Questions to ask a med spa before treatment
Rules for who may treat you at a med spa depend on the state. This page collects questions based on guidance from the Medical Board of California and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This page is not medical advice.
Know who will treat you
The Medical Board of California advises patients to know who will perform the procedure and what that person's licensing status is. Its guidance says medical treatments should be performed by medical professionals only. It also says cosmetologists may never inject the skin, use lasers, or perform medical-level dermabrasion or skin peels.
Other states set their own rules, so check with the medical board in the state where the clinic is located. Ask for the name and license type of the person who will treat you, not only a job title.
Ask about supervision
The California board describes nurses and physician assistants as needing a supervising physician who is immediately reachable, even if the physician is not onsite. The board raises a direct question for patients: are they really being supervised, or are they acting alone with a paper-only supervisor?
Ask who the supervising physician is, how to reach that physician, and what happens if you have a problem after hours. Then check that physician's license.
Check licenses yourself
The Medical Board of California says licensing status may be verified on the board's website. It points to the American Board of Medical Specialties to check board certification. Write down the license number you are given and look it up on your state board's website before the appointment.
Ask about the product
For fillers, the FDA suggests asking the provider about the injection sites and their risks and asking for the product's patient labeling. The FDA also warns that counterfeit Botox has been found in several states, and that unapproved botulinum toxin is sold online. It tells patients to ask the provider to confirm the product comes from an authorized source and that the provider is licensed and trained to give it.
Ask about complications
The Medical Board of California advises asking about complications and who is available to handle them. The FDA lists the most serious filler risk as injection into a blood vessel, which can cause tissue death, vision problems and stroke.
Do not be swayed by advertisements or promises of low prices. The California board gives this same warning.
A short list to bring
Take these questions to the consultation and write down the answers.
- Who will perform my treatment, and what is that person's license?
- Who is the supervising physician, and can I reach that physician?
- What training do you have with this treatment in this area?
- Is this product FDA-approved for this area, and where was it purchased?
- What can go wrong, and who handles it if it does?
- What does the full cost include, and what happens if I need a follow-up visit?
If something goes wrong
The FDA says to seek immediate care for unusual pain, vision changes, white, gray or blue skin near the injection site, or stroke signs such as a drooping face, trouble speaking, or numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs. Report problems with products to the FDA through its MedWatch program.
Also on this site: Botox and dermal fillers: what the FDA says · all med spas by state.
Sources
- Medical Board of California, Medical Spas
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Counterfeit Version of Botox Found in Multiple States
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA Warns Companies Over Illegal Marketing of Botox and Related Products
Read on November 9, 2026. Rules and advice change. If something here is out of date, the contact page is at the bottom.