Shaping future faces of Philly

When it comes to cosmetic procedures in Philadelphia, patients are increasingly younger and more likely to be male.

“As in most places, the number of men coming in for cosmetic procedures is increasing,” said Dr. Seema Patel of Shanti Medical Spa, which has locations in Rittenhouse Square and Ardmore. “We probably do laser hair removal for men most often, especially back hair.”

Dr. Patel, whose spa offers facial peels, injectables and a variety of laser treatments for everything from acne to cellulite, is also seeing younger patients who choose small preventative procedures over drastic corrections later in life. “They see their moms or colleagues and think, ‘I don’t want this to happen and if I do a little now, I’ll save money later.’”

The economic downturn may have contributed to this mindset. “It’s a national trend,” Dr. Patel said. “More services are being done and less surgeries are being done. There are a lot of people who want to do surgery and simply can’t afford it or can’t have the downtime because they’ll lose their jobs.”

“But the injectable market is still good because people are like, “At least I can get a little Botox and filler and feel a little better.’”

Services at Shanti Medical Spa, located at 132 S. 17th St., second floor in Philadelphia and at 59 W. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore, start at $75 for microdermabrasion.