The Texas Cosmetology Commission has issued new regulations governing whirlpool foot spas used by many businesses. They are often attached to chairs for pedicures. The new state regulations include: washing foot spa basins between each pedicure with Environmental Protection Agency- approved disinfectants; flushing basins for 10 minutes at the end of business each day; soaking the basins overnight every two weeks with bleach; and keeping a log of cleaning procedures.

The centers will serve as a convenient location for the company to interact face-to-face with salon owners and give easy access to resources for their pedicure spa during warranty or out-of-warranty period. In addition to Houston, a Lexor Service Center will open in Orange County, Calif., San Jose, Calif. and Baltimore. The centers will range in size from 1,500 square feet to 2,500 square feet.

(Houston Business Journal, July 15, 2004)

In a remote area in Desert Hot Springs, a security guard stands next to a black iron gate. Behind him, on 60 acres of the Mojave Desert, is an inconspicuous spa retreat, popular among celebrities. Checking in to We Care Spa for days and weeks at a time have been movie star Ben Affleck, Victoria's Secret model Giselle Bundchen and fashion designer Carolina Herrera. Without a good chunk of change and an appointment, you're not getting in. There's a waiting list nearly all year and guests shell out $774 for a weekend and up to $3,600 for a week.

(Desert Sun, July 14, 2004)

Fifteen dollars buys an hour-long, full-body massage. Add $5 and American's front-line warriors in the fight against terror can get a facial as well. A very popular half-day special, says manager Nazira Ishenbaeva, is a full body rubdown, a manicure, pedicure and body wax. The price: $40.

(Stars and Stripes, July 19, 2004)

Spa Index, Guide to Day Spas and Stay Spas, reviews The Phoenician, flagship property of the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Luxury Collection, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

UOB Life Assurance and St Gregory Spa have tied up to provide a first-of-its-kind insurance coverage that comes with regular spa treatments. The UOB Life Maxi Health Plan combines the features of a savings and protection plan with sprucing up your health at St Gregory Spa. The plan covers death and total disability at sum assured of either S$25,000 or S$50,000. If you insure for S$50,000, you get S$5,400 worth of spa treatments at St Gregory Spa in the first three years.

(Channel News Asia, July 16, 2004)

Dispensing good medicine: Philip Voluck named Sleek MedSpa's president of franchising. As Sleek expands, Voluck plans to add six top-tier executives; recruit, train and manage selected franchisees; and oversee initial staffing for new locations, each of which will require a minimum of six highly trained medical aestheticians. Founded in 1999, the company specializes in state- of-the-art anti-aging, skin-care and beauty treatments. Its menu of medical aesthetic services includes skin rejuvenation, photo facials, chemical peels, microdermabrasion, Botox and other cosmetic fillers, spider vein treatment and laser hair removal treatment. On average, prices range from $300 to $3,000.

(Metro West, July 18, 2004)

The world of beauty will be 'converging' on New York City Fall of '04 for "BEAUTYWEEK"! Respected mega-beauty show producer HBA (Health & Beauty America), producers of North America's largest industry-specific event for cosmetics, personal care and fragrance, has announced plans for the Fall '04 launch of the 'new New York' truly professional beauty show for the salon/spa industry. 'BeautyFUSION' New York is scheduled to open its doors on September 26-28, 2004 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. It is being designed to be a whole 'new convergence of elements' driving the best global artistic and business education available behind hair, spa and wellness, skin care and nail care.

Many women have their brows, lip-liner and eye-liner tattooed on. But the Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about a tattoo ink made by a Texas company. It's made by Premier Pigments, a Texas company that supplies most of the world's permanent cosmetic colors.

(KRON4, San Francisco, July 28, 2004)

A Los Angeles-based medical spa company has been ordered to stop offering to sell franchises and licenses to operate "medspa" facilities in California for failing to obtain approval from the Department of Corporations as required by law, Department officials today announced. Additionally, at least six franchises were sold to non-physician California residents that have been providing medical services, which is in violation of the Medical Practice Act. This requirement was not disclosed to the franchise purchaser.

In August 2003, Manmohan (Mo) Singh Biring who owns the Los Angeles-based HealthWest, Inc. filed an application for registration of an offer to sell franchises for similar medspa businesses in California. Prior to that date, at least six franchises were sold without approval by the Department of Corporations as required by California law. Additionally, HealthWest continued to offer and sell purported "licenses" -- which are in effect no different than franchises -- for the same medspa businesses.

(Dept. of Corporations Press Release)

Before Arizona State University dramatically improved its academic standing people joked about it being a school of leisure, calling it Tempe Country Club, or the "Spa on the Salt." Now, students can get serious about leisurely pursuits through ASU's certification program in spa management, the only certificate program of its kind at an American university, a school spokesman says.

(Arizona Republic, July 27, 2004)

When Kate Brew's job at IBM took her to Malaysia, her first order of business was getting a massage. "Your back feels terrible after long flights and lugging computers around," she said. "I have direct experience with stress." That's why she bought a business devoted to reducing it. In October, she took over at Aegean Skin and Massage Therapies, a day spa in the Shoppes at Village Point west of Boca Raton. She and her business partner, Delray Beach resident Kim Shivler, another ex-IBMer, opened a second location on Palmetto Park Road in downtown Boca Raton two months ago, adding manicures and pedicures to the list of services. A third spa and plans for franchising are on the horizon.

"We aim to become the Starbucks of massage and skin care," said Brew, who became a licensed massage therapist in April. "You get massages and facials as part of your fitness regime... not just a special occasion. It's relaxing and healthy -- the ultimate yoga."

(Palm Beach Post, July 28, 2004)

Baby boomers, who inundated schools, housing and job markets, are driving yet another industry - medical spas. The generation, turning 40-to-58 years old this year, is receiving partial credit for a surge of interest in the medical spa industry, which combats cosmetic flaws and health conditions in a fusion of a doctor's office and a spa.

The medical spa, loosely defined as a spa with a doctor on staff to perform treatments that require a license, is the fastest-growing aspect of the spa industry. The number of medical spas doubled in the past year to 600 in the United States, said Susie Ellis, president of Spa Finder Inc.