Botox used to be a secretive treatment reserved for the wealthy and famous. It’s not the same anymore. It’s not just that more celebrities and influencers are getting it, but also because the injectable has become more accessible. Instead of taking the traditional route of seeing a dermatologist or plastic surgeon—and shelling out at least $300 per appointment—you can now snag enticing deals at the Target of Botox providers, if you will: medi-spas.
As Sonia Badreshia, MD, board-certified dermatologist at Elite MD outside of San Francisco and member of the Skin of Color Society, tells SELF, a medical spa is a specialized facility that offers minimally invasive aesthetic treatments (or “tweakments,” as you may have heard them called). Imagine it as an all-in-one place for the most popular cosmetic treatments, such as microneedling and laser hair removal.
But with so many facial-injection horror stories circulating on social media, you might be wondering if you get what you pay for—and if going to a medi-spa for Botox is a totally legit way to save a little money, or the kind of rookie mistake that you’ll come to regret.
Getting Botox at a medi-spa isn’t the same as going to a doctor’s office.
While medi-spas offer some of the same injectables you can get at a derm’s or plastic surgeon’s office, there are some key differences between these practices. First, medispas are run by midlevel practitioners like advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) or physician assistant (PA) who employ trained technicians, such as estheticians and registered nurses, to perform cosmetic treatments, David Shafer MD tells SELF.
Many states require a supervising physician to oversee the business, but they’re not always required to be on-site, Dr. Shafer says. Marisa Garrick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist from MDCS Dermatology, New York City tells SELF that these doctors may or may also not perform treatments.
But the biggest difference—and the most appealing—is the cost. Botox for aesthetic purposes isn’t covered by insurance, Dr. Shafer says, and the injections typically range between $300–$600 per treatment area, depending on where you go and where you live. Medi-spas on the other hand, tend to charge less—around $200–$500 per area, in many cases. Many of these places also offer discounts or package deals for multiple treatments. As Dr. Badreshia explains it, the main reason these places can afford to offer Botox at a cheaper rate comes down to lower overhead—specifically, it’s a lot less expensive to pay estheticians than doctors to administer Botox, she says.
You may be at greater risk for complications if you visit a medi spa.
Botox injections are not without risk, no matter where they’re administered. According to Dr. Garshick, these generally include bruising and eyelid or brow drooping, as well as hating the results overall and wishing you would’ve left your poor little face alone. But getting Botox at a medi-spa may increase the likelihood of these complications—and set you up for even more problems—if the person performing your treatment isn’t properly trained.