The Skin Spa

Profile

For those who want Botox on their lunch break, there’s The Skin Spa. Founded in 2005 by former investment banker Thomas Elzner, the spa employs doctors and estheticians for such high-tech treatments as laser hair and cellulite removal and Botox. It’s also one of the only spas in the city to offer Skin Tightening treatments, where lasers smooth away wrinkles and fine lines on the face and body. For those who prefer to focus on the face, the spa’s five treatment rooms offer glycolic peels, microdermabrasion, and four Laser Facials. During the Laser Genesis Facial, a small beam of light penetrates pores at lightning speed, promoting collagen and supposedly evening skin tone with minimal redness. Used instead of extractions, the procedure comes with its own pretty pain: Broken capillaries are “zapped,” creating a brief but intense sting. With so much technology, The Skin Spa could feel sterile, but thanks to deep purple walls, quilted blankets in each room, and an abundance of iPods playing mellow rock music, it has a surprisingly welcoming vibe. Still, visitors shouldn’t get too comfy, since most treatments last less than an hour. The Express Facial clocks in at thirty minutes, with its final mask, a mandarin orange cream, doing double-duty as the post-treatment moisturizer. — Faran Alexis Krentcil