DAYSPA is the business resource for spa & wellness professionals! Each issue covers the latest in skin care, spa treatments, wellness services and management strategies.
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[ 82 ] • DAYSPA • may 2017 It isn't always that simple, however. There are lesser types of liability that can result in substantial losses for business owners who sell products, and in these cases the plaintiff may not be an injured client, but rather the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is especially true for spa owners who have made the courageous leap into marketing their own formulations. For the spa industry, one particular category garnering a lot of attention from the FTC and FDA is dietary supplements. Here's the skinny on what to consider before you bring them on as a retail off ering. e Siren's Call According to a 2016 report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 36.5 percent of U.S. adults suff er from obesity, which not only raises the long-term risk for just about every common health problem but can also do considerable psychological damage along the way. However, the journey to "thin" is notoriously diffi cult. Thus, the promise of a quick fi x via dietary supplements has become a modern-day siren's song: seductive but deceptive. If your spa off ers body contouring services, having a retail component in the form of various incarnations of vitamin and mineral supplements, probiotics, herbs and enzymes only makes sense. However, before you agree to place that fi rst bottle or blister pack in the weight reduction area of your spa's retail section, you need to administer a multifaceted "sniff test," fi guratively speaking. First, look closely and critically at the claims stated on the product's packaging, as well as in all its advertising and marketing materials. I know—you're not a scientist—but you can start by asking two key questions. 1) Does the product claim to cure a wide variety of problems? When a product's description is vague yet sweeping, chances are there isn't a whole lot of science behind it. These types of claims are as old as deception itself. Here's an extreme example that demonstrates the point. Back in 1891, there was a product from Dr. J. Collis Browne called Chlorodyne. According to the label, in addition to aiding in weight loss, Chlorodyne was also a remedy for infl uenza, colds, coughs, catarrh (excessive mucus buildup), asthma and bronchitis. But, wait, that's not all: Chlorodyne's makers also claimed it worked like a charm to resolve diarrhea, stomach chills and other bowel complaints. Wow. We can only conclude that the weight loss claim is related to the body's shock response from having had so many conditions cured at once. 2) Are the product's claims backed up by any known clinical studies? In 2004, a product called Chinese Diet Tea promised that regular ingestion would spur excess weight to simply fall off —regardless of whether the user dieted or exercised—at the rate of up to six pounds per week for months on end. How could this be possible? Well, you could choose to believe the company's explanation, which was that the tea "neutralized the absorption of calories and fat." Or you could search online for a single medical study showing that such a thing could be possible. Let me save you the trouble: It couldn't. If it could, we'd all look like Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Despite this harsh reality, a number of credible news outlets around the country carried the product's advertising banner exclaiming "I Lost 64 lbs. in 10 Weeks!" legal pad © GETTY IMAGES COMMON SENSE It took a certain amount of critical thinking for you to become a business owner, and it takes a lot of the same to stay successful. In my experience, most legal troubles can be avoided by exercising common sense. Unfortunately, things like a slow business month or a broken Vichy shower can get in the way of your clear thinking. Before you resort to taking on a new retail product in hopes of a quick cash fl ow, apply your business sense. Ask the manufacturer to provide clinical evidence of its claims, and be especially suspicious of the following terms and phrases: A Cure A Breakthrough discovery A Secret ingredient A Exclusive formula A Ancient remedy A Science-y sounding terms you can't fi nd online A Developed by a Nobel Prize winner (doctor, scientist) whose name isn't provided Finally, you can pretty much dismiss those overly dramatic or hyperbolic testimonials, such as, "Two months ago I could barely walk to the mailbox and last week I successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest."