Questions to ask before a medical spa procedure
- Who owns and operates the med spa?
- Who is performing the medical procedure?
- Do they have the proper education, training and oversight?
For optimal patient safety, ASDSA supports medical spa procedures based on patient outcomes and quality care, as well as appropriate on-site physician supervision, oversight and training.
ASDSA encourages patients to ensure medical procedures are performed or directly supervised by a physician, especially by a board certified dermatologist as recommended in the “Medical Spa Safety Act.” This model legislation calls on states to regulate medical spas and keep medical procedures under the oversight of physicians, along with requiring medical directors to have training on all procedures being performed. The model bill also includes additional staff education requirements, notification to the public if a physician is not on-site and options for mandatory adverse event reporting.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a guidance in 2023 to state that anyone considering a neurotoxin or dermal filler should consult with a licensed provider who is experienced in injecting dermal fillers; knowledgeable about fillers, anatomy, managing complications; and knows the risks and benefits of treatment.
If you encounter any adverse events associated with a procedure, please report them to the Cutaneous Procedures Adverse Events Reporting (CAPER) registry at caper.net.
Medical Spa Industry Growth
- Since 2010, the number of medical spas nationwide have increased nearly six-fold
- In 2025, the medical spa industry in the United States was valued at approximately $23.3 billion, up significantly from prior years.
- The market is projected to reach $26.2 billion in 2026 and grow to more than $47 billion by 2031, reflecting continued rapid expansion.