There's something about IV therapy that's fundamentally creepy. IVs are for accidents, chemotherapy and generally dire situations—not for young, healthy people trying to defeat the laws of the universe by defying their hangovers. But welcome to the future, where you can in fact choose an IV Therapy cocktail from a menu. Whether you're sweating whiskey from the night before, feel a cold coming on, or wrecked after getting torqued at the gym—there's an IV for that.
At upward of $100 per bag, the service is only for the upper echelon—or college kids with access to Daddy's money. But we can't hide our curiosity about whether it actually works. Anyone we asked who had used the service said how magical it all was, a short cut to the gallons of water one usually needs to get over a hangover.
The Hydration Room in Newport Beach offers IV therapy in a doctor/spa environment in which the bags are slung high above chaise longues. They're almost out of sight, so it might initially look like people are just hanging out. Also offered is a drip that claims it will help you to lose weight. Quack-watchers and Dr. Oz both question the validity of the treatment—which is funny considering Dr. Oz's own quackery. But there's not much to debunk—drink water, take vitamins, feel healthier. If nothing else, being hooked up to an IV for an hour probably has a gnarly placebo effect.
