Dr. Body (Beverly Hills board-certified plastic surgeon Stuart Linder, M.D.) and Dr. Face (cosmetic plastic surgeon Robert Kotler, M.D.) have looked at Medi-Spas and offer a few recommendations.
Now an established trend in the world of beauty, the Medi-Spa offers most of the creature comforts and indulgences found in regular day spas, along with lighter cosmetic surgical services like laser hair removal, microdermabrasion and a few other cosmetic medical procedures like Botox injections.
The facilities may be found in shopping centers and strip malls, attached to – or near — the offices of plastic and cosmetic surgeons or even at beauty salons.
But the field has grown so fast, there are no national standards regulating services, what constitutes a legitimate Medi-spa or even descriptions of the range of medical services that can be safely delivered to patrons.
Doctors Body and Face jointly belong to:
- The American Academy of Facial Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery.
- American Board of Plastic Surgery
- The American Medical Association
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Dr. Face: (Dr. Kotler) From where I sit, it appears the Medi-spa industry represents a $10 billion trend and seems like it is here to stay. But before asking for medical treatments, a client should ask him-or-herself a few questions first.
Dr. Body: (Dr. Linder) Such as?
Dr. Face: If a physician’s name is on the door, people should ask if the doctor is on — or close to — the site. And, for patients’ protection and safety, the medical director should ideally be a plastic surgeon, facial plastic surgeon or dermatologist. After all, these are the specialists who know skin the best. Having a proctologist or neurosurgeon lend his name to the facility’s signs would not be very reassuring to me. Plus, in most states, strict regulations exist about who can give injections for Botox, Restylane or other fillers. For instance, in California, only RNs and physician assistants may administer injections, under direction of an MD.
Dr. Body: Personally, I would ask who will be giving the injections and then ask about their qualifications, training and experience. Why? Because the results of facial fillers and wrinkle removers are what we surgeons refer to as highly “provider dependent.” Translation: The result depends on the skill of the injector. Remember, it requires years and years of expert training and practice for anybody to develop a deft, precise touch with a needle to provide good results. You always want a superspecialist at your service.
Dr. Face: If you are going to have any injectable, peel or laser procedure, ask who is responsible for complications or other problems that may crop up. Again, is the Medi-spa of your choice located in, or next to, a physician’s office?
Dr. Body: I can imagine some consumers interested in cosmetic procedures would start by asking a physician if he or she can help with the person’s cosmetic goals, what any side effects of a treatment might be and what the best overall treatment plan is. The doctor should also as supervise – if not handle — the delivery of the actual treatment.
Dr. Face: Office, non-surgical procedures like Botox, Dysport, tissue fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm, Perlane or Sculptra and skin treatments with lasers and radiofrequency devices, along with milder skin peels, should be done under the direct supervision of a doctor specialist who knows skin. A patient receiving a deep peel must be under anesthesia and is precluded from doing the procedure in a Medi-spa. Deep peels must be done under general anesthesia in certified operating rooms and only by an MD, of course.
Dr. Body: If I were a consumer going in for a quick therapeutic whirlpool bath and a little Botox, I would sure want to know if the person giving me the injection is very practiced, with years of experience. For instance, too much Botox into the area between your eyes or your forehead could result in a sagging eyelid. Imagine what you would look like with one eyelid at half mast!
Dr. Face: By the same token, an anesthetician, a licensed skin care specialist, is qualified to do the lighter chemical peels but not a medium or stronger-strength peel. What about the massages Medi-Spas advertise for patients who have just had some a major cosmetic plastic surgery of the body like tummy tucks, liposuction, buttocks lifts or breast reductions? Are those post surgical massages O.K. to have in a Medi-spa?
Dr. Body: I’ve seen them advertised, but in my opinion, the compression garments that those patients wear after surgery are more important than post-surgical massages to keep the lymphatic system going and clearing waste products from the body. At any rate, the massages can’t hurt.
Dr. Face: We urge Medi-spa patrons to ask questions about training and qualifications because some doctors who advertise themselves as “cosmetic doctors” may lack the specialized training that’s needed to deliver drugs and fillers to the deeper levels of skin. It also takes specialized training to handle some of the unforeseen medical complications that can crop up. Remember, facial peels, injectable fillers, Botox, Dysport, micro-dermabrasion, laser hair removal and other less invasive cosmetic procedures are in a different medical league than facials, massages and other beauty treatments. Help yourself by first doing a little homework on the procedure in which you are interested.
Dr. Body: For many of the more involved cosmetic plastic surgery body procedures like breast reduction or breast revision surgery, seeing any cosmetic surgeon may not be a wise move. Medicine today is highly specialized and requires the right specialist to deliver good results! The best work is always done by the most specialized and the most focused.
Dr. Face: We should also add that those facial filler injection, such as Restylane and Juvederm are temporary. But scientific research will bring longer-lasting products, so stay tuned!
Dr. Body: One other thing patients can do.
Dr. Face: What’s that?
Dr. Body: Ask to see the Medi-spa’s patients before and after pictures!
