Ep 343 – Not Your Mama’s Med Spa

Summary

Podcast Summary: ASCP Esty Talk – Ep 343 – Not Your Mama’s Med Spa

Date: August 27, 2025
Hosts: Maggie Stasik & Alec Cressman

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the rapid transformation of medical spas ("med spas") from traditional aesthetic clinics focused on surface treatments (like Botox and lasers) into holistic wellness hubs offering a wide spectrum of whole-body health services. Hosts Maggie Stasik and Alec Cressman discuss new trends, the economic drivers behind them, the broadening client demographic, and the implications for estheticians and skincare professionals.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Evolution of Med Spas

[01:43–04:26]

• Maggie: Med spas are undergoing a significant pivot, expanding from injectables and surface-level treatments to comprehensive wellness offerings—like peptides, metabolic health, hormone balancing, and internal medicine.
  • “If it feels like med spas are turning into wellness clinics, that’s because they kind of are.” (Maggie, 01:43)
• There’s a marked increase in med spas being owned by internal medicine doctors (now 7%, up from previous years), and general practitioners (26%).
• Diagnostic testing, prescriptions, and root-cause health optimization are now part of the med spa experience.

[03:22] Alec:

• Traces back the spa’s roots to wellness for the whole body, noting the consumer demand for integrated care—moving “neck down.”
• Med spas can be more profitable than general practice due to being largely cash-pay.

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2. Consumer Demand & Cultural Shifts

[04:26–05:16]

• Maggie: The main driver is clients asking for more than superficial fixes—they want better energy, libido, sleep, weight management—while still enjoying the traditional spa luxury.

[05:06] Alec:

• Acknowledges that everything (energy, libido, skin) is interconnected, pushing consultations beyond just skin analysis (e.g., incorporating cortisol tests).

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3. The Financial Impact of New Services

[05:29–06:37]

• Maggie: 60% of med spas now offer GLP-1s (injectable weight loss drugs), resulting in a 5% bump in average patient spend (to nearly $1,500/person).
• Alec: Shares personal use of GLP-1s, notes the complexity (compounding pharmacies, pricing).
• Med spas that offer GLP-1s see a 9% revenue increase; those that don’t, see a 2% decline.

[07:06]

• 40% of GLP-1 patients are brand new, attracted by these services—acting as a “gateway” into further treatments.

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4. Expanded Service Menus

[07:24–08:53]

• Maggie & Alec:
  • Offerings now include:
    • IV drips (hydration, energy)
    • Peptide injections (fat loss, libido, repair)
    • Hormone replacement therapy
    • Functional lab testing (thyroid, adrenal, gut health)
    • Prescription libido treatments (including the “little pink pill” for female sexual desire)

Quote:
“This is being introduced in med spas as a libido solution for women… hormone-free, FDA-approved, and dispensed directly through med spas.” (Maggie, 07:50)

• Notable cost for the libido pill: $199/month or $599/90 days—much higher than the better-known “blue pill” for men.

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5. Demand, Demographics, and Controversy

[09:38–10:56]

• There’s a “pink tax” disparity in pricing for women’s treatments.
• Sales of the pink pill jumped 77% last year, manufacturer expects to double this in 2025.
• Awareness is spreading as the product becomes available in more med spas.

Quote:
“So you mean to tell me that 77% jump means how many people are dissatisfied out there or want more?” (Alec, 10:12)

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6. Tech, Trends & Spending Habits

[11:14–13:48]

• Rise of regenerative aesthetics: growth factors, exosomes, biostimulatory injectables (like Sculptra).
• Clients spend ~$313/year on skincare products (stat questioned by both hosts as a lowball).
• Alec: Shares he rarely leaves a med spa without a $900+ bill (for multiple injectables).
• Body contouring services are down 50% since 2019, mostly due to pricing and lack of consumer understanding.

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7. Shifts in Body Image & Societal Standards

[13:48–14:47]

• Possible link between decreased demand for body contouring and the cultural shift toward body acceptance and diverse beauty ideals.

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8. Implications for Estheticians

[14:49–17:11]

• Not all estheticians are in med spas, and their ability to sell products or offer treatments varies by state and scope of practice.
• Skincare remains the typical entry point—“the gateway” for further med spa treatments.
• Collaboration between estheticians and med spas is key. Referrals can work both ways, especially as clients ask more internal health questions.
• Staying educated about new treatments—even if not offered by the esthetician directly—is essential for client trust and professional success.
• Understanding side effects and implications, e.g., how GLP-1s or hormone therapies may affect skin and treatment choices.

Quote:
“We need to stay educated—even if you’re not performing these services, understanding them because your client’s going to come in the door, lay on your bed, have questions.” (Maggie, 16:21)

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9. Integrated, Holistic Demand

[17:11–18:11]

Quote:
“Not every med spa is handing out libido pills with your lymphatic drainage. But the shift is real. People want integrated results… look good, feel good, and ideally not have to go to five different places.” (Maggie, 17:11)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alec: “When you’re satisfied in that area, it seems a lot of things go right. Or physiologically, maybe there is more hormone regulation, if you will… and if you’re happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it.” (08:10)
• Maggie: “The wellness world is knocking on the treatment room door.” (17:16)
• Alec (on the “pink tax”): “The pink tax sucks.” (09:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:43] – Main theme: Med spas’ shift to whole-body health
• [03:22] – Spa history & consumer demand for integrated care
• [05:29] – New service lines and financial impacts (GLP-1s)
• [07:24] – Expanded med spa menu (IVs, peptides, HRT, libido pills)
• [10:56] – Market growth and challenges with awareness
• [11:14] – Regenerative aesthetics and retail spending
• [13:48] – Decline of body contouring & evolving beauty norms
• [14:49] – Esthetician role, collaboration, and staying informed
• [17:11] – The integrated future of med spas and skin professionals

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Takeaways

• Med spas are rapidly incorporating wellness, forming a hybrid between aesthetics and internal health—driven by consumer demand, profitability, and cultural shifts.
• GLP-1s and newer services are reshaping patient demographics and spending.
• Estheticians must stay informed about these changes, as clients increasingly seek holistic, integrated solutions and consult them as trusted experts.

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For further learning or episode details, check the ASCP show notes or connect with the hosts on ASCP’s platforms.

Transcript

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[Maggie Stasik]

Hello and welcome to ASCP's ASD Talk. I'm your co host Maggie Stasik, ASCP's program director.

[Alec Cressman]

And I'm Alec Cressman, licensed esthetician and content contributor for ascp.

[Maggie Stasik]

All right, Ella, we are digging into how medspas are shifting away from traditional aesthetic services and expanding into whole body health. So I feel like we've been talking about whole body health for a few podcasts now. This is like the major trend. It's not just about Botox and laser anymore for these med spas. It's peptides, metabolic health, hormone balancing, even internal medicine. So if it feels like med spas are turning into wellness clinics, that's because they kind of are. So let's rewind for a second. Med spas used to be super focused on the surface. I don't know if that's quite the way to put it, but injectables, skin tightening, laser hair removal, you know. But now we're seeing a big pivot into this full body health movement and I want to point out some stats to you. According to Beauty Independent, more and more med spas are hiring internal medicine doctors. So actual MDs train to treat your insides, not just the fine lines. So internal medicine physicians now own about 7% of med spas, nearly double from a few years ago. General practitioners are now about 26%. I think that's really interesting stat, because we think about doctors being like the medical director. We aren't thinking about what kind of doctor are they, but this is an interesting stat to me. So this isn't just Botox with better lighting. This is diagnostics, prescriptions, health optimization. That means the medical part of medical spa has a whole new meaning.

[Alec Cressman]

You're kind of hitting it on the head with that late last statement. Like when you look at the origin of the word spa and how it was restorative for the body, for the whole body, and the Roman soldiers were taking baths in these spa waters for healing and the medical. It was originally a meld for what was perceived aesthetics at the time as just like the outside the skin. And then the medical part came to be like, oh, we can do that too. But the fact that you're able to treat a whole person I think is meeting the demand of the consumers who now understand whole person stuff and also understand this is neck down also. You see it in this medical spa and the profitability is obviously a little higher than like a general practice, I would say, where you're having to deal with insurance and all the other drama that happens with that, or even, dare I say some plastic surgeons offices who also have like an adjunct med spa or something like that. It's an 8 to 5 gig that they are, you know, making profit.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. So what's driving this is consumers are asking for it. They want root cause solutions, not just surface treatments. So they're looking for increased energy, increased libido, better sleep, weight management, and all while sipping their cucumber water in their plush robe.

[Alec Cressman]

That describes me. This describes me especially. Yep, I all of that.

[Maggie Stasik]

So I would say that this wellness boom isn't slowing down. Longevity, biohacking, which we've talked about, functional medicine, which we've talked about. It's all bleeding into the aesthetics industry.

[Alec Cressman]

They're connected.

[Maggie Stasik]

They are 100%. And if you think your next consultation will just include skin analysis, think again. It might include a cortisol test.

[Alec Cressman]

It makes sense. There's a huge influence of cortisol on all of the things that you mentioned before. Energy, libido, sleep, even weight. And all of that has an effect on what is outside. And that is our skin.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, a hundred percent. In a podcast that we recently just did about holistic aesthetics, emotion and aesthetics that plays cortisol plays right into that as well. What you're seeing on the skin and how your emotions are affecting whole body health. So let's talk money for a second. According to GuidePoint Q site, 60% of med spas now offer GLP1s.

[Alec Cressman]

I'm on one. I told you that. And it's it is everywhere. And it's interesting to find out who's doing what at what deal and what are they mixing it with, because it's all from compound pharmacy. So, yeah, it's. It's a big thing.

[Maggie Stasik]

It's so interesting. So those clinics saw a 5% bump in average patient spend up to just a little under $1,500 per person in 2024.

[Alec Cressman]

Mm. I believe it.

[Maggie Stasik]

So their overall revenue grew 9% while med spas that skipped GLP1s actually saw a 2% decline. That's so fascinating to me. This. This just is pointing to the massive shift from traditional aesthetics into that whole body health industry.

[Alec Cressman]

I wonder. Yeah, and I think. I think it was 2022 or 2023. Remember the Pinterest survey that showed searches for body care was up 1500% and searches for, like, tightening body creams was up 900% or something like that? Again, meeting the client's demand were. Yeah, we've. We understand what's going on with the face, but really, I want to now look down and see, like, a difference.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, yeah, a hundred percent. So 40% of patients getting GLP1s are brand new to these practices, with which. That's smart. They're bringing in a whole new demographic, so it's almost like a gateway for them into other services.

[Alec Cressman]

It's marketing.

[Maggie Stasik]

It's marketing.

[Alec Cressman]

Yeah. Nice.

[Maggie Stasik]

So let's talk about this new med spa menu. There are other things, not just GLP ones. We're seeing IV drips for hydration and energy, peptide injections for fat loss, libido and repair, hormone replacement therapy, functional lab testing. This could be for anything. Thyroid, adrenal, gut health, weight loss protocols, the GLP1s that we just talked about. Prescription libido treatments.

[Alec Cressman]

Yes, we're going there.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yes, we're going there. Yeah. So let's talk about that last one, the little pink pill. This is being introduced in med spas as a libido solution for women, especially those dealing with hypoactive sexual desire. This is hormone free. It's FDA approved, It's. And it's dispensed directly through med spas.

[Alec Cressman]

Oh, my gosh, that sounds so exciting. No pun intended. But when you're satisfied in that area, it seems like a lot of things go right. Or physiologically, maybe there is more hormone regulation, if you will, including reduced cortisol to where you can take things with the grain of salt, perhaps. Or you're happy. And if you're happy and you know it, then your face will surely show.

[Maggie Stasik]

It.

[Alec Cressman]

So it's like a little. You know what I mean? And kind of like a trickle down.

[Maggie Stasik]

Ella, that was awesome.

[Alec Cressman]

No, thanks.

[Maggie Stasik]

What got me is that this is dispensed directly through med spas.

[Alec Cressman]

Interesting. And not like a pharmacy or something. I wonder if. Oh, interesting.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, yeah. Here's another one that got me. This costs about 1 99amonth retail or 599 for 90 days. So honestly, I don't know how much the little blue pill costs, but I know it's not this much.

[Alec Cressman]

It's not this much, in fact. And you can get it for a prescription because there's a dysfunction associated with it. Medical dysfunction. I wonder if this will change to be something that can be offered through insurance or maybe not. Like the GLP1s aren't. But let's be honest, the customers that are going to these med spa places are obviously searching for GLP1s outside of a prescription from a primary care, for example, so they're already prepared for that too.

[Maggie Stasik]

True.

[Alec Cressman]

The pink tax sucks.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah. Yeah. So sales on this pill jumped 77% last year and the manufacturer expects it to double again in 2025.

[Alec Cressman]

That's amazing. That's remarkable.

[Maggie Stasik]

They want beautiful skin.

[Alec Cressman]

Well, apparently it starts from within.

[Maggie Stasik]

There's more than one way to get it.

[Alec Cressman]

So that'd be like $2,400 a year.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Alec Cressman]

To feel better and look better.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah. So I would say it's not just a product shift, it's a cultural shift.

[Alec Cressman]

So you mean to tell me that 77% jump means how many people are dissatisfied out there or want more?

[Maggie Stasik]

Yes.

[Alec Cressman]

So it's been around for 20. Okay. So this product specifically has been around for 10 years.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah.

[Alec Cressman]

But in the last couple of years it's really jumped in popularity, probably because to your point, the client is walking in the 40% or the 60% of clients who were never walking into a med spa before, who are now seeing a pamphlet, who are already there spending money, are like, oh, yeah, me too.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, you do need a prescription for this. It's from the doctor at the med spa.

[Alec Cressman]

And then they're going to. But I could see why that would. There's an increased awareness if this has been around for 10 years. And I had no idea.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah. So this is expected to land in 400 med spas by the end of the year. So it's not really widespread. And I think you can take that into account when you're looking at these stats that say it's going to jump 77% from last year, yeah.

[Alec Cressman]

So the word is just now getting out.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yes, just now getting out. So basically if you've ever felt tired, inflamed, bloated, vaguely off, there's a med spa out there trying to treat it while the all these internal treatments are growing. Regenerative aesthetics is having a moment too. We've talked a lot about these things like growth factors, exosomes, biostimulatory injectables like Sculptra, These are all trending and people want long term collagen stimulation, not just short term plump like a Botox injection for instance. Um, and that also tracks with spending. So according to GuidePoint QSite clients now spend about 313 per year on skincare products. This stat shocked me.

[Alec Cressman]

I know, I was gonna say like.

[Maggie Stasik]

No, I would say maybe 313 in one visit.

[Alec Cressman]

That's what I, I mean. And that's a low ball.

[Maggie Stasik]

That's lowball. Yeah, for sure. 313 could be one or two products.

[Alec Cressman]

And where are they getting this from? And then also I've had those threads put in which are pdo. PDO threads. I've had those threads put in. I had em on my cheek, right by my eye. Cause like the injector I was going.

[Maggie Stasik]

To at the time.

[Alec Cressman]

Long story short, I had the threads, I loved them. To your point about these long term stimulatory options. But I have never gotten away from my med spa without paying less than 900. Really? And that's mostly for like neurotoxins. Granted I get it in my jaw for tmj, get it in my chin. Like a couple are functional places specifically. But no, I want to know where they're going.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, I think specifically they're talking about spend on skincare products. So if we're saying your injections, your PDO thread lifts, that would all be the treatment. Okay, what are you spending on your retail?

[Alec Cressman]

Well listen, I'm getting mine at wholesale and I'm spending more than $300 a month.

[Maggie Stasik]

Same. Same. Yeah, so I question this number as well. The other thing that I thought was really interesting is body contouring is not thriving. It's actually down 50% since 2019. And the biggest barrier people are saying is price. Also apparently 37% of providers say patients don't even know what it is. This also shocked me. And maybe it depends on where you are in the country, but there's like a body contouring place on every frickin corner. You see ads everywhere. And it could be just misunderstanding. There's a lot of different types of device modalities. But to say people don't understand. I don't understand.

[Alec Cressman]

I don't understand either. But do you think that this could be the shift in importance? Like, they're not looking at that right now because the contouring part, when it was popular to have this voluptuous, hourglass, feminine figure was important to smooth everything out and have it be nice and plump looking. But now it's like I just want it off of me. Perhaps I want my skin tightened so they're aware of those in types of services instead.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, I think it's. That's spot on. I think this came out and became popular in 2018, 2019. It was such a boom. And then we had this cultural shift. There was this body movement about accepting who you are. You. You saw ads everywhere where companies no longer were showing, like the Kate Moss figure. And you had big, voluptuous, beautiful models and therefore body contouring took a dive.

[Alec Cressman]

I would think so.

[Maggie Stasik]

So what does, what does all of this mean for estheticians? Because not every esthetician is in the med spa industry. I would say skin is still the gateway.

[Alec Cressman]

Yeah, you know, I think so too. The other thing I was gonna ask is, are med spas really focused on selling skincare the same way that estheticians are? I don't think so. Um, no. And I'm just saying generally, I'm not saying everybody, so don't come at me. But in Colorado, it's a lot different too, because we have way more med spas than even regular spas, I feel.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, yeah, I think you make a really good point. Depends on your scope of practice. There's a lot of states where estheticians can work under a medical director or without that medical director. They still have a lot of leeway in terms of the services that are a lot they're allowed to do compared to other states. What I would say is when we're talking about skincare as a gateway, clients come in, you're seeing their skin. There's always something that you can work on or a goal to achieve, and that then allows you to upsell, for lack of a better word, into some of these other things that the med spa is trying to do. When we're talking about the whole body.

[Alec Cressman]

Health, the other thing to consider is collaboration too. Making a connection with a med spa, especially like a smaller med spa maybe, or one that doesn't have the same type of services. Because if they are looking at holistic things, they're understanding that there is a place for the meld of a good facial too. So you can cross refer to each other.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, brilliant. I love it. I think it also means that we need to stay educated. Even if you're not performing these services, understanding them because your client's going to come in the door, lay on your bed, have questions, say they saw a pamphlet in the lobby or they saw it on social media and they want to know. So you being able to refer to this person that you have partnered up with or that you're working under with, or it's the business next door, I think is really important.

[Alec Cressman]

Or to understand how GLP1s affect the skin because it's not just a laxity issue, it's also malnourishment of the skin and then also how hormone replacement affects the skin, how some of these might alter your treatment offerings, how you're preparing for a deeper laser peel or something like that. So it's good. Also how they can support the results. Maybe you have a body cream that they can use after they're getting this and that and the other done.

[Maggie Stasik]

Yeah, yeah. So to be clear, not every med spa is handing out libido pills with your lymphatic drainage. But the shift is real. People want integrated results. They want to look good, feel good, and ideally not have to go to five different places to make that happen. As professionals, we should be ready for those conversations. Whether you're in a spa or a hybrid setting, the wellness world is knocking on the treatment room door. And yes, someone will ask if their breakouts are linked to low progesterone while you're setting up for an enzyme peel. So listeners, we want to hear from you. Are you seeing the shift in your own practice? Are your clients bringing more internal health questions into your space? Share with us on social media, through Instagram, Facebook or by emailing getconnectedscpskincare.com thank you for listening to ASCPSDtalk and as always, for more information on this episode or for ways to connect with Ella and myself, or to learn more about ascp, check out the show Notes Foreign.

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