Dermatology organizations are backing a New York City Council investigation and urging state lawmakers to require clearer consumer disclosures after inspectors documented widespread licensing and safety violations at medical spas.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association and the New York State Society of Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery are supporting a New York City Council investigation into medical spas and calling on New York lawmakers to require greater transparency about which cosmetic procedures non-physician facilities are legally allowed to perform.
In a joint statement, the organizations say medical spas and other appearance-enhancement businesses should be required to clearly disclose to consumers that they are not licensed to perform medical procedures and publicly post which services they are legally prohibited from offering.
The statement follows a coordinated enforcement effort by the New York City Council, whose Oversight and Investigations Division inspected 15 medical spas across all five boroughs between June and September 2024. Inspections were conducted in partnership with multiple state agencies, including the New York State Department of State, Department of Health, and Education Department.
Violations Found at All Inspected Businesses
According to the council’s findings, published last month, every inspected business was offering medical procedures—such as injectables or IV treatments—without proper licensure or oversight. Investigators also found that 93% of businesses failed to properly display licenses, 73% operated without a medical professional present to oversee procedures, and more than half had sanitation or hygiene deficiencies. Several locations lacked proof of liability insurance, maintained improperly labeled medications, or relied on unlicensed or expired practitioners. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against all 15 businesses, with four cases already adjudicated and resulting in license revocations through consent orders.
“Unlike in a physician office, medicine and surgery practiced in a medspa do not have clear regulations or oversight from federal or state agencies,” the organizations say, noting that improper use of cosmetic lasers and injectables can result in burns, scarring, and long-term complications.
They emphasize that cosmetic medical procedures are safest when performed in a dermatologist’s office or under direct, on-site physician supervision, citing the extensive medical training board-certified dermatologists receive in skin anatomy, facial nerves, and complication management.
Beyond disclosure requirements, the groups also support the City Council’s call for a statewide public education campaign to inform consumers about the risks of receiving cosmetic medical procedures in unlicensed or improperly supervised facilities.
The organizations say stronger transparency and oversight would help consumers better understand the distinction between aesthetic services and medical procedures—particularly as medical spas continue to proliferate across New York City and market themselves as convenient alternatives to physician practices.
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