10 Questions to Ask Before Your First Med Spa Visit

Most med spa regret comes from skipping the consultation. The first appointment should be a conversation, not an injection. If a venue won’t have that conversation, walk.

This is a checklist for first-time patients. Use it in person or on the phone before booking. The answers themselves matter less than how the provider engages with the questions — defensive, evasive, or rushed responses are the strongest signal you can get.

1. Who’s the medical director, and are they on site?

State laws vary, but most require a supervising physician (MD or DO) for non-physician injectors. The medical director should be named, licensed in your state, and contactable in case of complication. “On-site” matters less than “reachable within an hour for emergencies.” If the venue can’t tell you who the medical director is, that’s the first red flag.

2. Who will inject me, and what’s their license?

The injector should be an MD, DO, PA, ARNP, RN, or licensed aesthetician (laws vary by state and procedure). Ask their full name. Then verify the license at your state’s medical or nursing board website. Florida: flhealthsource.gov. California: search.dca.ca.gov. Most states have similar online lookups.

Avoid: injectors who can’t or won’t give their license number, and venues where the receptionist appears to dodge the question.

3. What product specifically, and why?

For neurotoxins: Botox? Daxxify? Jeuveau? For filler: Juvederm Volbella? Restylane Kysse? A skilled injector will recommend a specific product for a specific reason (“Volbella because we want minimal swelling for your event on Saturday”). “Whatever you want” or “we just use X for everyone” are both poor signs.

If you want to compare neurotoxins before booking, see our Botox vs Dysport vs Daxxify comparison.

4. What does it actually cost, all-in?

Get pricing structure explicit:

• Botox: price per unit, expected unit count for your area
• Filler: price per syringe (1.0 mL), expected syringes
• Microneedling: price per session, expected sessions

Then ask if there are any “consultation fees,” “facility fees,” or “membership requirements” attached. The total quote should be clear and itemised.

5. Can I see before/afters of patients with similar features?

A good injector will be able to show you 5–10 cases of patients with comparable lip shape, jawline, or whatever feature you’re treating. If every before/after looks like a different face shape than yours, you’re seeing portfolio work, not predictive work.

6. What’s the realistic timeline — onset and full effect?

Botox onset: 3–5 days, full effect 7–14 days. Dysport: 2–3 days. Daxxify: 1–2 days. Filler: immediate volume, settles over 2 weeks. Microneedling: visible smoothing 2–4 weeks per session, collagen remodelling continues 3–6 months.

If you’re treating for a specific event (wedding, photo shoot, presentation), build in at least 14 days of buffer between treatment and the event.

7. What if I don’t like the result?

For filler: HA fillers (most lip and cheek fillers) are reversible with hyaluronidase, typically within 24 hours of dissolution. Reputable injectors will dissolve their own work for free or low cost if the result wasn’t what was discussed. Ask explicitly about their dissolution policy.

For neurotoxins: results soften naturally over 3–4 months. Heavy doses are not reversible — you wait it out. Start conservative, especially for a first treatment.

For everything: the venue’s process for handling dissatisfaction tells you a lot. “We don’t get complaints” is not a reassuring answer. “Here’s our process, and here’s what we’d do” is.

8. What aftercare do I need?

For injectables:

• No alcohol for 24 hours (reduces bruising)
• No strenuous exercise for 24 hours
• No facials, massages, or face-down sleeping for 24–48 hours
• Cold compresses if there’s swelling
• Avoid blood thinners (aspirin, fish oil, vitamin E, ibuprofen) for 48 hours prior — check with your doctor if you’re on prescribed blood thinners

For microneedling: stricter sun avoidance (SPF 50+ for 2 weeks), no retinoids for a week, no exfoliants. Your injector should give you written aftercare.

9. What complications could happen, and what’s your protocol?

Common: bruising, swelling, asymmetry that resolves in days. Less common: temporary headache, ptosis (drooping eyelid from Botox migration). Rare but serious: vascular occlusion from filler (filler injected into or near an artery), which requires immediate hyaluronidase and often a specialist.

Reputable injectors carry hyaluronidase on-site and have a documented vascular-occlusion protocol. Ask. Walk if they can’t articulate one.

10. Are there reviews I can read from real patients?

Beyond the venue’s own marketing: ask if patients have posted on Google, Yelp, RealSelf, or Reddit. Look at recent reviews (last 6 months), not just curated testimonials. Reviews that all sound the same, all praise the same person, or all use the same phrases are often coordinated. Reviews with substantive detail (procedure, expected vs actual result, follow-up experience) are more credible.

For our editorial verification of providers, see our Miami med spa directory — we check each venue’s website, Google Maps profile, and at least one social channel before listing.

What to do before you book

1. Ask these 10 questions on the phone or in a free consultation.
2. Compare answers across 2–3 venues.
3. Verify the injector’s license online (don’t take the venue’s word for it).
4. Start conservative — fewer units, less filler than you think you want. You can always add more.
5. Take pre-treatment photos in good light from multiple angles. You’ll want them for comparison.

Find a vetted provider

• Miami med spa directory — 200+ editorially-verified providers
• Best Botox in Miami 2026
• Lip Filler in Miami guide
• Med spa pricing in Miami 2026

This article is editorial. Medical Spa Reviews is not a medical resource. Always verify practitioner credentials and discuss specific health considerations with a licensed injector.