Beauty & Spas in Texas

At Desire Laser & Medical Spa, Dr. Alberto Belalcazar harnesses high-tech equipment and 27 years of surgical experience in his quest to deliver tender skin from the ravages of free radicals and rebellious fuzz. Renegade follicles of all shades tremble under powerful pulses from the LightSheer diode laser, whose bursts of energy work to vaporize hair pigment with a precise wavelength. Although depilation sessions vary in length, the laser's ChillTip is designed to ensure the comfort of surrounding skin with continuous-cooling contact and the injection of microscopic mint juleps.

Years before he became the avid runner, swimmer, and certified fitness trainer he is today, Jared Harrison was a chubby kid. It was only after taking up sports in high school that he began to whip into shape. When he resolved to start his own fitness business during college, he eventually lost a total of 80 pounds. His hard work has paid off—not only is he a svelte and muscular titan of an athlete, he now owns and operates his own fitness program, Hit Fit.

Amid the professional equipment and private studios of the local One 2 One Training Center, he and his staff of fellow trainers lead one-on-one and small-group training sessions, as well as nutritional counseling sessions. They take their fitness sessions outside to local parks, challenging students with their boot-camp program's high-energy exercise routines. Covering both fitness and nutrition, the program is designed to help patrons lead overall healthier lifestyles and fit back into their high-school hot-dog costume.

The Jenny Craig Program provides people with nutritious, heart-healthy foods, a personal consultant, and a plan specially tailored to helping them attain their desired weight. Clients meet with a Jenny Craig consultant to assess their current eating habits and to create a scheme for shedding superfluous pounds. Then, the week-one planned menu unfolds like a paper airplane made of phyllo dough (items in blue are included in the plan, and orange items are recommended additions). A sample day starts with the Breakfast Scramble, a mound of scrambled egg whites and turkey ham topped with melty low-fat mozzarella and served over diced red potatoes. Lunch is beef chow mein, which is packed with vegetables (broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, and rooglebetas) and remains unpacked with calories (it has only 220). Dinner brings the comfort of macaroni and cheese and tops it off with a cookie for dessert.

North Cypress Family Practice & Laser Center’s resident physician Dr. Amrit Thandi has experienced the evolution of lasers over the past decade by serving as a Luminary Advisor for Alma Lasers Inc.⎯the brand she still relies on to tighten slack skin, remove hair, and rejuvenate damaged complexions. The technology helps her maintain a practice that avoids invasive procedures, although she can perform minor surgeries at her office or refer patients to other specialists within the North Cypress Medical Center.

A graduate of Dayanand Medical College in Punjab, India, Dr. Thandi completed her residency in family practice at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Today, she practices general medicine and performs cosmetic enhancements with equal care aided by an aesthetician and a medical assistant. Dr. Thandi meets with each of her patients and has a hand in every procedure, from cosmetic injections to preventative care exams. The two aspects of the practice seem to balance out. Gentle body-sculpting treatments can be incorporated into a weight management regime, and up-to-date medical acuity can address dermatological concerns such as psoriasis or an embarrassing tattoo of the Pythagorean theorem.

The network of dental professionals at Today’s Dental Today check families’ chomper health using progressive digital dental technology such as digital x-rays, intraoral cameras, and computers in every room. During the 90- to 120-minute exam, the dentist thoroughly peruses mouthscapes in search of tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer before taking intraoral photographs and a set of digital x-rays. Then, a skilled hygienist bathes teeth in a flurry of toothpaste and fluoride, sloughs off tartar between teeth with floss, and scrapes tongues free of schoolyard-inspired swear words.