Alternative Health Associates

Cannot recommend this place enough. I've been going to electrolysis appointments for a few weeks and I'm already seeing results. The location is convenient and always easy to find free street parking around the corner. Appointments are easy to book on the phone or online. Cindy has been a delight to work with!

Had an excellent free consultation with Deirdra on laser hair removal. She was kind and helpful, and seemed to know a lot. This can be an awkward thing to get done but I imagine it won't be that bad with her. Note the code to enter the front door is the address.

Alternative Health Associates is absolutely the best med spa in the DMV area. I have several services here, everything was so wonderful. As soon as you walk in the door there is a calming and welcoming energy, immediately you will feel at ease. The massage therapists are extremely knowledgeable and well rounded in their craft, they make the experience incredible and I have not had a better massage anywhere else!

The estiticians and clinicians are amazing as well, they are all so very kind. You can tell they take so much pride and passion in making their work the best possible experience for each and every client! I absolutely adore this lovely place and just had to leave a review after having such delightful experiences here

My hot stone massage was absolutely AMAZING and my therapist was very kind and helpful. I will be coming back soon! Highly recommend! But get the 90 minutes. 60 minutes is just not enough! You will want more!

River mixed a perfect amount of deep and relaxing pressure to relieve my soreness and leave me feeling relaxed and calm. Wonderful!

OUTSTANDING WORK FROM SARA WEST, VERY PROFESSIONAL AND KNOWLEDGEABLE, HER PROFESSIONALISM WAS A CALIBER OF SERVICE RARELY SEEN. VERY POLITE, SHE IS THE BEST, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. THANK YOU. Service: Skin treatments

Sara West is sincere, meticulous, and always thinking about how to make the experience and service the best. She knows my skin, especially as a Black person with deep pigmentation, and knows nuances about me like pain threshold when getting electrolysis. It is obvious she takes her work seriously and deeply cares.

I had an appointment scheduled after work on a Friday. I allowed over an hour to travel 25 miles between work and this establishment. Unfortunately, however, I encountered a multi car accident along the way. This made me 15 minutes late. I received a call at the "10 minute late point" from the receptionist, who confirmed my appointment even though I would not be on time.

Seven minutes later, I was parked and ready to enter the building when the receptionist called again and said that they had decided not to take me after all. They refused to try to accommodate me even though my car was parked and I was on the way in. I was definitely late, and I definitely arrived beyond my appointment time. I understand that this might not have worked for the business.

They should not, however, have called when I was en route, confirmed my appointment, and then called back seven minutes later to cancel. They should have simply canceled at the "10 minute" point. As a result of their change in decision, I fought even more traffic to get home. In the end, I called my "old" spa, to which I'd routinely gone for years before I moved.

It turned out that they have an office in Arlington, which I did not know. My previous spa is very nice, has great service, and is FAR less expensive than Alternative Health Associates, so my refusal to continue working with this business was a complete "win" for me in every way. I cannot believe, however, that an upscale spa like this one would engage in such poor customer service practices. It was extremely disappointing. I would advise doing thorough research before engaging in ongoing/routine services with this business.

Appointment was quick and as pleasant as being injected can be! Lol! I was happy to return to Teresa and will be back again. Service: Skin treatments

Love this spa! Easy location in Old Town, calm and beautiful decor, many options for care from massage to botox! And of course the staff and owner are super welcoming and knowledgeable!

Been a customer since 2015 seeing Deidre! Amazing staff, flow and results!

I have found my new massage therapist! Lisa Foulk is awesome! Super easy to talk to, she hears what my issues are and attends to all of them. She also provides some feedback on the areas of concern, things she notices and some tips on what I can do while I'm at home. She uses the right amount of pressure and her technique is so good that both times I've seen her, I fell asleep for a little bit.

The reception staff are friendly as well, easy to get checked in, easy to check out. They do not have a parking lot but there is always plenty of street parking available. Unfortunately they do not take insurance but I was able to get the information I needed to submit a claim for reimbursement for my insurance. Looking forward to the facial I have scheduled with Sara, I have heard good things. So glad to have found you AHA!

Lisa was fantastic, the receptionist could not have been more lovely and the office was beautiful. What more could I ask for? Ty!

Great Experience! The office was warm, welcoming, and very friendly. At 60, this was my first Botox experience and Theresa put me at ease as she talked me through the process. She was knowledgeable, skilled and kind as she talked me through the process with zero pressure. I moved forward without hesitation and now I'm looking forward to these results and continuing my wrinkle-fighting journey with her.

I just had the most amazing massage with River and could not be more relaxed. Best massage ever. I love this place. Terrific location and ambience. First rate!

I have been going to Theresa for Botox for several years, and I am continually blown away by her talent, kindness, and professionalism. I cannot recommend her enough if you are interested in looking and feeling your best. She gives you honest feedback on what will work best for you. You will not regret booking an appointment with Theresa! I will be a customer for life.

Extremely understanding and caring staff. The environment itself is safe and welcoming from the moment you step in, it also never lack the hygienic and well-kept factors. All questions regarding your specific treatment can and WILL be answered by your specialist in a way that makes you feel assured and even builds a trusting connection like myself and Maureen.

I had a great pregnancy massage. Dana was wonderful, attentive and gave some good advice too. She was so caring during the session, it really came through in the massage. I plan to book another massage very soon and wish I had started get them earlier in my pregnancy.

Vanessa is amazing! She made me feel comfortable and listened to my concerns. The facility is clean and the staff are welcoming. I found my go-to place for facials and skincare treatment! Service: Skin treatments

I think it's about time that I share my amazing experience at alternative health as I have been a client for well over a decade, maybe two. Lisa is by far the best massage therapist in old town. And I have been to them all! If you workout like me, just book a deep tissue massage with her every 4 weeks and thank me later. My husband is also now a client and we have never felt better.

I have also had nearly all of my laser hair removal and electrolysis with this team and I can not say enough about the level of comfort and professionalism I felt and still hairless after years! The entire team at alternative health are amazing and through the years I have gotten nothing but exceptional service. I am so grateful for each of them who even during this crazy pandemic time continue to provide 5 star service with all safety precautions taken. I make health and wellness for a priority and alternative health is a key part of my team! Thank you!

I was a consistent customer many years ago but got off track with skin care. My skin was absolutely flawless when I went for skin care monthly at AHA. After some mild imperfections started to pop up and signs of sun damage, I decided I'd start back at AHA. I am so glad I made the decision to return. I had Vanessa for my first appointment and I am feeling so lucky that I was assigned to her to treat my skin.

I went in feeling somewhat down about how my skin was not in the best condition. She talked me through her evaluation and assured me that I wasn't as bad off as I thought. After my first microderm/peel treatment, I was speechless and so excited that my skin looked so beautiful. Vanessa did a superb job treating my skin and I am definitely returning for service. In addition she's such a kind, caring person. I am so grateful for the wonderful experience with Vanessa and look forward to returning for my next appointment.

I've seen a few reviews that have mentioned the name of this place. I'm so glad I came across AHA on yelp. They do everything from massages, to laser hair removal! Deidra is amazing- she is so friendly, knowledgeable, and such an overall positive joy to be around (even if you're in for a painful process)! I'm sure all of the other employees at AHA are just as awesome as Deidra, but I am excited to be back to boost my confidence! Thank you, Deidra!

I have been to this spa many times - for facials, massages and even Botox. The staff are all fabulous - professional and knowledgeable, yet they make you comfortable and confident with your choice of treatment. I can't wait for them to open again in June!

I have been going to Maureen for years, and she lives up to her reputation for being among the best in the business at electrolysis. She and her staff are professional, discreet, knowledgeable, comfortable to be around, and engaging all at once. It's a rare combination, which is why I recommend her to people who are really discerning about services. I actually look forward to my appointments! Kudos to her and the skilled, personable team she has built at Alternative Health.

Like many women, I suffer from PCOS and one of the many side effects is hirsutism. I initially visited Alternative Health Associates (AHA) for electrolysis around my chin and neck area. Maureen (the owner) and I spoke about my prior experience dealing with various hair removal techniques. As a woman with dark skin, I've always been cautious/apprehensive about trying to ensure the right procedure is used for my skin in order to avoid burns. I'd been burned many years ago after a laser procedure and avoided lasers at all costs.

I settled on the idea of going for electrolysis upkeep. I am new to the area and intended on keeping up with my previous treatment schedule. I thought that I'd have to succumb to years of painful electrolysis for the rest of my life. Well, Maureen convinced me to try a YAG laser and suggested the procedure was a great option for women with darker skin.

After research, I found additional suggestions supporting her claim, stating"With the advances in laser technology, the Nd:YAG wavelength has demonstrated safety and efficacy. Side effects are minimal with this wavelength and generally can be easily avoided, especially if the patient follows the pre- and post-treatment guidelines." I had my first YAG laser treatment this week and I must say that it was very quick and painless process. It's already an improvement from the painful aftermath of my usual electrolysis visits. I hope to continue working with Maureen over the next few months to see if I have reduced hyper-pigmentation and hair growth. So far, so good! Thank you, Maureen!

Laser: Great service and technician, but a little expensive. Massage: Fantastic! Highly recommend!

Came here for laser hair removal and I have to say Deidre is AMAZING. She is so fun and knowledgeable. I have lighter hair and tried to have laser done somewhere else and it did not work, so Deidre did a FREE test on me to see if we could get some results - and it WORKED! I just had my second session today and she had me laughing through all the 'zaps'. She really works with you to make sure you get the best results and does not overcharge. I highly recommend her!

I had heard about AHA from a co-worker and jumped right in to check them out. I had been considering microdermabrasion for quite a while, since my skin started going berserk 6 months ago. I did the 60 minute facial with microderm, and it was amazing! The esthetician, Sara, asked questions and recommended a few products which I am excited to try once I can use them on my face.

After my appointment was finished I could believe how soft my skin was! I was utterly blown away. It's worth trying once and if you don't like it at least you'll have beautifully soft skin afterwards. I am returning on Wednesday for a filler consultation, so I will update later!

I go to Alternative Health Associates for electrolysis. Best decision I have ever made. If you've tried laser hair removal and it hasn't worked for you and electrolysis is recommended, give it a shot!

Had a facial with Sara and it was actually the best I'd ever had and I've had many. Not sure what she did but my face is still glowing after almost two weeks. She spent 60 minutes on it and I swear I could have stayed there all day. I intend to make Sara my new go-to person from now on! Try her, you will not regret it! Before my facial I also had a one hour massage from Zara (next door to Sara) and it was great.

I have damaged my ankle so was a little hesitant to get the massage incase it was further damaged. Zara took great care not to touch it as part of the massage, and in fact, applied heat treatment to it so that I could relax a bit more. This place is great! It may be a little more pricey than some other places, as they say, you get what you pay for!

One of the owners had offered the teachers at the school I work at, and her children's previous elementary school, free massages for teacher appreciation week. The gesture was amazingly thoughtful, and I jumped at the opportunity! I went in for an hour long full body Swedish massage this morning with Lisa. She was welcoming, friendly, and so sweet. Lisa took her time and did such a wonderful job, I haven't felt so relaxed in way too long!

It was such a kind gesture of the owner, and I will absolutely be keeping her in mind the next time I need a massage, wax, or any of their services. Thank you Lisa and Maureen!

Deidre is by far the BEST at laser hair removal and facials! She is usually booked so make sure you book her weeks in advance. I have been going to her for over a year and she is beyond AMAZING! For laser removal she takes her time and answers any questions you have. I'm a total baby when it comes to pain ( laser hurts) she is so patient and will allow you to take a break if needed. I highly recommend her!

Wonderful! I received a gift certificate for a one-hour Hot Stone Massage & finally got a chance to use it. I can't believe I waited so long to go because it was amazing! I had no problem making an appointment the day before I wanted to go. I had Laura (I'm pretty sure that was her name), she was awesome, very friendly & made me feel completely relaxed for my first Hot Stone Massage.

The Hot Stone Massage was full body & ended almost exactly on time. I was a little afraid that the stones were going to be too hot but they were actually perfect temperature! I felt so relaxed & comfortable, I almost fell asleep a few times. The location is in Old Town Alexandria, in a old townhouse building. There's multiple floors with several small rooms, a lot of stairs!

You have to input a code to get through the front door, which they provide you. I'm not too sure about all the pricing but the one hour Hot Stone Massage was $118, which I thought wasn't too bad (I'm not too sure because I don't get professional massages). I would definitely recommend this place to everyone especially if you're looking to give someone a relaxing gift! I will definitely be back!

I enjoyed a wonderful massage with Laura on Saturday. She was able to focus on my problem areas (neck and shoulders) and still lightly hit the rest of my body with a relaxing massage. I think the most important part of the experience happens in the first few minutes when you are articulating your needs to the therapist and when she indicates she understands what you are looking for.

Take the extra time to do that, otherwise you are less likely to get what you need from the experience. So, the place is easy to find, fairly convenient, and offers a laundry list of services. I am considering coming here to finish up my almost completed hair removal. Also, if you are a dieter, and are looking for an easy spot to collect your ideal protein supplements, they have quite the inventory here. Me personally, I like to eat way too much to gag on meal replacements, but I know people who've had great success on these packets.

This is my goto place for massages, facials, etc. I have been to many places over the years, and this is by far the best. Booking an appointment is easy and they always fit me in when they can. I have used a number of their talented staff and I can honestly say that I have had nothing but fabulous experiences with each of them. I'd give you the name of my massage therapist but I don't want to share her;

I am a bit obsessive about hair removal, and results are very important to me. The technicians here gave me incredible results quickly, with both electrolysis and laser. After having been to other places that didn't provide results, it was a real relief to find experts who really understand what they are doing, providing excellent hair removal and professionalism.

The environment at Alternative Health is peaceful and relaxing like a day spa. Going there was always like going over to visit friends. Everyone I met was friendly, kind, and had a ready smile. I actually live in Montgomery County, Maryland, so going to Alternative Health is a bit of a long trip for me. But it is worth it 110%. I cannot find anywhere else to get results like this. I always recommend them to my friends.