What Qualifies a Spa to Be a Medical Spa?

It seems that "medical spas" keep popping up like Starbucks. You can find them on almost any street corner or mall these days. It is important to know that the requirements (if any) for a facility to call itself a medical spa vary from state to state. Some states (like Massachusetts) require a medical spa to be affiliated with a physician. They do NOT however, specify what kind of physician! Other states have no such requirements. When receiving ANY aesthetic procedure, the most... more

A true medical spa thus combines pampering spa treatments with medical-grade skin care treatments and products that provide visible results. For safety and best results look for a medical spa that is owned and operated by an on-site plastic surgeon. As a plastic surgeon, I believe wholeheartedly in the importance of a professional, scientifically-based skin care regimen. In my California practice, I frequently referred surgical patients to local medical aestheticians in order to prepare... more