Pro copore, pro anima—for the body, for the soul. These are the words that New Paltz’s Bellissima Medical Spa live by. Located at 243 Main Street Suite 150-160, Bellissima Medical Spa has offered their wellness and beauty services to the community for years, and they are hosting an open house for their IV drip bar on Dec. 8.
Bellissima Medical Spa is owned and operated by Dr. Alicia Olmoz, a nurse practitioner who works in acute care. Its services include injectables, facials, laser hair removal, hormone therapy for men and women, peptide therapy, weight loss services and IV therapy. It caters to people of all ages, with clients as young as 16 or old as 72 utilizing the practice. They offer membership services where clients can get routine treatments at a discounted price, as well as payment plans to mitigate the cost of services.
“We’re just trying to help people with their overall health, but also how they feel about themselves,” said Dr. Olmoz about Bellissima’s services. “When you feel good about yourself, you want to take care of yourself more.”
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Olmoz felt burnt out by the traditional healthcare industry and knew she had to seek out something different. She was interested in aesthetics and while researching wellness practices, a pure fascination kept her going and led her to open Bellissima.
“It’s lightbulb moments every time I turn around,” said Dr. Olmoz about her interest in wellness.
Dr. Olmoz chose to locate Bellissima in New Paltz to make these services accessible to the community she calls home.
“I’m local, so there’s that. I wanted to be able to offer the services that I had to this population. It’s close to home, so there’s the convenience factor, and I don’t think there is anything like this in the area,” said Dr. Olmoz. “This area is under served.”
What is special about Bellissima are the IV therapy services it offers. IV drip therapy, a service becoming increasingly more popular amongst alternative medicine practitioners, administers a high dose of minerals, vitamins and nutrients directly into the bloodstream. This allows for immediate absorption into the body. Some of the things that Bellissima’s IV drips can aid in are gut health, energy boosts, allergy relief and hangover relief. Most IV cocktails, as they’re called, are around $200 each.
“We have about 12 [cocktails] on the menu,” said Dr. Olmoz. “Things for your skin health, and things for if you’re traveling and you want a little immune boost. There’s a couple of little formulations that are ideal for whatever it is that you’re looking for.”
According to Dr. Olmoz, what makes IV drip therapy unique is that it specifically bypasses the digestive system and thus aids in absorption of nutrients. Due to how common issues in the stomach’s microbiome are, not all vitamins and nutrients are absorbed as effectively by traditional supplements. So, by injecting these vitamins into the bloodstream, absorption is direct and complete. The downside, though, is that the body’s protective mechanisms are also bypassed as a result of direct injection.
“Not all med spas are created equal,” Dr. Olmoz said. “When somebody’s choosing to go to something in medical aesthetics, really look at who is behind the scenes and actually taking care of you. I am a nurse practitioner, I have a doctorate, and I am well-versed in acute care medicine, so I feel a certain degree of competency taking care of people.”
While Dr. Olmoz is aware of skeptics towards the wellness industry, she emphasizes that looking into the actual research sometimes supports nontraditional medicine more than Western medicine. She herself used to be skeptical until she investigated commonly accepted facts about healthcare.
“A lot of the research that we have, they’re funded by big pharma. But when you actually do look at the science, it doesn’t add up,” said Dr. Olmoz.
Dr. Olmoz also reassured potential clients that their services are thoughtful and free of harm. She keeps up-to-date with the latest studies to make sure that her services are the best available treatments for people. She also sees her offerings as highly individualistic and sees a person’s right to pursue these services if they would make them happier, despite criticism of the wellness industry by some.
“It’s not for everyone, but when you’re the woman looking at your lips in the mirror and you say, ‘boy, I really wish they were a little bit plumper because they look really tiny,’ and then you can go someplace and they can do that for you,” she said. “And then you look at yourself in the mirror and you think, ‘wow, I look amazing. I’m going for that interview. I feel so confident.’ If it’s not for you, then don’t seek our services.”
The spa’s IV drip bar will have its opening on Dec. 8 from 5 P.M. to 8 P.M. All of their IV cocktails will be on display and an informal Q&A will take place. Bellissima’s esthetician and aesthetic representative will be in attendance as well as Dr. Olmoz herself discussing their business. It’s an opportunity to meet the staff and to explore all that they offer. Spots are limited, so Bellissima encourages potential visitors to RSVP by calling 845-600-5041.
“I would like to see [the wellness industry] more universally accepted, and to give people the tools they need to maintain vitality,” said Dr. Olmoz. “If we can help people to be vital, and have long duration of life and stay active and enjoy their life that’s the goal: long-term health.”
By presenting the careful, attentive services that she does and attacking people’s ailments in unique ways, Dr. Olmoz contributes to the future that she wants to see everyday.
A full list of Bellissima’s services can be found on their website, bellissimamedspahv.com. To stay up to date on Bellissima’s events and offerings, you can follow them on Facebook at bellissimamedspaHV or Instagram @bellissima_med_spa.
