It’s no secret that day spas outnumber the foot traffic of many shopping centers, second only to nail salons. So if there are so many day spas, why is there a need for a Med Spa and how do they differ?
There are many services a day spa cannot legally provide because of the licenses necessary. There are numerous laws, which may vary state to state, that regulate who is able to provide a specific service as well as what kind of medical supervision is required. MedSpas specialize in medical grade, non invasive treatments, which many times translate to everything people go to plastic surgeons for minus surgical procedures.
Laser hair removal, intensive skin resurfacing treatments, injections such as Botox and dermal fillers, and body contouring are all treatments you can usually find in medical spas. Every state has different requirements as to who can perform the different services, so it’s important for you to know if the medspa you receive is following the protocol of your state. You never want to put yourself at risk.
Even though medspas have medical practitioners on site performing treatments, they are not a substitute for medical specialists such as a dermatologist. The focus of medspa professionals is to help you achieve your non invasive cosmetic desires, not to diagnose or treat medical conditions. Can some of the offered procedures help with different skin conditions? Absolutely! However, the focus is more cosmetic, as opposed to medical.
Common day spa services include massages, hair and nail care, non medical grade facials and hair removal services such as waxing and threading.
Common medspa services include laser hair removal, medical grade facials, microneedling, skin resurfacing laser treatments, injections such as Botox and dermal fillers, in addition to facial treatments. Able to provide stronger take home products to better fit your skin needs and conditions. Blending the best of both worlds, the relaxing environment of a day spa with the expertise of medically trained professionals.
- Botox- BOTOX® Cosmetic is an FDA approved prescription medicine, and is an injectable wrinkle treatment that is able to improve dynamic wrinkles safely and effectively. After its approval from FDA over ten years ago, BOTOX®Cosmetic has been the number-one physician-administered aesthetic procedure in the United States.
- Dermal Fillers- Dermal fillers are FDA approved injectable treatments that are used to smooth away facial wrinkles, creases and folds, and to restore skin volume and fullness for a more youthful appearance. They are commonly used to treat nasolabial Folds, Marionette lines, vertical lip lines and to augment different areas of the face without invasive surgery.
- Chemical Peels- Physician grade chemical peels are used to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and help healthy new skin cells rise to the surface, resulting in a smooth and radiant complexion. Chemical peels treat acne, skin discoloration and fine lines and wrinkles, safe for all skin types.
- IPL Photofacials- Photofacials, also known as photo-rejuvenation, IPL( intense pulse light) or BBL™ (BroadBand Light) laser treatments, use light to mend the damage caused by the sun and aging. This proprietary treatment protocol consists of a series of Intense Pulsed Light treatments that improve the appearance of rosacea, flushing, sun damaged skin, age spots, skin texture and photo aging.
- Microneedling- Used for the treatment of fine lines, large pores, acne scars and skin rejuvenation. Microneedling triggers a release of natural collagen in the skin and improves skin elasticity.
- Laser Hair Removal- A popular hair removal service, more appropriately name “laser hair reduction”, this service uses light therapy to stun hair follicles, slowing and eliminating hair growth.
- Non invasive fat reduction- Either done by way of injections such as Kybella or body contouring systems (such as truSculpt 3D), body contouring is the latest solution to sculpting your body and getting more tone.
- Skin tightening- This treatment can be done with both lasers and body contouring systems (the ones that use heat) and are very effective in improving the texture and appearance of lax skin.
- Vein treatments- Spider veins are a pretty common problem. Luckily, they are fairly easy to treat with a laser.
As you can see, there are many more options available at a medical spa to help you achieve your cosmetic needs, and these mentioned are just a fraction of offerings available. The important note to remember is making sure you choose a place that has proper medical supervision and licensed professionals administering treatments. This is when “you get what you pay for” matters. Sometimes cutting corners can become a medical emergency. Do your research and ask plenty of questions!
If you’re curious how our medical spa can help you revive your beauty, call us today at 301-760-7603 to schedule a free consultation!
