Medical Vs. Non-Medical Facials

Both day and medical spas offer facials, but it matters which type of spa you choose. The facials you get at a day spa are relaxing and can make you look better, but if you want a medical treatment that involves tougher ingredients and more drastic changes, a medical spa may be more to your liking. Medical spas often have to follow more regulations, but those are there for a good reason; the procedures available at these spas often qualify as having a medically based component that requires assurances that the procedure will be safe.

You May Need Medical Consultations

When you go to a day spa and ask for a facial, you may get some exfoliation plus serums and creams, as well as massage, to make your skin look temporarily brighter and smoother. The techniques and ingredients used will be fairly standard, much like what you could buy and do yourself; you're getting the expert knowledge of a professional aesthetician when you go to a spa.

At a medical spa, facials may involve prescription-strength ingredients or procedures that require some medical training, like Botox or chemical peels. You'll have to meet with a nurse or similar professional to ensure that you know what the procedure entails and how to care for your skin afterwards. This may seem like an extra task for you, but it's necessary because you need to know what the procedure will actually do to your skin.

Basic vs. Medical-Grade Procedures

You can get more basic facials at many medical spas, but you'll have a better idea of exactly what procedure is right for you. You may find that you can get longer-lasting effects with a medical-grade facial rather than a basic facial.

Medical Ingredients and Concentrations

It's important to note that a medical-grade facial is likely going to use medical-grade equipment and ingredients. You're going to be exposed to items that you can't get on your own, and that can really work deep down in your skin. The procedures may involve injections, needles, or creams and ointments that remove cells and work to shore up the cells that are now exposed on the surface of the skin.

Your first step should be to arrange for a consultation. Have in mind the results you want, and let the professionals at the spa know what you can't do, such as not being able to skip work (so you need something that will let you go about your daily business after the appointment, rather than having you go home). You and the spa staff will be able to find a procedure that offers you the right level of change that you want.

For more information, contact a company like Santé MD Wellness Center.