A Guide to on How to Open a Medical Spa

The spa and wellness industry is booming like no one’s business. There are multiple services getting introduced in the market every second day. In such a scenario, if you are someone who aspires to have a medical spa of your own or need to know how to open a medical spa, you need to have your basics right!

Having said that, opening a medical spa business requires the right kind of knowledge, there are multiple spa management courses that you can enroll in. These courses help you get a clearer idea about the operations of the spa industry and how it functions as a whole.

Since the concept of a medical spa is still progressing, there are certain essentials that you need to know to know about this type of spa business.

What is a Medical Spa?

A medical spa also knows as medi-spa or medspa is a perfect amalgamation of a traditional spa and a medical clinic. This type of spa is available for both, men and women. The entire aim of a medical spa is to provide treatments that relax the customers but also cure their medical conditions. Medspas are owned by licensed health care professionals who are experienced in both occupations.

Even though the concept of a medical spa business is still in a developing stage, there are numerous aspiring spa therapists showing interest in this field. This is leading to positive growth and allowing more people to make a career in this industry.

How is a Medical Spa Different From Other Spa Types?
The spa industry is huge, and hence, there are multiple types of spas available in the market. The competition is huge so it is a tough task for budding medical spa owners to understand the different variations of spas and how their medspa can be different from the rest.

The major difference a medspa business plan and other traditional spas have is the supervision of professionals. Medical spas can only be owned and handled by medical professionals while traditional spas can be handled by massage therapists and cosmetologists.

The different types of treatments when compared between medi-spas and traditional spas have a huge distinction as medical spas focus more on healthcare therapies while traditional spas offer services like massages, facials, etc.

1. Prerequisites for Opening a Medical Spa

Before opening a medical spa, one of the first questions that you tend to face when deciding on how to start a spa business is who can open a medical spa? Are you qualified enough to offer all the treatments usually offered at a medspa, is another common doubt faced by many. How much does it cost to open a medspa is also a crucial consideration to make. Finding the ideal answers and avoiding the usual answers will only come with a lot of market research.

Among these doubts and questions, listed below are some of the essentials that you need to consider while starting your own medical spa.

• Sustainable concept and vision
• Modest budget
• Licenses
• Ideal location
• Partnerships & sponsorship
• Marketing and sales plan
• Protocol handbook

2. How to create a Spa Business Plan?

Starting a medical spa, be it any type requires a lot of effort. The background work that goes in is huge as there are numerous stakeholders involved. Right from deciding on the mission & vision of your medical spa to actually implementing the marketing plan that you have set for business. All of this and more is important for a successful spa business.

The most important point to consider while creating a plan is knowing your market. You should be aware of all the trends, tactics of your niche. It helps you shape your services better. Another important clarification that you should have while starting a medical spa is your target audience. Knowing your target audience allows you to market your services in a manner that guarantees a higher ROI.

Another important aspect of your medical spa business should be the sales and marketing strategy. This plan of action enables you to choose the right kind of marketing mediums, stay constantly active on social media and use the digital space along with all the offline marketing mediums to the fullest.

Making a business plan that is on par with your competitors is another way to creating the most profitable spa business. Considering your competitors’ tricks and staying up to date with their activities allows you to include all the aspect that is important to your business.

3. What kind of Staff to hire?

Management of your Medical Spa is very important. The employees that you hire for your spa business are no less than the ambassadors. They are the main people who can make and break your services offerings. They are the ones who can deliver quality in the most limited resources. And you need to find such people. You need to hire people who would align with your business vision and work towards fulfilling it with the same compassion as you do in the role of a business owner.

Besides that, one of the main requirements for your business and to be the best medical spa consultant in the market, hiring qualified, licensed medical professionals is a must. It is essential for a medical spa for the reason that these experts only help you navigate your business in the direction that will help become a well-known name in the spa industry.

Hiring individuals that are driven, sincere, hardworking and knowledgeable enables you to rely upon them and be sure that things will be taken care of in times of emergencies and unforeseen situations. Having this kind of security allows you as a spa owner to focus on the aspect of business expansion.

4. Types of treatments to offer

A medi-spa and a traditional spa are similar yet different in ways more than one. And one of the major differences between these different types of spas is the list of services and treatments offered. The treatments offered are somewhat similar but there are additions and deductions when it comes to a medspa business plan.

Since medspas are a mixture of traditional spas and medical clinics, the treatments offered are also a blend of orthodox medicine and complementary therapies. These spas obviously offer services like facials, massages, manicures pedicures, etc. But in addition to these services there are other treatments offered that include:

• Botox
• Body sculpting
• Hair removal
• Medical peels
• Cosmetic tattooing
• Wrinkle correction
• Natural dermal fillers
• Photorejuvenation
• Laser

5. List of equipment required

Spa equipment are the main source through which your employees can provide various types of treatments and therapies. Each treatment that a medical spa offer requires a specific set of devices that are best suitable for it. These devices make it easy for your employees to deliver quality services. Another specificity of the equipment used in a medical spa is that they are focused more on treating medical conditions.

There are multiple sellers in the market that specifically offer equipment that suits medical spa requirements. Finding such sellers is the first task and procuring the right kind of equipment is another. Since the spa industry is progressing at a fast pace, there is the availability of multiple places to source spa equipment. Investing in high-quality equipment allow you to provide the best treatments and thus grow your business.

Listed below is a checklist of the most essential equipment that you must own in your medical spa to provide the best treatments:

• Spa massage & facial tables
• Multifunctional unites
• Facial steamers and combos
• Carts and Trolleys
• Hot towel cabinets and sterilizers
• Beauty technician stools
• Microdermabrasion machines
• Magnifying lamps
• Intense pulse light and laser
• Electrocardiogram
• Digital imaging
• Ultraviolet sterile cab

6. Check the Legal Requirements

Any kind of business has its own set of legal rules and regulations that owners have to follow. Abiding by laws allows you as a spa owner to conduct all kinds of treatments and services in the most legal manner without breaking any rules.

The importance of legal requirements is more in medical spas as the risk is equally high. Clients rely upon medical spa practitioners to take care of their clinical issues while still giving them an unwinding experience. Since medical spas also handle medical conditions of clients, it is extremely crucial that you hire individuals who are qualified enough to work in this profession. Having employees that only have knowledge and experience of the spa industry is not all, the understanding of clinical medications is also what is needed to become a good medical spa professional.

The main requirements that you should have for your medical spa are:

• Licenses for all your employees
• Qualified medical professionals
• Expert supervisors
• Intact healthcare system

All the details mentioned will help you have a basic understanding of all the information that you need to be aware of to kickstart your medical spa. It is now time to put all the reading into action and start your own spa and grow in this industry because once you are in this field there is no looking back.