What's the Difference between a Day Spa and a Medispa?

By Amy Teeple

Published on January 08, 2009

A spa is a spa, right? No, not really. A business that bills itself as a spa can offer any number of services, from manicures to liposuction. Some beauty salons and manicurists have adopted the spa moniker, but outside of their main business (hair or nails), they may offer only a few additional services or even just variations of their core services (e.g., leg massages during a pedicure).

Aside from hair and nail salons pumping up their offerings, there are two distinct types of spas: day spas and medical spas, which are also known as medispas. But how do you determine which type of spa would best serve your needs?

Day Spa

In addition to the front desk staff and the spa manager, the typical employees of day spas include massage therapists, manicurists, and aestheticians. Aestheticians are non-medically-trained skin care professionals. Some day spas also employ hair stylists.

Typical day spa treatments include massages, facials, facial and body waxing, manicures, pedicures, paraffin hand and foot treatments, body wraps, hair styling, make-up application, airbrush tanning, and various skin care treatments.

Medispa

Although medispas may employ massage therapists and aestheticians like day spas, medispas also employ medically trained personnel. It is not uncommon to find dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons, nurses, medical assistants, and even a cosmetic dentist at a medispa.

In addition to the many of the typical spa treatments listed above, medispas also offer more advanced medical treatments, such as BOTOX® Cosmetic injections, injectable fillers, chemical peels, laser hair removal, spider and varicose vein treatment, and various dermatology services. Some medispas also offer plastic surgery, including liposuction, facelifts, brow lifts, and eyelid surgery, and dental treatments, including teeth whitening, invisible braces, dental bonding, and porcelain veneers.

If you are looking for a day of pampering and relaxation, you will most likely find what you need at a day spa. If you require cosmetic medical treatments, but still want to feel pampered, you should look into medispas.

 

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