New medical spa aims for whole-body wellness
by Dan Holland
For Dr. Evangelia “Julie” Tsirambidis, founder and CEO of IGIA Wellness & MedSpa, opening a wellness and medical spa with managing partner Sophia Kafantaris, is a dream realized after a number of years of planning.
The business, located inside Relevant Boutique at 1100 W. Royalton Rd., hosted a grand opening/ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 18.
“When I wrote the business plan a couple years ago, it was all conceptual – the whole concept of a wellness clinic with a med spa connection,” said Tsirambidis. “And when Ashley James, who is a friend of mine, opened up Relevant Boutique and had such a large space available, we talked about doing some type of collaboration.”
“Her boutique offers women’s clothing, but women don’t always feel comfortable in their clothing unless they feel good about themselves first,” Tsirambidis continued. “They may not like the way they look in certain clothing, or something about their appearance, and so that seemed like a natural fit between the two businesses.”
The word “igia” means “health” in Greek.
“As owners, Sophia and I are both first-generation Greek-Americans, and I’ve worked in healthcare for many years, so this really is all about wellness,” said Tsirambidis. “We wanted to infuse a little bit of our Mediterranean background that has a lot of holistic, healthy options and combine it with modern medicine and technique.”
Medical spa treatments include facials, dermaplaning, chemical peels, microneedling, Botox and Dysport injections and lip filler. Wellness options include medically-supervised weight loss, vitamin shots, four types of IV hydration therapy and additional services. The business also offers a full line of skin care products, some of which are imported from Greece.
The business, which includes a staff of eight, including physicians, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and an aesthetician, has a motto of “Be Real, Be Radiant, Be Relevant.”
“We try to be very welcoming and try to make our patients feel at home and be able to express their needs to us,” said Kafantaris. “We want them to have an authentic experience that they’re comfortable with in which we can address their needs, so that they will want to come back again.”
Clients can purchase monthly memberships to receive discounts on the various products and services.
“Our goal here is for our clients to purchase a monthly membership, where you get a facial and a chemical peel included,” said Tsirambidis. “And then you get discounted pricing on all services and skin care products, as well as discounts on clothing, and Ashley can help you to design outfits.”
The location plans to begin hosting private events, such as bridal shows and bachelorette parties, in 2025.
Tsirambidis said many are intimidated by the term “medical spa.”
“I think the term scares a lot of people, but our goal is to bring in people who otherwise would not have come into a medical spa, and show them that we have something for everyone,” she said. “Our whole goal is just to enhance your natural beauty. We’re not looking to change you. We’re just augmenting and helping you to age gracefully and keep you well.”
The business has been well-received so far.
“It’s been fun so far, and I love to see people being happy when they come in, and making them feel good about themselves,” said Kafantaris. “And when they see the results and are happy about it, that really means a lot to us.”
For information, visit igiamedspa.com. ∞