Would you be tempted to head into a high-end salon for a chemical peel or Botox shot for wrinkles? How about trying one of those new body-contouring devices advertised to shrink fat without pain or incisions?
The number of medical spas - hybrids of medical clinics and day spas - have grown by 80 percent in the past two years and is now up to an estimated 4,250 nationally, according to the International Medical Spa Association. That’s partly due to an increasing array of cosmetic procedures that look easy enough to perform without medical training - but often are not.
“A lot of people assume that the person treating them in a white coat is a physician, and they don’t ask,’’ said Dr. Matthew Avram, who directs the dermatology laser and cosmetic center at Massachusetts General Hospital. Procedures done by inadequately trained clinicians may result in an increased risk of complications ranging from unsatisfactory results to injuries such as burns, scarring, and even death, in rare cases.
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