The Med Spa Checklist: What to Look for Before You Book

Dr. Angela Sturm, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon and founder of Aesthetic Specialists of Houston, explains what truly sets a surgeon-led med spa apart from a standard experience. She walks through how her team selects devices, personalizes settings, and builds combination treatment plans that prioritize safety, results, and long-term outcomes. Using examples from daily practice, she highlights why expertise, collaboration, and surgical insight matter more than any single machine. Listeners get a practical checklist they can use to evaluate any med spa and a clear understanding of how they serve as a bridge between non-surgical care and future surgical options. Subscribe to Beauty Unveiled on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Schedule a consult with Dr. Sturm HERE. Follow Dr. Sturm on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! Key Takeaways 1. A med spa led by a facial plastic surgeon focuses on more than quick packages, building individualized plans that consider whether a patient is better served by injectables, devices, or even surgery in the future. 2. Device choice is intentional, with a focus on technology that can be used year-round in a sunny climate and on a wide range of skin types in a highly diverse city. 3. Energy settings, passes, and combinations are tailored to each person rather than kept conservatively low for everyone, which allows for meaningful results while still prioritizing safety. 4. Surgical awareness shapes treatment recommendations, especially for patients who plan facelifts or other procedures, so that radiofrequency and similar treatments do not compromise future surgical outcomes. 5. The right med spa asks about long-term goals, collaborates daily as a team, explains the need for series and adjustments, and has the skills and experience to manage both great results and any complications that may arise. Timestamped Overview 00:00 The opening question about how Aesthetic Specialists of Houston differs from any other Houston med spa00:00:10 Comparing a surgeon-led, team-based med spa model with package-driven med spas00:00:20 How similar devices can deliver different results depending on training, experience, and treatment design00:00:53 Why Aesthetic Specialists of Houston is built around long-term planning, honest candidacy conversations, and integrating injectables, RF, and lasers00:01:23 The emphasis on investing in people, not just devices, and why skilled providers matter most00:01:55 How devices are chosen for year-round use and across all skin types in a diverse, sunny city00:02:37 Customizing energy, passes, and treatment combinations so each patient sees results that feel worth their time and investment00:03:33 Planning around life events and future surgery, including when to avoid RF microneedling before a facelift00:04:29 Why many patients are underwhelmed by past treatments and how proper series, education, and adjustments change outcomes00:05:14 Patient stories of painful RF experiences elsewhere and how Esthetic Specialist focuses on comfort, numbing, and a better overall experience00:05:47 A quick checklist for choosing a med spa, starting with on-site board-certified physician leadership and real involvement in planning00:06:27 The importance of daily collaboration between injectors, nurses, laser techs, and the supervising surgeon00:06:55 Understanding treatment implications for future procedures rather than delivering isolated, one-off services00:07:24 Why non-surgical treatments must be respected as medical procedures with real risks and the need for providers prepared to manage them00:08:07 What to expect in a first visit, from photos and priorities to building a year-long maintenance plan00:08:57 Aesthetic Specialists of Houston as the bridge between being “not ready for surgery” and still wanting to look good a decade from now00:09:40 How plans evolve over time as skin responds, and how flexibility across devices and techniques supports the best long-term resultsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.