What Makes a Medspa Different from a Regular Spa or Clinic?

What Is a Medspa?

A medspa, also known as a medical spa, is a facility that combines traditional spa and medical expertise to provide non-surgical aesthetic treatments. A licensed healthcare professional supervises a medspa and ideally, is usually on-site. . It is ideal for those seeking medical-grade solutions for specific skin concerns while receiving the luxury care of a traditional spa.

Common conditions that can be treated include wrinkles, loose skin, fine lines, acne, acne scars, skin discolorations, excessive body fat, and several others.

Regular Spa: Focused on Relaxation, Not Medical Results

If you’ve had a long and stressful week and are seeking relaxation, a regular spa is the ideal spot. A regular spa (or day spa) focuses on relaxation, self-care, and non-medical  treatments. These include facials, massages, pedicures, manicures, and body wraps.

Their services provide rejuvenation and relaxation for the mind and body in a tranquil, therapeutic environment. They do not perform medical procedures or use medical-grade technology, and hence do not offer medical results. Services are carried out by licensed aestheticians and massage therapists, and there’s no need for medical doctor supervision. 

The goal of a regular spa is solely to offer relaxation, stress relief, facial cleansing, and overall wellness, providing a luxurious and therapeutic experience.

Traditional Medical Clinic: Focused on Health, Not Beauty

A medical clinic is a facility where health is the priority. It is mainly focused on the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases.

Unlike the regular spa and the medspa that offer relaxation and aesthetic services, a medical clinic is concerned with medical care. A medical clinic offers a different service from Medspa when it comes to skin care; they focus on treating skin diseases. In a medical clinic where a dermatologist is the doctor, diagnoses and treatments of skin diseases, biopsies, and surgeries are some of the focused services offered 

A medical clinic is overseen by a licensed physician and staffed with qualified health care professionals such as nurses, physician assistants, and specialists.

Medspa Blends Clinical Expertise with Beauty Goals

While a regular traditional spa and a medical clinic serve their purpose in relaxation and health care respectively, Medspa stands out by combining the best of two worlds–clinical expertise and beauty goals. 

This combination of regular spa and medical-grade expertise allows Medspas to offer solutions to a broader spectrum of skin concerns and also provide the luxury of therapeutic experience, enhancing your overall beauty while giving you the best care. 

Treatments You’ll Only Find at a Medspa

A medspa offers a variety of non-surgical aesthetic treatments. The treatment’s availability depends on the medical spa and the certification of its providers. Some common treatments you’ll find in a Medspa include:

• Injectables: Botox®, Dysport®, Xeomin®, Jeuveau, Daxxify, Letybo (neurotoxins); Juvéderm®, Restylane® (dermal fillers), RHA, Evolysse, Versa; Kybella® (fat dissolving).
• Laser & Light Therapies: Laser hair removal, IPL (photofacials for sun spots/redness), laser skin resurfacing (CO2, Fraxel), vascular lasers (for spider veins), tattoo removal.
• Thread Lift and Collagen Building Smooth Threads: Threads such as Novathreads and Mint threads are used to either lift the skin (Beyond threads or Barb threads) or increase skin firmness by inducing collagen production (smooth threads).  
• Advanced Skin Treatments: Medical-grade chemical peels, microneedling (often with RF), PRP, PRF, EZ Gel, HydraFacial MD® (medical-grade version).
• Body Contouring: CoolSculpting® (cryolipolysis), EMSCULPT NEO® (muscle building/fat reduction), radiofrequency (RF) treatments for tightening.
• Medical-Grade Skincare: Prescription-strength topical products (e.g., high-dose retinoids, hydroquinone).

Benefits of Choosing a Medspa Over a Spa or Clinic

• Customized care: Medspas don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to beauty and skincare. Medspas provide personalized treatment plans for your skin needs.
• Medically trained personnel: Medspas have trained medical practitioners, usually supervised by a medical doctor. This means you get the best aesthetic care for your skin.
• Minimally invasive procedures: The treatment options in a medspa are minimally invasive. This means there is less downtime and quicker recovery.
• Innovative technology: The devices available in a medspa are cutting-edge. They assure you of FDA approved modalities and efficacious results after treatment.
• Versatile treatment options: Medspas give you a variety of treatment options. This ensures your care is more personalized and effective.
• Durable results: The results of medspa treatment will last longer than routine spa care. This is owing to the advanced devices used for treatment in medspas.

How to Choose the Right Medspa for Your Needs

There are a plethora of medspa options available. It can be challenging to choose the right medspa for you.

Here are some things to consider:

• Identify your needs and expectations
• Research on the Medspas (review sites, chat GPT)
• Prioritize expertise and safety practices (Medical Doctor on-site or very close by)
• Decide on your budget

Who Performs the Treatments at a Medspa vs Spa vs Clinic?

At a medspa, the services and procedures are carried out by a team of board-certified nurse practitioners, physician assistants, medical doctors, and registered nurses under the supervision of a licensed medical doctor who oversees all aspects of the treatment.

Aestheticians and massage therapists perform the services and treatments in a regular spa.

In a clinic, physicians and other licensed medical professionals, such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants, typically perform the treatments, often focusing on more medically necessary or surgical procedures.

Medspa Safety Standards & Regulations

The safety standards and regulations in a medspa are diverse and cover several approaches. These are geared towards offering you the best care.

• Hygiene and Sterilization:The facility must be kept clean. The treatment surfaces should be wiped properly with an EPA-approved disinfectant. All medical instruments and devices must be sterilized. All biohazard waste should be properly disposed of.

• Qualified and well-trained staff: The staff at the medspa should be well-trained. Their qualifications should meet the requirements for med spa workers. They must also get constant refresher courses on the safe use of instruments and devices.

• Informed consent: No procedure should ever be undertaken without a proper explanation of the procedure to the patient and a signed consent.

• Treatment-specific rules: Some regulations are specific to certain treatments. These must be adhered to judiciously.

• Emergency protocol: Each facility must have a protocol to follow in emergency situations.

• Quality products: The products used for treatment in the medspa should be authentic, FDA approved, good-quality products. This ensures the best results and minimal complications.

Popular Myths About Medspas (And the Truth)

• Myth #1: Medspas are just nicer day spas.

This couldn’t be farther from the truth. While day spas deal with aesthetic care and relaxation from aestheticians and therapists, medspas have more advanced treatments undertaken by medical professionals.

• Myth #2: Medspa treatments are only for women

This is a common thought about Medspas. It is not true. In the medspa, there are treatments available for both men and women!

• Myth #3: Medspa treatments are painful and require prolonged downtime 

This isn’t true. Many of the treatments are minimally invasive and in proper hands, with appropriate numbing agents, operable or even pain free.  The downtime is also minimal!

• Myth #4: Medspa treatments are unsafe

This isn’t true. The treatments are usually FDA-approved. There are rarely serious side effects and the downtime is minimal.

Cost Comparison: Medspa vs Spa vs Dermatology Clinic

The cost of Medspa treatment is usually higher than that of a traditional spa. It is also lower than a dermatology clinic.

However, the cost varies based on several factors:

• The treatment required
• The location of the medspa, medical clinic, or spa
• The experience of the practitioners

Pros and Cons of Medspas

The pros of Medspas include:

• Noninvasive treatment
• Personalized care
• Improves your confidence
• Calming environment
• Focused treatment

The cons of Medspas include:

• Risks of complications (although low)
• Cost of treatment
• Unrealistic expectations
• Repeated treatment may be required

Who Should Visit a Medspa?

If you fit into any of the following, you should visit a Medspa:

• Over 18 years of age
• Desire youthful, rejuvenated skin
• Boost your general appearance and wellness
• Want to treat the following :
• Acne and acne scars
• Fine Lines and wrinkles
• Age spots and hyperpigmentation
• Loose skin and cellulite
• Non-surgical lifting of face
• Enhancement of different regions of face 

Personalized Consultations and Long-Term Skin Plans

The consultations in medspas are personalized and focused on getting the best treatment for your needs. Your skin issues aren’t just treated, the experts also explore long-term plans for your skin.

Final Thoughts: Which One Is Right for You?

We have explored the differences between the medspa, traditional spa, and medical clinic. The right one for you should be easy to pick now. Just identify your needs, and you can pick what best suits them!