With so many medical options out there, it may feel overwhelming when you choose your Medical Spa or Botox doctor.
Safety
First and foremost, safety should be your number one driving force and results should be a close second. It is always good to check reviews to give you an idea of how the business treats its clients and you may get some information on their outcomes. However, reviews cannot give you a lot of information about safety. It is imperative that you see a physician during or before your treatment. Medical spa treatments are medical procedures and should be directly supervised by a physician. In the State of Texas, it is the law that a medical spa must be owned by a doctor. This is not well enforced and many break the law without much consequence. It is always a good idea to keep yourself safe in a doctor’s office.
Now let’s go over the biggest reason you need to be in a doctor’s care. Your risk of major complications will be lower. In addition, in the event of a complication, a doctor is readily available. I can assure you an aesthetician will not likely know how to treat an embolized (blocked) artery in a timely fashion. Time is of the essence when you have an arterial occlusion from dermal fillers. The diagnosis has to be made quickly and the treatment must be rendered in minutes. Without a physician’s input, this would be a stretch. It is always great when the physician is readily available. Often policies and procedures are in place at a doctor’s office that will protect you in the event of a bad outcome.
Currently, at Rejuvenate Austin, I do all of the Dermal Fillers. I am very aware of the signs and symptoms of arterial occlusion, among other diagnoses that need to be made quickly. I think it is fabulous if you can have a physician do your injections. Many nurses do great injections as well, but just be sure the doctor is close by.
(Click here to learn more about Dr. Jessica Wright, a board-certified in General Surgeon)
Consultations
After weeding out the unsafe options, it is time to choose the medical spa that is the best fit for your needs. Go to several consultations before you choose unless you are wowed right at the beginning. Everyone has a different idea of what aesthetic is beautiful and appropriate. Some like a lot of Botox and dermal fillers, others like a more natural look. Although there is no wrong way, I am very partial to natural-looking results. I would rather your friends not know what you had done. I want them to say “Wow! You look great… Are you resting more?” You should look at a better version of yourself or a younger version of yourself. This is entirely my opinion.
I will never judge someone who wants to change their face drastically, BUT I will likely refer you to another office that is heavier-handed. I think it is very important to mesh with your doctor and have a similar taste in your aesthetic. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and our relationship (or your potential relationship with your doctor) is so much easier if we agree on the desired outcome. If the staff looks overfilled or strange, you might want to reconsider.
Equipment & Technology
The next thing to examine is the technology available for your treatments. Are the lasers the newest and cutting edge on the market? You will pay a tad more for a higher-performance laser, but you will get more bang for your buck. I currently have the Cynosure Vectus for hair removal and I haven’t regretted spending the extra money on that baby once. The treatments are faster, less painful, and more effective. That means you will return to my office for more treatments. I have two Cutera Lasers for rejuvenation and vascular lesions. I have three options for Micro-needling. I carry almost every filler. If a doctor really invests in her business, she will invest in your beauty and skin. Also, not every person is best suited for an individual laser. It is great to have multiple options to create a very customized skincare plan.
Another amazing investment I made in my practice was purchasing three Coolsculpting devices. What does that mean to you? Faster treatments, couples treatments, and more scheduling options. We can treat three areas at once! That gets you out the door and back to life three times faster. When choosing a Coolsculpting provider, make sure the person doing the treatment has attended a Coolsculpting University and check those reviews!
Reviews
Even though earlier I said that reviews cannot give you a lot of information about safety, I do feel they are a good indication of clients’ experiences with a particular Med Spa. It’s unrealistic to expect a Spa to never have a bad review, but the majority of reviews on Yelp, Facebook, and Google should be very positive. Even with bad reviews, it’s good to see if and how the Med Spa responded.
