RP’s Dr. Macatangay opens Dermhealth Saipan

After establishing seven chains of skin and spa clinics in the Philippines, Dr. Lyna Macatangay is ready to expand her operations overseas.

For this, she chose the tropical island of Saipan, a three-hour plane ride from Manila.

As a U.S. citizen, starting a business on island had been relatively easy.

Macatangay, a respected dermatologist in Metro Manila, first came to Saipan last year and immediately liked the place.

“I always like the sea and the beach area. I like nature. Saipan is just beautiful,” she says.

Her trip to Saipan was out of curiosity after getting many suggestions from her customers to locate here.

“I met several customers in Manila who are from Saipan. And they would ask, when are you opening one on Saipan? Why don’t you open there so we don’t have to go far?” she said.

Macatangay had since been back to the island twice and on her third visit, she finally settled down.

Macatangay’s business now occupies a prime two-story beachside building known as Doko House in Garapan, just a stone’s throw away from the back of Liberty Plaza on Beach Road.

She named it Macatangay Dermhealth Saipan, her eighth business location and her first outlet outside the country.

Macatangay, who hails from a big family of medical doctors, opened her first skin clinic in 1991 at the Macatangay Building on Pedro Gil, Manila.

The following year, she opened a branch at the Market Place in Mandaluyong City.

In the next few years, she opened at the second level of Robinson’s Place in Malate and at Harrison Plaza.

Outside Metro Manila, Macatangay has a clinic and resort spa at the beach area in Balayan, Batangas and another one in Tagaytay City.

The Macatangays are originally from Taal, Batangas, a province south of Manila.

She is the fourth from the youngest of nine siblings. Eight of them are doctors, including her father, who was an EENT.

“My father was a self-made man. He worked his way up. He also used money from the casa—embroidery business—for our schooling,” she recalled.

Dr. Macatangay has two ENT brothers, a psychiatrist, an opthalmologist, a doctor specializing in physical rehabilitation. One doctor had died.

All of them work in the U.S. mainland.

As for her, she has to stay put in Manila not only to take care of her growing business, but also to look after her 90-year old mom.

But Saipan turned out to be an irresistible place.

“People are so nice,” said the gentle-speaking doctor in a recent interview at Doko House.

“I find them very hospitable. Ang gaan ng feeling ko [I feel comfortable toward them],” she said.

She said she is most grateful for the outstanding help of her newfound friends on Saipan—Marichu Mercado, Gerry Crisostimo, Ed Nisula, May Marasigan, Shirley Javier, and Norma Vivas—among many others.

“Everyday, I meet wonderful people,” she said.

Dermhealth Saipan

What does it offer? It definitely offers a variety of services. But first off, Dr. Macatangay wants to point out one thing: it is not a medical clinic where she could diagnose and treat skin injuries or diseases, or prescribe medicines.

The reason: she is a fully licensed doctor in the Philippines, but not on Saipan.

The center, however, provides a comprehensive acne or pimple treatment program, facial skin pampering, and unique spa packages – body massage, body scrub, foot and leg spa and therapy, diamond peel, and body wrap.

Although these services may be offered by beauty parlors, Dermhealth Saipan is far from being a parlor.

To begin with, it does not offer manicure and pedicure services.

The center itself exudes an aura of calmness and rest, not busyness and noise.

“We take our job seriously. We offer a place of relaxation. A place where people can de-stress, get pampered and rejuvenated,” said Dr. Macatangay.

One of her brochures read that the center’s face and body treatments are aimed “to lift you spirits when you are tired, angry or distressed.”

“That’s true. Try getting a body scrub, indulge into a luxurious body scrub and body massage when you’re angry and you’ll be a changed person afterwards. You’ll feel so relaxed afterwards. The last thing you’d do in the world is to get mad. It’s because your muscles get to relax, your body is able to rest, your senses are refreshed,” she said.

She said Dermhealth Saipan aims to be a first-class skin care and spa center in the NMI,

Get 2 for price of 1

Right now, Dermhealth Saipan runs a “2 for the price of 1” promo for facial, body scrub, massage, and acne treatment.

For instance, a customer choosing an Avene or Shiseido facial worth $50 would get two sessions of it.

The center imports its facial cleansing and treatment products from Japan for Shiseido and France for Avene.

Avene, one of the finest quality products in the market today, is reportedly also being used by prominent dermatology centers in Manila, including the Belo Center and Dr. Calayan’s Clinic—the two most famous centers for celebrities.

At Dermhealth Saipan, a very popular green tea salt glow scrub and wet massage-honey wrap package is worth $100 but at this time, a customer can enjoy it not only once but twice without having to pay the amount the second time.

Macatangay Dermhealth prides itself on having mastered the art of “gently exfoliating the dull dead skin off your body.”

Green tea spa salt is for skin whitening and is enriched with Vitamin E “to provide nourishment to your skin.”

As a result, “your skin will feel soft and smooth as that of a baby,” Dermhealth promises.

This package also includes a wet body massage, “a very exhilarating massage that will make you come back for more.”

Also part of the $100 package is a body wrap, “Honey you’re a natural beauty,” which makes use of honey to hydrate the skin.

For centuries, honey has been used by legendary beauties like Cleopatra to keep the skin hydrated, soft, and supple.

Membership

To reap the ultimate benefits out of Dermhealth Saipan, Dr. Macatangay offers membership, which entitles members to huge discounts on all packages.

For instance, a rosy diamond peel which is recommended for people with sun-damaged skin, enlarged pores and blemishes, fine lines, scars from acne and trauma, and blackheads and whiteheads, costs $60 per session.

To add facial, this would add up to $85.

A package of three diamond peel sessions totals only $180, saving the customer $40 because it includes one free facial and three free sessions of ultrasonic-whitening and two skin peelings worth $70.

If the customer availing the package is a member, the savings goes up to $140 because the package would then include two free facials, three free ultrasonic-whitening and three skin peeling sessions [worth $60], compared to two in a non-member package.

For a six-session diamond peel package for non-members, it costs $300, which saves the client $190.

Aside from the six diamond peels, this package also includes two free facial, six free ultrasonic whitening, and four sessions of skin peeling which is worth $90.

A member taking the package would get a whopping $410 savings since it will include seven diamond peels, four free facial, seven free ultrasonic whitening, and seven sessions of skin peeling worth $90.

“I’d really advise customers to sign up for membership because it saves them a lot,” said Dr. Macatangay.

The annual membership costs $300 and entitles members $200 worth of free treatments, plus 50 percent discount on all services and 20 percent on products.

“It really makes sense if you become a member. You can come here several times a week, several times a month. It’s up to you. It’s limitless service for you. At the same time, you’re getting all kinds of services at a much lower rate,” she said.

Macatangay Dermhealth Saipan consists of a six-room facial and spa center.

Since more improvements are being made, facial treatments, massage, and body scrubs are limited to two rooms for now.

The center has four skin care and spa therapists who are under direct supervision by Dr. Macatangay.

They are Jocelyn Garcia, Sonia Arsenal, Myla De Jesus, and Mary Ann de Guzman. They have worked for Dermhealth in the Philippines for five to 10 years now.

Dr. Macatangay brought them with her to Saipan to begin the business. All staff are fully registered and accredited by the CNMI government.

“They’ve undergone a rigid training under a professional therapist. The final exam is me. I let them test their skills on me so I know if they’re good or not,” said Dr. Macatangay.

Dr. Macatangay herself can do all the services except the massage.

“I trained them on the skin care and treatment. I continue to keep a close eye on their work. I am very confident about my girls. I can guarantee you that they know what they are doing,” she said.

Dr. Macatangay said Dermhealth upholds high standards in all aspects of operations—customer service, cleanliness, competence—as it aims to offer the local residents and tourists alike a perfect place to lift the senses, a place of tranquility and stillness that is so desired by the soul.

Dermhealth Saipan can be reached at telephone 233-0479.