Master the Art of Loving Thyself 
From salons and spas to other ways to practice self-care, the Philadelphia area abounds with outlets designed to help people cultivate their own health and happiness.
by Jill Lupine

So many of us spend so much time caring for others that we often end up neglecting ourselves. If we’re truly to be at our best, however, that kind of self-defeating behavior needs to stop. 
 
Go for that massage. Get the manicure or pedicure, if not both. Adopt an antiaging routine, go “all in” on skin care, or invest in a procedure to address something that’s been bothering you for too long. Or, at the very least, take a day to read, connect with nature, or relax however you see fit. 
 
When the time comes to head to a medical spa, take a seat in the chair of a salon, or add something precious to the wardrobe, we’re happy to offer some suggestions.
 
Anej Skin Studio is the physical embodiment of owner Jena Salzano’s commitment to wellness, rooted in the art and science of skin care. At Anej, ultra-premium skin care products go hand in hand with curated in-studio treatments. Each treatment is tailored to a client’s specific needs to ensure that she or he leaves feeling revitalized and, more importantly, uplifted by the results. Good news: Anej’s flagship location in Yardley will soon be joined by a second location, across the river in Princeton. anejskinstudio.com
 
Jonathan Pontell, M.D., FACS, one of the region’s most respected specialists in the areas of facial plastic surgery, specializes in helping patients look their best. His Wayne-based practice, Aesthetic Facial Plastic Surgery Center Inc., offers face-lifts, rhinoplasties, eyelid lifts, and brow lifts/forehead lifts, among other aspects of facial plastic surgery, as well as antiaging treatments and other nonsurgical solutions to enhance the face and skin. facesculptormd.com
 
Bella Body Medical Spa in Yardley provides clients with antiaging and spa treatments of the highest quality, delivered in a serene, luxurious, and welcoming environment. As a boutique medical spa, Bella Body offers clients a diverse selection of medical-grade beauty services, such as injectables, microneedling, dermaplaning, and body sculpting, among others; the staff is also happy to provide expert advice for at-home skin care. bellabodymedicalspa.com
 
With multiple locations throughout the Philadelphia area, Connolly Dermatology specializes in all forms of medical and cosmetic dermatology. On the cosmetic side, treatments include neuromodulators, dermal fillers, and chemical peels, as well as medical-grade skincare products to clients can supplement their in-office clinical treatments. connollydermatology.com
 
Although Jude Plum might resemble other luxury hair salons in terms of its atmosphere and lineup of services—cut, style, and color—the Bryn Mawr-based salon has become synonymous with a specific brand of expertise. Jude Plum creates natural wigs and hair pieces for women and men who are dealing with transitional hair loss related to cancer treatment. judeplumsalon.com
 
Kole Plastic Surgery Center, based in Southampton, has become a destination for life-changing plastic and cosmetic surgery, as well as nonsurgical procedures such as cosmetic injectables, laser skin resurfacing, and noninvasive body sculpting. At the helm is Edward Kole, D.O., a double board-certified plastic surgeon with more than three decades of experience. koleplasticsurgery.com
 
Lux Skin Lasers has locations in Bryn Mawr and King of Prussia, where the treatment team led by John J.W. Lee, M.D., delivers an array of cosmetic services for the face, skin, and body to help each patient look and feel beautiful, both inside and out. Whether someone wants to address fine lines and wrinkles, tighten loose skin, or lose weight, Lux Skin Lasers can help. luxskinlasers.com
 
At Metropolitan Plastic Surgery and Medspa in Marlton, New Jersey, Julia Spears, M.D., strives to help each patient attain the best version of herself or himself. In addition to surgical services such as tummy tucks, breast augmentation and enhancement, and breast lifts and reductions, Dr. Spears’s practice offers in-office aesthetic services such as liposuction, dermal fillers, microneedling, and skin tightening, and much more. metropolitanplastics.com
 
New Hope’s Nurture Spa immerses clients in an atmosphere of refinement and relaxation. Owner Carolyn Holdsworth has curated a broad menu of spa services designed to nourish the face, the body, and the spirit. All treatments are customized according to each client’s need, from Nurture’s many massage options to its ample skincare offerings. And if you’re looking for a go-to place for a flawless mani-pedi, look no further. FYI, anyone looking for a gift, either for someone else or to treat themselves, will likely find something special in Nurture’s lovely on-site boutique. nurturespa.com
 
Salon Amar in Bryn Mawr has earned its rep as a local sanctuary for everything from cut and color services to relaxing facials and massages. Led by owner Wei Boyd, Salon Amar has also become known as a destination for a particular area of expertise: custom hairpieces and natural-looking wigs for individuals who experience hair loss as a result of a medical condition. salonamar.com
 
Concierge Medicine: ‘Prioritizing Yourself and Your Health’
The days of doctors doing house calls are long gone. Or are they? Individuals and families who seek a more personalized and comprehensive approach to safeguarding their health have an alternative to traditional primary care. It’s called concierge medicine, in which patients pay a premium for enhanced, if not unlimited, access to a provider or team of providers.
 
The Philadelphia area abounds with practices that fit this bill—CLIMB Health & Wellness in Lafayette Hill (myhealthclimb.com), Devine Concierge Medicine in Wayne (devineconciergemedicine.com), and LSR Wellness in Haverford (lsrwellness.com), to name a few.
 
“The primary factors driving interest in concierge medicine are lack of access and lack of humanity,” says Jessie Fields, M.D., a board-certified internist and co-founder of CLIMB. “People are so frustrated that they cannot get care when they need it when interacting with the big systems. … The care piece is missing, and that’s because it’s a system dictated by insurance companies and the bottom dollar.”
 
Services may differ from one concierge practice to the next. CLIMB, for example, provides primary medical care and mental health therapy, as well as guidance on lifestyle components such as fitness, mindfulness, and nutrition. 
 
Dr. Fields believes transitioning from a traditional healthcare model to concierge model can have significant health benefits. Given the close relationships patients tend to form with concierge practitioners, patients may feel more comfortable talking about their health, which, in turn can help address issues that might otherwise go unaddressed. Also, she suggests the model allows for more time to coordinate care with specialists so “you are cared for seamlessly by your whole team, which often means more prompt attention, diagnosis, and treatment.”
 
“[Concierge medicine] can be lifesaving,” says Amy Kempe, a licensed professional counselor and CLIMB co-founder. “Things like additional lab work or encouraging follow-up that can get missed in a traditional medical care setting are addressed here. Jessie will ask you if you got the bloodwork done if she does not see it. She will ask about how any follow-up plans are going. Jessie has the time to be able to think of every individual and what their needs are.” 
 
The cost of concierge primary care varies by practice, though Dr. Fields says local services tend to be in the range of $3,000 to $4,000 per year, or about $300 per month. The base cost for CLIMB is $265 monthly, which Kempe characterizes as “similar to internet and streaming services or a monthly cleaning service.” Dr. Fields describes the cost of concierge care as “an investment in your health and ultimately depends on you truly prioritizing yourself and your health.”  —Bill Donahue
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life magazine, October 2024