Choosing the best private practice to start as a nurse practitioner involves many decisions. Nurse practitioners have to consider overhead costs, potential patient populations, and profit margins. While many niche practices are cost-effective and profitable, a MedSpa can be low risk and high reward. Once you’ve determined whether this practice is right for you, consider purchasing our MedSpa Plus Package, a collection of courses designed to teach NPs all of the clinical, business, and financial components of MedSpa ownership.

What is a MedSpa?

A MedSpa, or medical spa, is a facility that offers medical grade cosmetic services and treatments. The most common MedSpa services include laser hair removal, facials, chemical peels, BOTOX® injections, microdermabrasion, tattoo removal, dermal filler injections, and more. The goal of a MedSpa is not just to enhance a patient’s appearance but to improve their overall well being, self-esteem, and quality of life. 

Can a nurse practitioner open a MedSpa?

Depending on the state, some nurse practitioners can own MedSpas while others need physician collaborators. Either way, nurse practitioners are able to operate MedSpas and are qualified to perform all the services a MedSpa might offer. 

Nurse practitioners make great MedSpa owners. A nurse practitioner’s medical training makes them equipped to provide safe, effective, quality treatment. Although it is not required to have such a high level of medical training to operate a MedSpa, it can make patients feel more comfortable and help them trust in your skills and competence.

Where to start

To open a MedSpa as a nurse practitioner, you need to:

• Understand state laws and regulations
• Develop the expertise to perform the services your MedSpa will offer, including acquiring certifications where necessary
• Find a licensed physician to partner with, if necessary
• Obtain all the required insurance coverage
• Secure a location
• Purchase the equipment and goods needed to offer MedSpa services

Lucrative services

By far, the most lucrative services offered by MedSpas are aesthetic services such as BOTOX® and dermal filler injections. These are in very high demand, and it helps that they are services that may be desired by patients of any age. Aesthetic services are popular among older people with visible signs of aging, but they are also popular among people seeking noninvasive facial augmentation. 

These services also typically require returning visits, which means recurring, loyal clients and a semi-predictable income stream. For this reason, you can consider operating under a membership model. Finally, injectables are very cost-effective from the provider’s perspective, which means these services have great profit margins that can help ensure a profitable MedSpa.

Other highly lucrative services include:

• IV therapy involves intravenous administration of fluids, including vitamins and medications. This can help patients who experience dehydration, struggle with chronic health conditions, or have digestive troubles. IV therapy requires very little supervision of patients, and can be managed with minimal staff.
• Medical weight loss therapies work well in MedSpas that offer other non-surgical weight loss services like body sculpting. Medical weight loss medications provide ongoing treatment to patients and involve education and consultation visits, monitoring visits, lab work, and other services. Some of these appointments can even be completed via telehealth.
• Hormone replacement therapies for men and women are typically most beneficial to older adults, like men with low testosterone and fatigue, or women going through menopause. Hormone replacement treatments are very cost-effective and pair well with more traditional MedSpa services because they help patients feel more youthful and energetic.