Medical spas are a blend of relaxing, therapeutic treatments and medical solutions for those who are suffering with a variety of different conditions. You may head to a medispa for a therapeutic massage or for a facial treatment to make your skin taut and young again. Medispas often dabble in therapies, treatments, and cosmetic procedures. While you may love your time at a medispa, you may want to think twice before trusting these individuals to administer medical treatments. Isabel Gonzales learned this the hard way after she ordered vitamin injections at a local medical spa. The middle-aged woman told ABC News that she paid about $900 for a medical treatment that would help to rejuvenate her face. She received the injections at Vivian’s Body Secrets Spa in Doral, Florida.

After receiving the shots, her face started to swell. The spa worker told her that this was normal and that the swelling would subside shortly. Yet Isabel’s face continued to worsen, and she eventually went to the doctor’s office to get a second opinion. From there, she was rushed to the hospital, where she has remained on bed rest for the past two months. Physicians fear that her face is permanently deformed from the dangerous injections. Investigators traveled to the spa where Gonzales got her facial treatments to inspect the scene, and found that the woman who owned the spa did not have any training or certification in cosmetic surgery.

She was also not a licensed massage therapist despite the fact that she advertised herself as one on her website. The woman, Viviana Ayala, was arrested for aggravated battery and practicing medicine without a license. Ayala has denied all charges and is working with her lawyer to come up with a solution. Doctors say that they are concerned by the amount of people that are heading to medical spas for treatments that should only be issued by a certified and licensed doctor. More than 8 million people under when cosmetic treatments to freshen up their appearance last year and not all of them went to the doctor to get the procedure done. A lot of time, men and women opt for nonsurgical treatments like Botox injections, chemical peels, and laser skin resurfacing. When these processes are done by an unprofessional or ignorant worker, then they can create serious medical concerns.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery says that many people who go to get procedures done ignorantly assume that a facial treatment is just like getting your hair done. They assume that the processes are inherently safe, which couldn’t be further from the truth. These processes are only safe if they are practiced by a reliable physician. The ASAPS says that cosmetic procedures should only be performed by board certified plastic surgeons or dermatologists that are working in an accredited facility. In some states, registered nurses or physician’s assistants may be able to administer the treatments under a doctor’s supervision, but only in certified centers or hospitals. While some medispas may be considered certified medical centers, if there is not a doctor present when the injections are given it’s still considered illegal.

One plastic surgeon says that in most cases, a massage therapist probably isn’t licensed for cosmetic surgeries. Yet in many situations a client will trust a therapist to perform the injections or facial rejuvenation process. Plastic surgeons say that you should be wary when bargaining for a cheaper treatment then the average rates. If it’s a lot cheaper, chances are that you are working with an unprofessional nurse or spa worker. If you have been injured like Isabel Gonzales because of a facial treatment that went wrong, then contact a medical malpractice attorney to sue the medical spa and the employee who performed the damaging work.