INNER SECRETS OF THE MEDICAL SPA INDUSTRY REVEALED
If you ever wondered how do some women have that perfect hourglass figure or flaunt that flawless skin that you always dreamed of, then look no further. Bengaluru girl, Chaitanya Kenchamannahoskote, the founder of Maya Medi Spa who went overseas and mastered the domain of anything and everything in the beauty industry is now back in Bengaluru. Namita Gupta caught up with Chaitanya over a candid conversation on the secrets behind the making of healthy and glowing skin and a toned hot body.
Photography: Lucky Malhotra
Costume: Michelle Salins
Makeup: Justin
Location: Bent Chair, Bengaluru
When did your inclination towards the cosmo-derma industry deepen? Did you pursue your education in the same field?
People are often surprised to hear I am an electrical engineer! I am not a doctor however I am immensely passionate about skincare. I call myself a skincare junkie. I have experimented with a lot of products, from drugstore brands to high end luxe labels. I believe the skin is like a canvas, and it is very essential to take utmost care of it! My passion was the driving force for me to enter the cosmo-derma industry, I am always on the lookout for new trends to try.
Tell us about the journey of Maya Medi Spa?
With my enthusiasm for skincare, I established the first Maya Medi Spa in Wyoming- USA in 2012 and began my entrepreneurial drive. The cosmo-derma space is very dynamic and there is growing competition with every passing day, but I want to deliver quality results to my clients where they can see a notable difference. There is absolute contentment in seeing a smile on their face. I am born and brought up in Bengaluru and I had been wanting to introduce Maya to India as well, especially in my hometown. But like I tell everyone, one jeans doesn’t fit everyone hence it took me some considerable time to do my own research on the Indian skin so I can bring treatments effective for us women. We customise our treatments so we can combat your specific issues and you achieve healthy, glowing skin!
How would you differentiate the Indian market from the western market?
The Caucasian skin is very different from the Asian skin. The Asian skin is way more sensitive and has greater melanin production which causes us to pigment more easily. The trends are also slower to trickle down to the Indian market however as I also do own my spa there, I get wider perspective as to the ongoing differences and new treatments that can be introduced here. My background in engineering helped me understand the science of lasers and how they can enhance our skin health or the bio engineering of the skin care products to stimulate our own skin cells was so fascinating that I had to get my feet wet in this industry.
What are the star offerings at Maya Medi Spa?
Maya Medi Spa is an aesthetic bar specialising in skincare cocktails. We offer a unique perspective on beauty routines so you can face your future flawlessly. We take our skincare cocktails very carefully, from dose to bespoke.
We offer Hydrafacial, what I believe is the Lamborghini of all facials, which extracts, exfoliates and replenishes your skin and all the gunk that is sucked out from your skin is stored in a mini container that you can see!
Our signature chemical peels, which I love to call Party Peel, have a great punch to it! They are super effective, and results are seen from day 1.
Our doctor, Akber Aimer, is well versed with facial aesthetics, from dermal fillers to botox, which don’t have to be necessarily injected and can be micro-channelled. The possibilities are endless, we customise each treatment according to every individual.
Last but not the least, we also offer CoolSculpting, the only FDA approved fat freezing procedure!
What were the challenges you faced in this journey?
Keeping up with a fast-paced industry, the ever-changing trends, the growing competition and establishing ourselves among the top players was definitely not an easy task. Despite all these challenges, my primary focus is on quality services and I believe our work will speak for itself. My vision was to give our clients or patients that luxurious place where our main focus is their skin health and to give you your better, rested self. We keep our consultation very casual and personal as we want our clients to feel that they have entered a no judgement zone. keeping our clients skin healthy is what we breathe in and out so we have added nutrition counselling to all our patients along with the services.
What have been some of the highpoints in your career so far?
My background in engineering, my passion and obsession over skin care and skin health, and entrepreneurial drive led me to the creation of Maya Medi Spa, USA. Every day I get to meet women and men who share their life journey with me, that shows their strength of how they have fought or overcome difficult situations in life. Their strength shows how we humans have the power to overcome any challenges and encourages me every day to push myself harder and do my best.
What differentiates Maya Medi Spa from the other skin clinics in Bengaluru?
Definitely the customised skin treatments! We address all skin and body woes from pigmentation to stubborn fat. We are the only clinic in Bengaluru to offer dual CoolSculpting, as in we have two machines which cuts the time to show results by half! I also think, our quirky ambience sets us apart which would not give you the feeling of stepping into a doctor’s clinic. We make our clients feel as comfortable as possible, just like home. Maya Medi Spa Bengaluru is located on the third floor, 2005, 100 Feet Road, HAL 2nd Stage, Indiranagar. You can call 080 4374 0444 for further details.
What are the recent trends in the beauty industry?
I think one of the most interesting trends I personally came across is the CBD skincare regime! CBD is only one of 120 compounds called “cannabinoids” found in cannabis. Like its famous cousin, Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD offers numerous health benefits—but it does not induce a high. As such, people are turning to CBD products to alleviate symptoms from physical ailments like pain and inflammation as well as mental ones like anxiety. PDO threads is another trend that we practice in our US based spa and are bringing to the Indian market. It is a non-invasive treatment to help loose and sagging skin. A more detailed description is that they are absorbable surgical sutures composed of polydioxanone. These sutures have been used in cardiac surgeries for the past 60 years or more and are the safest materials to be implanted in the body.
What are your future plans?
I like to take baby steps and give my 200% to my current project before I jump to do anything else. But down the road I want to keep bringing the best and latest technologies to Bengaluru and probably open in a few more cities in India. I have plans to open few centres in the Middle East and a few more other cities and countries as well.
Any beauty mantras for the aspiring skincare junkies out there?
Skin is the largest organ in our body; it needs to be taken care of from inside and out. Eating healthy and drinking plenty of water is really important for the health of your skin. You need to feed good nutrients in order to reap the benefits of having a glowing healthy skin. Skin care is also a very important part of having a healthy skin. Treatment that are done at a skin clinic can be extended only through good at home skin care. My favourite line is ZO skin from Dr Obagi which is a medical skin care. He is the first to conceive new skin as a science and has created this line that creates and maintains skin health. The one product from this line that I cannot live without and would take it to my grave as well is Daily Power Defense serum, that mimics our own enzymes in the skin to help speed up the skins natural repair process. And constantly helps our skin to have healthy skin barrier and firms and re-densifies it as well. I vouch for it because I use it everyday and because I have seen the magic it worked on my skin, I have brought the same skincare line to Maya Medi Spa in Bengaluru.
