Medical spas, or “medspas,” are booming across the country, promising everything from wrinkle-smoothing injections to laser skin rejuvenation in a spa-like setting. But as highlighted recently on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, behind the glossy marketing is a serious problem: patient safety is being left behind in a rapidly growing, underregulated industry.
The Wild West of Beauty and Medicine
Medspas operate in a legal gray area, offering both medical (like Botox, fillers, and lasers) and non-medical (like facials) procedures. There are now more than 10,000 medspas in the U.S., generating billions in revenue, but there’s no federal definition or consistent oversight for what a medspa is or how it should be run. State laws vary wildly: in some places, only doctors can perform certain procedures, while in others, almost anyone can. This patchwork leaves dangerous gaps in accountability and training.
Real Risks, Real Consequences
The consequences are real. Reports of burns, severe infections, nerve damage, and even hospitalizations are rising as unqualified or unsupervised staff perform complex procedures.Some medspas have been caught using counterfeit or non-FDA approved products, and in the worst cases, patients have been left with permanent injuries or no legal recourse. Recent enforcement actions in states like New York have led to fines, license suspensions, and even permanent closures for medspas operating outside the law.
What Needs to Change?
Experts across dermatology, plastic surgery, and healthcare law agree on the urgent need for:
- Universal safety standards for all medspas, regardless of location
- Real, on-site medical supervision—not just a physician’s name on paperwork
- Advanced licensure and training for estheticians and injectors
- Transparent patient information about who is performing procedures, their qualifications, and the products being used
The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association and other professional groups recommend that only board-certified physicians, or those directly supervised by them, perform medical procedures in medspas. They also call for clear public notification if a physician is not on-site and mandatory adverse event reporting.
How to Protect Yourself
Before you book your next treatment, ask:
- Who is performing the procedure?
- Are they licensed and specifically trained for this treatment?
- Is the product or device FDA-approved?
- What emergency protocols are in place if something goes wrong?
If you don’t get clear answers, or if staff seem defensive, consider it a red flag and walk away.
The medspa industry is growing faster than the rules designed to protect patients. Until stronger, universal standards are in place, it’s up to consumers to do their homework and demand transparency. Real beauty should never come at the cost of your health.
References:
- https://www.medestheticsmag.com/home/article/22944238/john-oliver-exposed-a-medspa-crisisaesthetics-experts-urge-clearer-universal-safety-standards-law-reform?utm_source=newsletter-html&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ME+E-Newsletter+06-25-2025
- https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jun/09/john-oliver-med-spas
