According to a recent American Med Spa Association (AmSpa) survey, the average medical spa generated $945,000 in total revenues in 2016. This is up 6.9% from 2015. However, before you begin to dream big of your own medical spa, the first step you should do is attend the one-day Medical Spa Summit presented by AmSpa at Face & Body Northern California spa expo and conference.
Why? “[The medical spa industry] is a totally different world, and the consequences of noncompliance with the medical board, the nursing board and the board of cosmetology could be severe,” said Alex Thiersch, founder and director of the American Med Spa Association.
Skin Inc. sat down with Thiersch to get his insights on why attending the Medical Spa Summit at Face & Body Northern California is a smart investment for anyone interested in opening a medical spa.
Skin Inc. (SI): Why is it important for someone who is just thinking of opening a med spa in the Northern California area to attend the summit?
Alex Thiersch (AT): The medical spa industry overall has continued to grow exponentially within the last few years, leading to changes in regulations and laws across the United States. The Medical Spa Summit gives spa owners, spa managers and estheticians a place to learn more about the industry and how to get into the market.
“[The medical spa industry] is a totally different world, and the consequences of noncompliance with the medical board, the nursing board and the board of cosmetology could be severe.” —Alex Thiersch, founder and director of the American Med Spa Association
SI: How does the American Med Spa Association support people in the medical spa industry?
AT: Specifically, from a legality standpoint, [as a lawyer] a lot of what AmSpa does is focused on compliance, and there are a lot of legal hurdles that you have to jump through that the market is not knowledgeable of.
SI: With the Medical Spa Summit occurring at Face & Body Northern California, specific presentations within the summit will be focused on the location. How is opening a medical spa in California potentially different than any other state?
AT: California is one of the strictest states out there, and there are very specific rules, such as who can fire a laser.
SI: What can happen if a medical spa is not compliant?
AT: There are distinct differences from state-to-state, and the consequences may be dire if specific laws are not followed. Loss of license, fines or jail time can occur, so it is crucial that you take the step to educate yourself to understand the rules of the game you will be playing.
Loss of license, fines or jail time can occur, so it is crucial that you take the step to educate yourself to understand the rules of the game you will be playing.
The biggest takeaway is that you will understand what the basic rules of the road are, so you can decide if you want to get into the medical spa industry—decide whether or not it is worth your capital investment and your time. You can decide if this is something you truly want to bite off
I would rather have someone realize that it is more than what they can handle and not do it than try and do it without knowing and going broke. We are trying to lift the hood, even for a second, and say, “This is how it works and you need to be prepared.”
The Medical Spa Summit will be on Saturday, August 26, 2017, and requires a separate registration fee. More information on the summit can be found here, along with information regarding registration for the event.
