If you are looking for a med spa for a specific treatment, you definitely want to keep certain criteria in mind. However, before even thinking about which med spa to choose, make sure you first know the difference between a day spa and a med spa.
Day Spas vs. Med Spas
Day spas and medical spas (a.k.a. med spas) are different. A med spa is a cross between a spa and a medical clinic. The biggest difference between a spa and a med spa are the kinds of procedures, treatments and services offered.
Unlike day spas, medical spas are overseen or run by a medical doctor. That doesn’t mean a medical doctor will perform all of your treatments, but all treatments will be done under the supervision of a medical doctor. Most med spa employees include nurses, physician assistants and medical aestheticians. Further, most cosmetic treatments done at medi spas are corrective and more aggressive in nature than those you would find on the menu of a day spa, where they focus more on relaxation versus correcting skin conditions and concerns.
Examples of day spa treatments include massages, seaweed wraps and an array of facials. In contrast, examples of Med spa treatments include laser treatments (including laser hair removal), Botox and cosmetic fillers, IPL, microneedling, corrective chemical peels (for acne, pigmentation, sun damage, anti-aging), skin resurfacing, etc.
Qualities of the Right Med Spa
Since the treatments you receive at a Med spa are more aggressive, you will want to select one where you will get the best service and care in the event you have any post-treatment concerns or adverse reactions. Experience is the key and the presence of a doctor to deal with any side effects is imperative. In addition, the right med spa will be informative, communicative, and reputable.
Informative
Keep in mind during your search that a reputable med spa will discuss the procedure at length and put a treatment plan together that will help you reach your goals for your skin. The professionals at the right med spa will let you know if you will need to prep for the treatment prior to having it done, what you can expect during and following treatment, including what the procedure will feel like and what sensations you might experience post-treatment. The more information they can give you, the more prepared you can be and plan accordingly for your med spa treatment. The right med spa will also provide you with post-treatment care instructions and, where applicable, any post procedure products you will need to use for the best results.
Communicative
Since you will want to have as much information about your treatment, as well as both pre- and post-treatment expectations, you want to select a med spa that clearly communicates with you and is easily reached by phone, email, etc. If you reach out to a med spa and notice that you are not receiving timely responses, or if you notice that the phone number often goes to voicemail rather than a front desk coordinator or representative, consider the lack of communication a red flag. Instead, the right med spa should make you feel like you are the number one priority, since you will want to make sure you can easily reach medical aestheticians and the supervising doctor at your chosen med spa should you need anything before or after your treatment.
Reputable
You should look for the right med spa in the same way you would look for the right medical doctor. Ask for referrals, read reviews, look for experience, and be sure you feel confident they will be able to achieve the results you are looking for as well as handle any issue that might arise during treatment. Reviews will help you get a better sense of what other patients’ experiences have been like, but you are also the best judge of your own instincts.
The bottom line when searching for the right med spa for you: make sure you feel comfortable with the staff to take good care of you before, during and after your treatment. No matter what treatment you will be receiving, you deserve a med spa that will meet your individual needs.
