Safety is...a real MediSpa

In 2006, a woman receiving wrinkle-filler injections began having a grand mal seizure. The woman was fortunate: she was in a medical office, with a doctor and staff equipped to help her.

Another woman in Raleigh, N.C. was not so fortunate. She scheduled a “photo-facial,” but during the treatment, the laser was set too high. The woman insisted the treatment was painful, but the aesthetician continued. This woman was left with oozing blisters which sent her to the emergency room. Instead of a smooth complexion, the results was deep scars and white spots where burns had permanently destroyed her pigment...and she spent more than $10,000 for treatment, which was not covered by health insurance.

Many cosmetic procedures—Botox, wrinkle fillers, laser facial treatments and more—are being performed in places called “medi-spas.” Fact is, a medispa can be anything from an area within a dermatologist’s office to a storefront at the mall that offers Botox along with manicures and massages. Those “non-medical” medispas may be putting you at risk.

And there are no federal regulations mandating who can and cannot perform cosmetic procedures and no laws to guarantee truth in advertising. It’s up to you to do research.

According to the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, 45 percent of dermatologic surgeons reported an increase in the number of patients coming in for corrective treatments after a cosmetic procedure performed by a non-physician. And not every MD is a qualified expert in facial rejuvenation procedures. You want a specialized physician familiar with skin and with facial anatomy: a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons. You want to put your face in the hands of a board-certified plastic surgeon surrounded by qualified staff and a completely equipped and modern medical facility. Anything less is risky business.