The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Association (ASDSA) has issued a stark warning about the potential risks posed by the rapidly expanding medical spa industry. In a recent study titled Supervision Unveiled: Navigating the Supervision Landscape in Medical Spas, ASDSA revealed concerning gaps in physician oversight at many medspa facilities offering cosmetic procedures.

Key Findings of the Study:

The study was conducted using standardized phone interviews with 63 medical spas across various regions in the United States. Although the exact timeframe of the study wasn’t specified, it aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of supervision practices at medspas nationwide. The results reflect broad trends rather than focusing on a single geographic area, highlighting significant gaps in medical oversight across the country.

73% of injectable treatments (neuromodulators, dermal fillers, deoxycholic acid) were administered by non-physicians.
A supervising or acting physician was present in only 38.1% of these facilities.
In cases where complications arose, only 46% of medical spas reported contacting a supervising physician.

These findings highlight significant inconsistencies in the level of medical supervision provided during cosmetic procedures. With injectables being a primary service offered by medspas and the inherent risks they pose, ASDSA stresses the need for standardized regulations to protect patients.

An Industry on the Rise

The medspa industry shows no signs of slowing down, with a projected global market value of $49.4 billion by 2030 according to market forecasts. This surge is driven by an increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures, wellness tourism, and aesthetic treatments among older adults. However, with this rapid growth comes significant challenges, particularly around maintaining consistent quality and safety across providers in a largely unregulated landscape. However, with rapid growth comes the challenge of ensuring quality and safety across diverse providers.

The Call for Action

To address these issues, ASDSA has proposed the Medical Spa Safety Act, a model legislation intended to guide state legislators in creating laws that improve safety in medspas.

This type of model legislation serves as a template that states can adopt or modify based on their specific needs.

ASDSA is advocating for individual states to implement these guidelines rather than pushing for a single federal law a model legislation designed to promote patient safety by requiring:

- Direct supervision of non-physician providers by qualified physicians.
- Medical directors who are trained and experienced in all procedures offered by the spa.

Furthermore, ASDSA has established the Medical Spa Safety Coalition which includes a variety of medical and dermatology societies. Here is a list of notable coalition members:

The coalition focuses on promoting safety standards and advocating for proper legislative oversight, though it remains unclear whether they are seeking participation from medspa professionals and industry associations.

Their goal is to work with state legislators to implement clear and enforceable regulations.

Broader Regulatory Gaps

ASDSA’s concerns are echoed by other industry studies. A recent survey of medspas in the Chicago area found that 81.1% lacked an on-site physician, leaving patients vulnerable to complications without immediate access to a medical expert.

Final Thoughts

With the medspa market poised for continued expansion, the question remains: will safety standards evolve quickly enough to protect patients from potential harm?

ASDSA’s advocacy highlights the urgent need for action, but until regulations are uniformly enforced, medspa owners should consider proactively addressing these concerns by ensuring they have appropriate physician oversight and clearly communicating their safety protocols to clients. Staying ahead of potential regulatory changes and adopting best practices early can position medspas as trusted providers in a competitive market.

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