'Everyone deserves to feel good': Medical spa aims to help Greater Gardner residents
Looking to start a new path into non-traditional medicine, Dr. Elizabeth Tateoka opened White Onyx Medical Weight Loss & Aesthetic to give the community access to medical spa treatments normally found in wealthier communities.
The part-time Heywood Hospital nurse practitioner has always been interested in non-traditional medical practices to slow the process of aging, treat skin problems and boost self-confidence. White Onyx Med Spa at 354 Main St., Unit 5, in Gardner, opened in May 2023, and Tateoka said her client base continues growing as more people learn about her services.
A medical treatment spa is a center where all staff administering treatments are qualified medical professionals. Treatments at a medical spa can range from a chemical skin peel and laser hair removal to Botox and dermal fillers.
Tateoka said she opened White Onyx to give the Greater Gardner community access to these anti-aging, problematic skin, and weight loss treatments that often only wealthy city folks can access.
Tateoka said she likes to see the reaction of potential and new clients when they walk into the spa's lobby because they always seem pleasantly surprised by what the med spa looks like inside.
"Some people say they feel like they are in a spa in Boston," she said. "People in this area also deserve a nice place to get these services because they aren't just for the city and rich people. Everyone deserves to feel good."
What are some services at White Onyx?
Tateoka said there are few med spa options for Greater Gardner residents, and she is glad to bring a new set of services to the community. She said med spa treatments are noninvasive, multi-faceted, and more affordable than plastic surgery, and they help boost self-esteem and improve medical problems.
White Onyx offers various medical aesthetician treatments, including laser hair removal, Botox injections, lip fillers, and neurotoxin injections to stop excessive sweating and jaw clenching. Tateoka said the med spa also has skin treatments, from enzyme-based and chemical peel masks to microneedling to improve skin areas causing problems.
"Noninvasive means there is no surgery involved, and it's cheaper. Many people think they need to go to a plastic surgeon to get fillers and injections," she said. "But there are many treatments that can have similar effects as surgery to slow the process of aging."
Besides individual treatments, Tateoka said they also do wedding expos, and people can reserve the spa and host med spa treatment parties.
White Onyx Med Spa is open Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The med spa offers free consultations for laser hair removal, weight loss programs and skin aesthetics treatments. To book a free consultation or an appointment for any treatment, visit www.whiteonyxmed.com.
How is Tateoka handling the stigma around med spa treatments?
Many believe that several medical spa treatments are unnecessary and that only rich people can afford them. Still, Tateoka said through education and outreach, people can learn more about the benefits of medical spa services. She said that if people have questions about their treatments, they can call the spa and her staff will be happy to answer them.
Services are more affordable than most people think, Tateoka said, and some can be covered by insurance if it's to improve a medical problem.
Headaches from chronic jaw clenching, excessive body hair, and sweating due to a hormonal imbalance are just two examples of health problems that services at a med spa can improve and that medical insurance can cover. Tateoka said weight loss programs are also important for people to have access to.
"You look at yourself every day in the mirror, so if you see something you don't like, why can't you fix it," she said. "These treatments are not supposed to fix every little imperfection, but they are here to help people like what they see in the mirror."
Tateoka said her med spa offers monthly weight loss programs that give her clients successful results. She said her med spa prescribes Ozempic and Rybelsus as part of an individualized weight loss program if the client needs it.
"Just following a strict low-calorie diet never works, so we recommend our clients work with any local gym while doing a program with us," she said. "We aren't trying to lose tons of weight in a month because that can be unhealthy, but we stick to around a pound or two a week."
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: White Onyx Medical Weight Loss offers spa treatments in Gardner area
