They kind of do, though.  But the magic is done by this mysterious thing we call the *subconscious mind* and a little belief on the part of their clients.

Call it a *placebo* if you like.  Call it whatever makes you feel most comfortable with it.  Some prefer "magic" because it has a Disney feel to it.

I'd rather take advantage of the mental mechanism behind it than worry about the word used to describe it.