6 Questions To Ask Your Med-Spa Professionals

Although the economy has caused traditional spas to take a big hit, med or medi-spas are still thriving.

There are many reasons for the evolution of the med-spa trend including the fact that injectible services which offer a wide range of "temporary" physical changes, need to be routinely reapplied to maintain the changes.

(Image of Injection Needles - Haap Media, Inc., - All Rights Reserved)

Yes, injectibles are generally more affordable than hard core surgical techniques, but they do require consistent maintenance.

Injectibles offer a wonderful range of options for customers concerned about going under the knife or with limited budgets.

Injectibles are still serious business which can alter your appearance in a positive or negative way.  Before you jump on the injectibles or med-spa bandwagon do your homework.

If you've decided to journey through med-spa doors for a sample of their injectibles ore related spa menu be sure to always ask the following questions to protect your face, body, overall health and bank balance.

1.  Who is the doctor in charge of the med-spa?   Does the spa have a group of doctors or just a supervising doctor who only shows up on a random basis?

Not only should you get details about the doctor in charge of the spa, it's important to know how often the doctor is present at the spa.

What many consumers may not know is that even though a doctor may either own or manage a spa, they may only pop in sporadically, trusting the daily operations and treatments to trained technicians.   In reality, many med-spas may only have the actual presence of a doctor a few hours a month.

2.  What is the doctor's specialty? Some med-spa doctors actually specialize in the application of injectibles and will perform the treatments themselves.   Others are board certified plastic surgeons.

In other cases doctors who are not even board certified plastic surgeons will open a med-spa because of the potential profits.  They may or may not actually do the treatments.

3.  Do the patients/clients of the med-spa have direct access to the doctor in charge? Does the doctor actually meet and consult with the patients before they receive various treatments?

4.  How are unexpected reactions handled and managed? What is the treatment plan for an allergic reaction?  Is there a 24 hour emergency contact system in place?

5.  Are detailed pre-treatment evaluations performed? How detailed are the evaluations?  Are the performed by the doctor or by a trained technician?  Do you have access to your records?  Can copies be transferred to other providers by your request?

6.  Do the treatments come with any type of guarantee? What is your financial responsibility if the initial treatment fails or you have an allergic reaction?  What are the known risks to the treatment or treatments you are considering?

Information Packets

The best med-spas will have an information packet already prepared for you at your first visit which answers most if not all of the questions above.  However, not all med-spas will offer the same level of detailed information.

My Own Med-Spa Experiences

I've actually visited three different med-spas.  The first time was to receive an Obagi peel which was referred to as a blue peel.  I was provided with a detailed information packet which answered all of the questions above.  I never met the doctor before, during or after my peel, which was extremely painful (at least for me) but the results were spectacular and lasted for one year.

I also re-visited the med-spa where I had the Obagi peel for a follow-up check-up at which time they convinced me to try Botox.  The technician who applied my peel also injected me with the Botox between my eyebrows.   Again, I did not meet the doctor.   Although I ultimately visited the med-spa three times, I never met or saw the doctor.

Going Under The Knife

My second experience with a med-spa was to have suspicious moles removed off my face and back.  Since I was concerned about scarring, I went to a med-spa with a famous father and son plastic surgery team.  The mole was cut from my back and no scarring resulted.  They also encouraged me to have a special glycolic peel on my face.  On all three visits I met with either the father or the son plastic surgeon even though a technican applied the peels.

Injectibles Clinic

My final experience with a med-spa occurred approximately two years ago.  I visited a well-known Frisco, Texas injectibles clinic to evaluation another application of Botox.  Not only did I meet the doctor, no injectible treatments are performed without him being present.

Although I decided against the Botox for my own personal reasons, I was very impressed with his med-spa and have referred several people to him since I last visited.

Keep in mind that ultimately you are responsible for your own treatment and care.  Always do your homework, ask questions and only proceed if you feel completely comfortable.  Afterall, it's your face people will see, not the med-spa professionals who treated you.

More Information

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