completely integrated spa and plastic surgery office called Blue Water Spa. “The spa’s focus is on relaxing, pampering, and getting results,” says Kile. “We provide the full spectrum of esthetic medical procedures.” The spa’s clientele is composed of anyone interested in anti-aging, usually falling between the ages of 30 and 60. Seventy percent of clients are repeat customers; most of the remaining 30 percent are referrals. Approximately 40 percent of the clients are men. “I think we are appealing to men because our environment is elegant, sleek, and contemporary,” says Kile. According to her, popular treatments for men include eye lifts, face lifts, liposuction on love handles, and laser treatments for rosacea.
Set for Success
The 3,500-square-foot spa has five multi-purpose rooms, which are used for Botox, microdermabrasion, peels, and facials. There are also two massage rooms and one room for small medical procedures and laser treatments. Michael performs most surgeries at a local hospital, except for minor procedures like chin liposuction or scar revision. He also maintains a separate office to see reconstructive-surgery patients.
Michael is the sole doctor at Blue Water Spa, and Kile acts as president, overseeing the spa. Blue water also has one nurse, one medical assistant, six estheticians, three massage therapists, and several people working in the concierge and check-out areas. Two office assistants clean and prepare rooms so estheticians can spend their time helping patients, says Kile. Kile sends her estheticians to get medical training, and they regularly attend skincare, plastic surgery, and dermatology conventions. “The staff is so educated about all procedures that a massage can be an introduction to other treatments,” she says.
Getting the Look
“Most clients come in and say, ‘I need help with this’ and want to know what tools we have available,” says Kile. “We offer spa treatments or surgery to help them get the look they want.” The most popular services include laser treatments to treat rosacea, collagen injections, and MicrodermaBliss, a medical microdermabrasion with a facial remodeling massage, which increases circulation and results in firming and lifting. Blue Water Spa recently added a new procedure, photomodulation (LED). “It’s the only procedure I’ve seen to reduce the size of pores,” says Kile. Blue Water Spa also offers its own line of anti-aging products, Blue Water Spa Rx.
Looking Ahead
In 2003, Blue Water Spa was voted “Best Day Spa in the Triangle” by Citysearch and was the recipient of Metro Magazine’s “Metro Bravo Award for Best Day Spa.” It also has gained a lot of recognition by donating $162,000 in spa treatments to local charities last year. “I highly recommend this for promotion and to make you feel really good,” says Kile.
Since its inception, Blue Water Spa has performed more than 28,000 procedures. Kile says they are bursting at the seams and need more space to accommodate the demands, but she believes in slow growth. “I don’t want to sacrifice customer service and the personal touch.”
