A Black-owned clinic in Florissant is combining primary care with cosmetic treatments and offering a membership option for uninsured patients, seeking to make routine health care more accessible in North St. Louis County.
MEDA Spa opened Sept. 5.
Angela Talton, owner of MEDA and a board-certified family nurse practitioner, said the clinic’s primary focus is patients’ health, with aesthetic services serving as another way to help them feel confident.
“We want to make sure that patient health is taken care of first and foremost,” Talton said. “When they are well inside, it exudes externally and confidently on the outside, and that’s where the aesthetics part comes into play.”
In a 2024 community survey of 449 North County residents, 41% identified health care costs as a barrier to receiving care, followed by lack of insurance and transportation, according to Mercy’s 2025 Community Health Needs Assessment.
Talton, who has more than 20 years of experience in nursing and health care, said the practice grew from her interest in providing IV hydration outside of a hospital setting. The idea eventually expanded into a practice offering primary care, wellness and aesthetic services under one roof.
Photo by Lawrence Bryant | St. Louis American
MEDA provides family primary care for patients from newborns through older adults, including annual exams, sick visits, preventive care and weight management. The clinic also offers IV hydration and aesthetic services including facials, chemical peels, microneedling, laser treatments, Botox and fillers.
While many of those services are supported by established medical research, the American College of Clinical Pharmacology says there is little evidence that IV hydration and vitamin treatments benefit otherwise healthy people.
MEDA’s combination of health and aesthetic services comes as the medical aesthetics industry continues to grow nationwide.
The number of medical spas in the U.S. increased from 8,899 in 2022 to 10,488 in 2023, according to the American Med Spa Association. The organization estimates the industry now generates more than $17 billion in revenue and is growing by more than $1 billion annually.
Talton said patients begin with a consultation so providers can review their medical history, discuss their goals and determine whether a requested treatment is appropriate.
“We’re not here to just provide the service,” Talton said. “It is to provide the right service, for the right reason, for a patient.”
Wyvon Boykin decided to try MEDA’s aesthetic services during its grand opening.
Boykin received the MEDA Glow Express, a 30-minute treatment marking his first-ever facial. He said the experience was relaxing and appreciated that the aesthetician explained the products being applied to his skin and their purpose.
“I walked away with a glow that I don’t usually have,” Boykin said.
He said he plans to return for additional services and found the pricing reasonable.
Florissant resident Katrina Macklin, a MEDA patient, said she takes choosing a health care provider seriously and tends to remain with providers long term.
Macklin discovered MEDA on Facebook while searching for a new primary care provider after the doctor she had seen for more than 10 years retired. She said finding a Black provider was also important because she wanted someone she felt could relate to her health concerns.
“It was just really like a breath of fresh air to have somebody … look like you that’s able to give you and do the healthcare that you need to … look and feel your best,” Macklin said.
Macklin initially became interested in MEDA’s IV hydration services and received a MEDA Myers Wellness Shot, a vitamin-and-mineral treatment, during the clinic’s grand opening. The Myers Wellness Shot is marketed as a treatment to boost energy and promote general wellness.
“It was like the lights turned on,” Macklin said. “I felt so much better.”
She later established primary care at MEDA, where her medical history was reviewed and blood work was ordered to evaluate her health and determine whether she may need additional treatment or supplements.
Macklin said MEDA’s location also made accessing care more convenient.
“It worked out for me because now I don’t have to travel all the way out to Chesterfield,” Macklin said. “I can come right here, like 10 minutes away, you know, and be seen.”
Beyond accepting insurance, MEDA offers a primary care membership for people without insurance. Talton said the option is intended to provide more affordable access to routine care and potentially prevent patients from waiting until their health worsens before seeking treatment.
“Offering affordable prices for the community was paramount, and that is what the membership from a primary care standpoint is designed to offer,” Talton said.
MEDA also offers memberships for aesthetic services, allowing patients to receive certain treatments regularly and access discounts on other services and skin care products.
The clinic accepts Medicare, Medicaid, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and other insurance plans and offers in-person and telehealth appointments.
Talton said she hopes MEDA can help residents seek care before their health concerns become more serious.
“It’s too often that our patients go without healthcare services because they believe that it is not affordable,” Talton said. “And then they wait until it is an emergency or visit an urgent care or an emergency room when their condition is worsened.”