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It’s no secret that a professional facial can do wonders for your skin. Mainstream spa facials and medspa facials offer many of the same benefits to the skin. They can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, clear blemishes, unclog pores, hydrate dry skin, and more.
However, there is a significant price difference between mainstream spa facials and medspa facials. We’ll dive into these differences in this article and answer the most common questions and conceptions around MedSpas vs Mainstream Spas and what makes them different. The most important contrast is that a MedSpa has legitimate medical grade procedures, advanced equipment, and superior products… hence the name! Let’s dive in!
A mainstream spa facial is typically provided at a local spa or salon. It’s designed to give the customer a baseline skin treatment, which usually means that they’ll be receiving both exfoliation and hydration through steam, extractions (if needed), and possibly an ampoule mask.
It turns out that if you take away all of those treatments, what you’re left with is simply hydration. Why? Because spa facials are mostly hydrating treatments using essential products like lotion, essence, serum, and maybe an ampoule mask. Some spas might even use creams instead of serums, but either way, there isn’t much of a difference beyond the brand name on the products being used.
But why is there such a difference in cost between medspa and mainstream spa prices? To answer that, we must consider what services are included as prerequisites for a medspa facial.
A medspa (short for “medical spa”) facial looks similar to the mainstream spa facial: steam, extractions (if needed), and mask treatment. But it also may include:
All of these combined treatments deliver more than just hydration. They also deliver anti-aging benefits, cell nourishment, cell rejuvenation, and glowing skin that appears years younger and healthier.
Why is that? First, medspa services generally use much more potent skincare products that are typically medical grade. Second, the treatments are very different from a mainstream spa facial due to the added medical treatments listed above. For instance:
redness, as well as increasing natural collagen production.
One of the most popular Medspa facial treatments is DiamondGlow, a next-level 3-in-1 technology that simultaneously exfoliates, extracts, and infuses the skin with special serums. DiamondGlow’s patented diamond tip wand delivers a next-level resurfacing treatment that deeply cleans and rejuvenates the skin. DiamondGlow is clinically proven to infuse serums into the dermal-epidermal junction. Only MedSpas can offer DiamondGlow, as it requires a doctor’s medical license to purchase the device used in the treatment. This luxurious and effective treatment is a favorite of our Mermaids @ VIPS.
Medspas offer many more treatments beyond simple hydration to achieve a visibly healthier and more youthful appearance. While mainstream spa facials deliver a hydrating facial mask, medspas deliver a facial treatment full of anti-aging vitamins and minerals needed for healthy cell turnover and rejuvenation of the dermis. If you have problematic skincare issues such as visible signs of aging, sun damage, or need to treat acne, small pores, or skin texture, it’s recommended that you go to a medspa over a mainstream spa. Otherwise, you could be wasting your money on treatments that won’t effectively address your skin concerns.
In brief, there are four major benefits that you get with a medspa facial:
Because a medspa has a doctor on-site, they have access to medical-grade skincare products, devices, and equipment. You are assured that medspa treatments are backed by clinical studies and performed by certified and trained providers.
Medspa treatments go beyond a quick surface level facial. After a thorough skin analysis of the condition of your skin and its hydration levels and areas of concern, you will receive a custom-formulated treatment for your specific skincare concerns, whether it’s acne, anti-aging, sun damage, or texture.
The medspa professionals should have a laser technician license and more in-depth understanding and education of the skin. In addition, they are working side by side with a medical doctor who also has advanced training. A mainstream spa esthetician may not have the expertise to treat complicated skin concerns.
Medspas can recommend more advanced treatments after facials like laser resurfacing, microneedling radiofrequency, injectables, non-invasive body contouring, and even surgical procedures. However, a mainstream spa will not have these treatments available nor will they be able to consult on them.
The first factor is the quality of the products used during the facial treatment. Medspas implement medical-grade skincare services that use high-quality ingredients to treat their patients’ skin. These ingredients have been scientifically proven to be effective in addressing their respective skin concerns or challenges.
There’s a reason for this claim: these treatments usually contain potent medical-grade pharmaceuticals that only medspas or cosmetic surgeons’ offices can provide. A mainstream spa cannot purchase medical-grade skincare products or machines without a doctor’s medical license. So when you hear about products or services that contain ingredients such as tretinoin, or hydroquinone, you can be sure that they’re not coming from a salon spa.
Additionally, medical-grade skincare products have actual clinical data that backs up what the product is designed to do. For example, a product that is designed to help reduce fine lines and wrinkles will have undergone studies that may have taken a biopsy of the skin to show the improvement in collagen and elastin before and after using the product.
In contrast, mainstream spas use non-medical grade, commercially-available products that do not have the same effect nor provide the same treatment as medspa facials. Their skincare products have lower concentrations of active ingredients because they don’t have access to purchase the higher concentration ingredients. These salons may claim to treat various conditions or problems with “organic” chemicals, but if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So you may feel better temporarily because of the commercial products, but they may not have a positive impact on your skin’s long term health.
When it comes to skin and beauty, the saying goes that you get what you pay for. This is especially true when your face is on the line. So when you seek out the difference between a mainstream spa facial vs. a medspa facial, it’s essential to understand what makes one service different from the other and why medspa facials are more expensive. Once you’ve made this distinction, you’ll feel confident in the choices you make to treat your skin!
Book Your Complimentary Consultation
At the Vinyard Institute of Plastic Surgery (VIPS) MedSpa Cosmetic Center, you will get the expansive list of benefits of advanced medical-grade equipment and superior products that are utilized by trained professionals under the supervision of William J. Vinyard, MD, FACS. In addition, the VIPS MedSpa offers medical-grade facials like DiamondGlow. If you’re ready to take your skincare to the next level, contact us to schedule your complimentary consultation and our blog to learn more about our medspa treatments!
As you consider your skin rejuvenation goals, Dr. Vinyard and his team of experts wield many options for improving the aesthetic of your skin. A Morpheus8 treatment can be an incredible addition to your treatment plan, and Dr. Vinyard and his team of experts are ready to support you in achieving your aesthetic goals. Contact us to schedule a personal consultation, or call (772) 212-0304 to find out the next steps in your skin rejuvenation journey! Our office at 291 NW Peacock Blvd, Suite 103, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986, proudly serves the South Florida area! We also invite you to check out our blog page, Facebook, and Instagram to learn more about the treatment options available at our office!
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