EXHIBIT 5.1
 
   
                                  July 8, 1997
    
 
Universal Self Care, Inc.
11585 Farmington Road
Livonia, Michigan 48150
 
                     RE: REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-3
 
Gentlemen:
 
   
    We refer to the public offering of up to 6,499,086 shares of common stock,
$.0001 par value (the "Common Stock"), of Universal Self Care, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), including 1,707,875 shares of Common Stock
underlying certain publicly traded warrants (the 'Public Warrants') issued in
connection with the Company's 1992 public offering and 1996 secondary offering
(collectively, the "Securities"), pursuant to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to
Form SB-2 Registration Statement and Form S-3 Registration Statement on Form S-3
Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July
8, 1997 (Registration No. 333-     ) (the "Registration Statement"), as
subsequently amended from time to time.
    
 
   
    In furnishing our opinion, we have examined copies of said Registration
Statement under the Securities Act of 1993, as amended. We have conferred with
officers of the Company and have examined the originals or certified, conformed
or photostatic copies of such records of the Company, certificates of officers
of the Company, certificates of public officials and such other documents as we
have deemed relevant and necessary as the basis for the opinion set forth
herein. In all such examinations, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted and reviewed by us as
originals or duplicate originals and the conformity to original documents of all
documents submitted to us as certified, photostatic or conformed copies, the
correctness and completeness of such certificates, the due authorization,
execution and delivery of all documents by persons, where due authorization,
execution and delivery are prerequisites to the effectiveness thereof, and the
absence of any impairment, legal or otherwise, effecting the performance by all
parties to such documents (other than the Company), which assumptions we have
not independently verified.
    
 
   
    Based upon and subject to the foregoing and such other matters of fact and
questions of law as we have deemed relevant in the circumstances, and in
reliance thereon, it is our opinion that, when and if:
    
 
    (a) The Registration Statement shall have become effective, as the same may
hereafter be amended; and
 
    (b) The Common Stock to be sold shall have been sold as contemplated in the
Prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement (including the exercise of
the Public Warrants);
 
then upon the happening of each of the events set forth in paragraphs (a) and
(b), inclusive above:
 
       The Common Stock being sold, including the Common Stock begin sold upon
       exercise of the Public Warrants, upon execution and delivery of proper
       certificates therefor, will be duly authorized, validly issued and
       outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock of the
       Company.
 
    The undersigned hereby consent to the use of their name in the Registration
Statement and in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement,
and to references in this opinion contained therein under the caption of the
Prospectus entitled "Legal Opinions".

    This opinion is limited to the matters herein, and may not be relied upon in
any manner by any other person or used for any other purpose other than in
connection with the corporate authority for the issuance of Common Stock.
 
                                Very truly yours,
 
                                GREENBERG TRAURIG HOFFMAN
                                LIPOFF ROSEN & QUENTEL
 
                                By:        /s/ GREENBERG TRAURIG, ET AL.
                                     -----------------------------------------
                                                Authorized Signatory