Parma Spa

Services were great.
Until the end. .
I’m feeling good, everyone was friendly.. I’m thinking ‘hmm… this was nice maybe I’ll do this regularly. .‘
I thank the staff, smile, and put money in the envelope that goes inside the tip box.
As I am walking out the door with my friend, the massage therapist, who is standing a couple feet from the door and reception desk, literally stopped me and asked if I tipped.
I smiled and said «yep its in the box, thanks so much! «
She then LEAD me back to the tip box, opened and checked inside the tip box to see if I tipped (?!)
My friend who was already half out the door…
«what’s going on? Come on, let’s go.»
I told my friend that [Diana?] ‘was asking if I tipped …‘
Then the massage therapist holds up the envelope and asked ‘are we suppose to split this?’
I shocked but still keep my smile, «mm hmm, yeah, split it… okay thanks bye» She responded with «Okay. We spilt it»
(Honestly do whatever you want with it)
Then my friend and I left…
First and last time I’m going there. (–_​-​)

I had a massage with Diana who was good. The room was good overall, nothing spectacular or special, but clean and comfortable. When I wanted to tip, they told me I could only use cash or check so come prepared!
It took me a little while to actually find the spa. It’s in an office center, thats at the corner of the intersection, and the spa is facing parallel to the street.

I couldn’t be happier with my experience. I went to Parma Spa for laser hair removal. Their prices are very competitive. There was no high pressure selling. This is a business. They should take the opportunity to let you know what other services are available.
The technicians are awesome! They made me feel very comfortable and are very professional.
The procedure has some discomfort. The level of discomfort is different for everyone. It is over in a second. Take some pain reliever before you go if you’re sensitive.
Beautiful, clean facility. State of the art equipment.
Can’t recommend them highly enough.

Received a gift card for a 60 minute massage. I’ve had massages before, but this was unlike any other! Diane is superb! She was very thorough, concentrated heavily on the areas I deemed needed more attention, and made me feel very comfortable and relaxed. The spa is very clean, and has a great zen atmosphere, which immediately relaxes you when you arrive.

When I first started coming to this Spa, I was lucky enough to have some really nice aestheticians working on me. In total I purchased two packages of six treatments for a large area for my legs, and one package of six treatments for a medium area for my arm pits. The first six treatments went off like a dream. Minimal pain for reasonable expense with exactly as anticipated results. The spa itself is gorgeous and the location is easy to find with plentiful parking. So, what went wrong?
Dr. Thara started to treat me. I begged for other aestheticians/​spa technicians when I would get scheduled with her. I would cancel and reschedule just to get anyone else, but somehow I still ended up getting her on a couple of occasions. She is upsetting on so many levels, and not that I can’t handle that kind of person in my regular life, but when I’m putting myself and my wellness in someone else’s hands, I really have to trust and even like you.
So, what is the deal? What can possibly be so terrible? You simply won’t get a moment of peace from her overwhelmingly strong sales tactics. You’ll be already vulnerable and uncomfortable (possibly in pain) and she will still be selling, selling, selling. You will absolutely have to keep your wits about you or else you might end up agreeing to something that you never wanted/​needed just to get her to knock it off. It is like going to a timeshare demo and sales, only you aren’t prepared for it the way you would be walking into one of those. This is a spa, for heaven’s sake! A place to relax and seek treatments. Not a place to be relentlessly pursued by one woman’s monetary ambitions.
Oh, and Dr. Thara shamed me for (a) not moisturizing enough because my legs were dry, but honestly you aren’t supposed to put anything on them prior to the procedure and (b) for doing a poor job of shaving my armpit… was in a rush people, it happens! Should I have been shamed for either offense? I think not!
A few other things you need to know…
1. Although I can’t prove it, I don’t think that my treatments with Dr. Thara were as effective as those done with other aestheticians. The level on the laser may have been different, but I do not know for sure. I just wouldn’t put it past her to lower the level so that you have to come back and buy more treatments.
2. I was talked into purchasing a tip for the laser after already having had six treatments. $ 35 for a piece of plastic that up until that moment had not been deemed necessary.
3. I was cheated out of one last treatment. The spa insisted that I visited in April 2014, but I know I couldn’t have because I was already deeply tanned in preparation for my trip to Jamaica. I would never have gone in with such a tan, but then again, I can’t prove that either.
4. There is no spa menu. There are no listed services or prices anywhere. Not in the spa and not online. So, you have no way of knowing what services they offer and how much they cost. This is intentional. This way the «deal» you are offered seems special. It probably isn’t, but now that is one of the manipulation tactics used here.
5. Dr. Thara is a Board Certified Alternative Medical Practitioner and has practiced and taught Ayurvedic Medicine for the last 10 years… I still don’t know what this means, but I’m doubting PhD.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Keep excellent notes for yourself on your calendar about who, what, when, where and any other pertinent details. I wish I had.
2. Ask for Stephanie. She is an exceptionally kind and competent spa technician.
3. I still say, go for it! That laser hair removal is one of the best things I’ve ever spent the money on myself for and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results. Do it here if you have a tough enough backbone to tell Dr. Thara, «no thank you,» a LOT and mean it every dang time. Otherwise, there are countless other spas that offer laser hair removal.

This laser hair removal was very painful.
Groupon’s current advertisement is stating, «Lumenis Cool Touch laser ensures comfort». This is absolutely untrue and frankly encouraged me to write this negative review. When you need to apply ice and numbing cream before each zap, that is not a «cool touch». When they stopped having numbing cream it was too painful to even consider continuing on.
Was informed by technicians there: the darker your skin the more painful it will be.
If you buy this groupon, prepare for pain, being upsold on more regions at a supposedly «discounted price», being upsold on additional visits of treatments once you don’t have the expected results within your groupon time, weird lines if you don’t want to pay extra, and frankly questionable sanitation efforts with the table you lie on for the procedure (one little sheet of paper that does not even marginally cover the region people lie on).
Also, don’t get your eyebrows waxed here. My friend was burned and charged a ton for a crummy waxing job while she tagged along for one of my visits (which btw took two years for significant effects = Groupon’s 6 visits x 4).

I have been getting facials and microdermabrasion for the last 30 years and I have to say my microdermabrasion at Parma was the most dreadful experience I have ever had in a spa. Before even getting started, the Esthetician began telling me how ineffective microdermabrasion would be for my skin (despite my dermatologist telling me that it would be beneficial for me) she then tried to up-​sell me to a laser procedure that would be thousands of dollars and multiple sessions… I declined. She was so rough handed during the microdermabrasion I thought my skin was being pulled off, the pain was excruciating… I had her stop numerous times and asked that she not press so hard… she then put a couple creams on my face and it was over… I was stunned, the whole thing was 30 minutes… and the price $ 175!

I bought a Groupon for a massage. It was not very good. Used too much oil and didn’t concentrate on the areas that I wanted tension relief. The receptionist was cold (personality) as well as the massage therapist. I wouldn’t go again for a massage.

My team and I went in for a team building spa day and we were all looking forward to our facials and massages. I had Dr. Ather for my facial. She did a great job in the following:
— she explained what she was doing, what products she was using and how often I would need to do everything for.
The only thing I didn’t like was that their receptionist (Victoria?) seemed rushed and to be rushing us. I would like to give Parma Spa another try when it’s just me. As a business owner, sometimes it does get a little overwhelming when there is a large group so that could’ve been the issue. I will be going back to try them again and also for some lip injections. Update to come in a few weeks.

I’ve been going to Afsheen for 3 years now to make sure my skin stays right. I love that I can ask her anything about my skin care regimen and she has wonderful suggestions and reccomendations. I would highly reccomend her.

I had the best experience at Parma. I first arrived at the most beautiful office I have ever seen. I got Botox and filler by Dr.Singh. I am still new to getting filler but she uses a dental block, which no other doctor has ever used on me before. It made the experience painless! I was so pleasantly surprised! Dr. Singh really took her time consulting and listening to what I wanted. I truly enjoyed the whole experience and look forward to seeing her again. My face looks incredible. I couldn’t be happier with the results. Thank you!!!

If there is anything lower than one star I would have put it there.
My experience: Came in with an awesome groupon, one of the fake doctors“Afsheen” there convinced me to get a whole body deal, which I thought was a good deal before asking around in other places and realzing it was such a rip-​off.
This fake doctor «Afsheen» kept talking and making me uncomfortable then gave me a used razor to shave some of the hair… TRUE STORY! used razor i was so disgusted I didn’t even go back to finish the rest of my session for the money I paid. I guess it was a learning experience not to trust people with white coats that pretend to be «doctors.» And to ask around before committing to such a deal. I paid a big chunck of money that is still hurting me financially for 0 result, 0 satisfaction 0 comfort. After she gave me that used razor… I couldnt imagine what goes behind closed doors! She did this of course among other things that were careless and disgusting.
This place is awful I did not feel comfortable and would never go back there.

My gf and I came for a couples massage that I purchased from Groupon. Everything was great except for the fact that it’s not truly a «couples» massage. You are put into different rooms. Other than that, it was a great Swedish massage.

I went here after the bar exam last summer for a couple’s massage I’d gotten through Groupon. I got the Ayurvedic massage, and my partner got a deep tissue massage with an exfoliating skin treatment. It was a fantastic experience and just what I needed. The tension and digestion problems still leftover from preparing for the bar were gone right after. My partner was more relaxed than they’d been in a while, and their very sensitive skin was smooth and hydrated for days after.
The facilities are gorgeous and the staff was professional and very good at what they do. My only complaint is the location – so far outside of DC and in one of those confusing suburban office park mazes.
I’m returning with a friend this weekend for a deep tissue massage and facial and have been recommending their massage services to friends.

I went there for a botox with a groupon deal. The place was a total mess! The secretary was out, the doctor was late… and when she arrived she was so stressed out that she kept going room to room to look for things. Her name was Dr. Singh. She kept talking about non-​sense stuff and kept dropping the niddles and the products on the table. She even had to go back to her car to find niddles… very unorganized and messy. They couldn’t even find the form I filled out after the service was done. She checked couple of rooms, but apparently they lost my folder within 30min time frame.
The doctor (Ms Singh) could definitely use some of the skin services on herself and maybe die her white root, or do an eye brow wax. I am not picky but a person works in beauty industry should take care of basic stuff herself first.
Aside from the experience, they run a scam by selling you an add on groupon for $ 150 for one area and when you go there you realize one area means only frown line and not the full forehead. I did botox few times before and never heard of this. Anyway, she injected all the units (expect the one she dropped on the table and the ones dripped from the niddle, I know she was very messy) only on frown line. Hopefully the product works at least. I have to wait few days to see but honestly with the mess I saw, I am not very optimistic.

I have a groupon for laser hair removal at Parma– I have had 3 sessions here so far.
The facility is clean, hygienic and beautifully decorated. They call you the day before your appt to confirm.
I’ve worked with two doctors and both have been exceptional. They have ice on hand to cool the area treated with laser. Privacy and discretion is something they do well.
They do use a vacuum laser for hair removal which some ppl are not fans of.
They have offered me the discount rate I used with groupon for any other area of the body I wish. I have had no negative interactions with this business thus far.

Parma is my favourite place for massages and skin care. Dianna is my favourite, very professional and knowledgable. I also did a series of chemical skin treatments and my skin looks like it never looked before, the staff is very friendly,
educates you about before and after changes and when to expect results. i also picked up some products for home care and am very pleased with the improvements.
i think i have found the perfect place for my health and well being!!!

I have waited for 7 – 8 months to write this review, as I wanted to make sure I complete all the 6 sessions before I write a review.
I bought a Groupon for Laser Hair Removal back in March. Turns out that even though the coupon says ‘one per person’, you can buy actually buy two (one as a gift). So I bought two Groupon deals. On my first day, Dr Thara took me to her room for consultation. She said 6 sessions wont be enough, and that I might as well do full body all at once. When I told her I didn’t want to spend more money, she offered me a third deal for the same Groupon price.
Anyways, after about 4 sessions, she brought someone else with her in the room with us without telling me why. Turns out Dr Thara was pregnant and couldn’t do the procedure anymore. Fair enough, but why couldn’t she just tell me this in her consultation room? Why have this uncomfortable moment where I find out at the last minute that the procedure is being done by someone else? That is not the worst part — they lost my file. How can you lose a customer’s file? So they had no idea what the settings were for each procedure. Dr Thara guessed the settings (yes, I was nervous).
My last two sessions were done by Maryam. She was a lot better than Dr Thara. She makes sure she cleans the equipment before and after each procedure, she made sure I was comfortable, and didn’t rush through the procedures. She was gentle when I was uncomfortable, and overall provided a much better experience.
Negatives:
— As other reviewers have mentioned, this place didn’t follow sanitary practice during my first 3 sessions. I never saw equipment being sanitized, or the paper sheets being changed. The glasses that were given to me to wear during the laser process were never cleaned with a sanitized napkin. Maryam changed that and made sure everything was sanitized.
— Even after 6 sessions (3 different areas), the results are not 100%. Now I am not sure if they are supposed to be 100% or not. But something to check with the technician prior to purchasing the sessions.
— Losing customer files is a big red flag to me.
Positives:
— The receptionist is awesome.
— Friendly staff.
— They are always on time, so hardly any wait time.
— Maryam was great. I was recommend her for the Laser treatments.
Fore me, this place is hardly a Spa experience. This was my first time doing a laser procedure, so didn’t know what to expect. Like I said, the results are not 100%, so something to keep in mind. They did ask me to buy more sessions, but I decided not to. So many people (who have reviewed this place) cannot be wrong.

The facility is actually clean and quiet… and staff are friendly.
I had purchased a hair laser removal Groupon deal for the Brazilian… After 5 painful sessions… Its still NOT completely «bare»…and I’m full Korean, meaning HAIRLESS, to the point where I don’t even have to shave my legs! I go for my 6^th and final session next week… and I seriously doubt ONE more session will give me the full effect…;(

I also bought the groupon/​living social deal for laser hair removal on my bikini line. I had originally had one laser removal session on my bikini line at my dermatologist office before I saw this deal. I have now been to Parma Spa for 3 of my 6 bought sessions and I do not have any less hair in my bikini area then I did before I went to Parma the first time. I am extremely disappointed because I had great results in just one session at my dermatologist, using Lumenis LightSheer (Diode) which is the same that Parma says they use on their site, however, even 3 sessions at Parma does not remove any of the hair on my bikini line.
They also did not know what setting to put the machine on, and had to change it the second time I came when I told them nothing was getting removed. They apparently aren’t real doctors, and if they are, they don’t specialize in skin.
They also do not clean the equipment, bed, chairs. DISGUSTING.
In conclusion, do not use this place and if you want real laser hair removal with real results, just use your dermatologist, hopefully they have an Aesthetic center like mine.