Med spa vs. day spa: what's the actual difference?

The terms get used loosely — some day spas rebrand as "medical spas" to sound more credentialed. Knowing the difference protects you from providers offering treatments they're not licensed to perform.

What a day spa does

Day spas focus on relaxation and non-medical personal care: massage, facials, manicures, waxing, and similar services. These treatments don't require a medical license in most states, though specific services (like electrolysis or threading) have their own licensing requirements.

Day spas are regulated as personal care establishments. Their staff are licensed aestheticians, massage therapists, or cosmetologists — skilled practitioners, but not clinicians.

What a medical spa does

A medical spa (med spa) provides treatments that cross into medical territory:

Neuromodulators (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin) — injectable, prescription-only
Dermal fillers (Juvéderm, Restylane, Sculptra) — injectable, requires clinical oversight
Laser treatments — IPL, laser hair removal, ablative skin resurfacing
Chemical peels at medical-grade concentrations
PRP and biostimulators — injectable blood-plasma and collagen-stimulating agents
GLP-1 and peptide protocols — prescription medications
Microneedling with growth factors or PRP

These treatments require a supervising physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant depending on state law. The treatments can cause real harm if performed incorrectly — which is precisely why they're regulated.

The "medical director" question

Every legitimate med spa must have a licensed medical director who supervises the clinical scope of services. The medical director doesn't have to be physically present for every treatment, but they must be reachable and accountable.

Questions to ask:

"Who is your medical director, and are they board-certified in a relevant specialty?"
"Is there a clinician on site when injectable treatments are performed?"
"If I have a reaction, what's your protocol?"

If a spa can't answer those questions clearly, that's a red flag — regardless of whether they call themselves a "med spa" or not.

The grey area: unlicensed operators

Unfortunately, the med spa industry has a compliance problem. Some facilities market medical-grade services while the treatments are being performed by unlicensed staff. This happens because enforcement is uneven and consumers often don't know what to look for.

Signs of a problematic spa:

No visible credentials for the injector or supervising physician
Unable to name a medical director when asked
Pricing is dramatically below market (sometimes a sign of lower-grade product or inadequately trained staff)
Discourages you from asking clinical questions

The right question to ask upfront

Before any appointment at a med spa, ask: "Who will be performing my treatment, and what is their clinical credential?" A licensed nurse injector, NP, PA, or physician should be named. An aesthetician alone should not be performing injectable treatments.

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