Move over Botox! Dysport is the newest injectable in the U.S. market, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April and available now at a medical spa near you. Like Botox, it treats deep lines and wrinkles by immobilizing muscles.

Some doctors are saying Dysport works faster, lasts longer and is cheaper. It also might work on people for whom Botox has stopped working, because the body has built up antibodies. Other doctors are saying it's not that different, but might cause prices of Botox to drop. Find out more about Dysport vs. Botox.

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I've been amazed by all the stories popping up on how spas are "recession-proof" because of the latest statistics from the International Spa Association (ISPA), based in Lexington, Kentucky. Tell that to The Greenhouse, an iconic destination spa in Dallas that just went out of business! Tell that to massage therapists who are training in other fields because their income has been cut in half!

The misperception seems to have started with a story on spas in Reuters.com that quoted the ISPA 2009 U.S. Spa Industry Update. The stats for 2008 look great -- total spa industry revenue was up 17.8% from $10.9 billion to $12.8 billion, while visits were up from 138 million to 160 million.

The article quotes ISPA president Lynn McNess as saying "the spa industry is recession-proof." Some spa bloggers picked it up, and now my "Google Alerts" on spas is full of stories saying people aren't cutting back on spa treatments because they're so stressed out by the economy!

So I just want to set the record straight. Read more...

My Los Angeles correspondent just went to Glen Ivy Hot Springs, a 12-acre paradise where you can while away the day in therapeutic hot springs and mud baths for less than $50. "It's the perfect place for a staycation," she reported back.

That got me thinking how well spas fit into the staycation, one of the big trends of this summer. Instead of spending money on airfare, hotels, and every meal out, people on staycation are doing fun, relaxing things near home, including trips to the spa. The spa staycation works whether you're by yourself, with a friend, or going as a couple. (If you have kids, you generally need to find a sitter.)

Here are some of my spa staycation suggestions. Read more...

The Associated Press just ran an interesting article that said spas will be one of the first places the economic recovery will show up. "What used to be an afterthought, from ordering wine with dinner to jetting off on a resort vacation, still feels like a splurge," read the article by Jeannine Aversa.

Spas, hotels, restaurants and shops will be amongst the first to see the shift as consumers feel financially secure enough to return to old spending patterns, she wrote. "Taken together, these seemingly minor transactions will likely help lift the country out of its longest recession since World War II."

Todd Walter, chief executive officer of Red Door Spa Holdings, is looking for Read more...