Med Spa Confidential - Exposing the Risks, Rewards, and Business of Beauty

What do celebrities actually look like right after their aesthetic treatments, and what can we learn from seeing the real recovery process? SNL star Chloe Fineman recently shared something most celebrities never would: honest photos of herself immediately after various med spa procedures, complete with swelling, redness, and those tell-tale recovery signs.  Dr. Kate Dee breaks down exactly what tr...

What if finding a trustworthy med spa was as simple as asking ChatGPT or Gemini?  AI search is flipping the entire medical aesthetics industry upside down, and what it's exposing might make you rethink where you're getting your next treatment. The clinics showing up first aren't always the safest ones. Host Dr. Kate Dee sits down with Michael Antosy, a marketing expert with 15 years...

What if the med spa you trust doesn't have a license displayed, carries no insurance, or relies on unlicensed staff?  A new NYC report investigated 15 med spas and found violations in every single one. Dr. Kate Dee breaks down the findings that should concern anyone considering aesthetic treatments. Dr. Dee walks through the " Moving the Needle " report that uncovered illegal practi...

What has a med spa sales rep with 20 years of experience seen that keeps them up at night? Host Dr. Kate Dee sits down with Rachel Phillips who’s been selling to med spas for over 20 years, and she's seen things that will shock you!  From doctors panic-calling her to train unqualified staff because their licensed person just quit to practices going out of business before patients can finish t...

What if that viral beauty hack you saw on TikTok is actually damaging your face? Dr. Kate Dee sits down with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Angela Casey to expose the truth about at-home aesthetic treatments that are flooding the market. They're seeing something alarming in their clinics, and it's getting worse.  Innocent-looking products you can buy online right now are causing damag...

If Your Med Spa's Medical Director Is Never There, Who Steps In When Something Goes Wrong? Dr. Kate Dee heard a shocking rumor: one physician was supposedly overseeing 55 med spas in California. It sounded impossible, so she decided to investigate. What she discovered will change how you think about that professional headshot on your med spa's website.  She uncovered two real physicians...

Is that strange little bump on your forehead harmless, or is it quietly spreading beneath the surface while you wait? Dr. Kate Dee sits down with Dr. Angela Casey, a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, to talk about the one cancer that outnumbers all others combined.  They break down who's really at risk, what warning signs you might be ignoring, and why catchin...

What happens when a board-certified dermatologist opens a med spa in a state where he has no license to practice? A respected Seattle dermatologist who literally teaches other doctors how to inject Botox just got caught in a federal sting operation. An RN was led away in handcuffs and charged with three felonies.  The doctor?  He's now facing potential wire fraud charges and up to 20 years in...

Why are RF microneedling lawsuits piling up against one specific device? The FDA dropped several safety alerts recently. If you're getting Botox, fillers, or skin tightening treatments, you need to hear this. Dr. Dee was doing research for a potential podcast guest when something didn't add up.  Dr. Dee has performed thousands of RF microneedling treatments over 10 years without seeing t...

What if that shelf full of expensive skincare products is secretly working against you? You're juggling serums, toners, acids, and retinols because influencers promised results.  Dr. Kate Dee is joined by Dr. Angela Casey, board-certified dermatologist and owns a line of skincare for young women.  Dr. Casey has spent decades looking at skin under microscopes and knows what actually works vers...

When that tip screen pops up after your Botox appointment, should you feel obligated to pay?  This practice walks a fine line between unethical and outright illegal. Dr. Kate Dee breaks down the troubling spread of tip culture into medical settings, where it doesn't just create awkward checkout moments, it can actually compromise your safety.  When businesses underpay nurses and rely on tips...

What if the person injecting your Botox learned how to do it over a single weekend and there's no one checking if they're even qualified? In Texas, a woman died after receiving IV treatments from someone who had no medical license at all. No training. No oversight. No one stopped it until it was too late. Stories like this aren't rare, they're just rarely talked about. Dr. Kate...

What happens when trust in a "celebrity facialist" costs you your face? Dr. Kate Dee breaks down how an esthetician with a celebrity client list got away with performing medical procedures without a medical license or oversight for years. Victoria Nelson’s account on TikTok went viral recently. She had walked into a Hollywood spa with acne and walked out with permanent scars.  The woman...

Ever walk into a med spa and just assumed everything was legit? For today's guest that trust nearly cost her her life. Dr. Kate Dee revisits a riveting conversation she had with Bea Amma to help you understand exactly what went wrong and how to protect yourself. Bea shares her harrowing experience with an unlicensed provider who injected her with contaminated products. What started as a simpl...

Ever wonder who's really overseeing your Botox, your laser treatment, or that facial you booked online? What if the answer is... nobody? Dr. Kate Dee shares a firsthand account from a master esthetician who left a successful, well-known med spa after just a few months. What "Sarah" witnessed behind the scenes reveals troubling practices that put patients at risk every day: procedure...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, host Dr. Kate Dee welcomes back Dr. Flora Waples from Restor Medspa to discuss the importance of hormones and other groundbreaking approaches for improving wellness, longevity, and energy levels. They dive into the complex world of HRT, including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, and its critical role in optimizing health as we age. Dr. Waples shares her p...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, Dr. Kate Dee hosts Mandy Ward, a nurse practitioner with extensive experience in the chaotic world of medical aesthetics. Mandy shares her journey from working in trauma ICU to becoming an expert in cosmetic treatments like Botox and fillers. The discussion covers vital industry issues, such as the importance of good faith exams, the risks of subpar practices, and...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, Dr. Kate Dee is joined by Nicole Gregory, an MBA and business owner of Med Spas in Michigan, to discuss the challenges of discerning legitimate med spas from illegal operations. They delve into the inception and goals of the Medspa Board, a credentialing organization aimed at elevating safety and standards in the aesthetics industry. The conversation covers the co...

Dive into the fascinating world of DIY skincare with Dr. Kate Dee and her guest, Anne-Marie Faiola, the visionary CEO of Bramble Berry Handcraft Provisions.  Anne-Marie shares her journey from criminology to becoming a soap-making entrepreneur, the science behind safe skincare practices, and the importance of preservatives and safe ingredients in skin care. They discuss the regulations for selling...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, Dr. Kate Dee delves into the exciting developments in anti-aging and longevity medicine with Dr. Richard Baxter, a board-certified plastic surgeon. Dr. Baxter shares his journey from traditional plastic surgery to aesthetics and ultimately to longevity medicine. The discussion covers groundbreaking treatments such as the use of growth hormone releasing peptides, m...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, host Dr. Kate Dee chats with Dr. Jennifer Linder, a board-certified dermatologist, about the complex issue of melasma. They discuss what melasma is, its triggers, and why traditional treatments like lasers can sometimes make it worse. Instead, Dr. Linder recommends a series of chemical peels featuring specific ingredients like salicylic acid, mandelic acid, and tr...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, host Dr. Kate Dee dives into the controversial yet intriguing world of salmon sperm in aesthetics with guest Dr. Flora Waples. They discuss the science behind using DNA fragments from salmon sperm for skin regeneration, dissecting its safety and efficacy. The conversation also covers distinguishing legitimate treatments from dubious practices in the med spa indust...

Laser Craziness with Dr. Kate Dee and Rachel Lowe Jap   In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, host Dr. Kate Dee sits down with Rachel Lowe Jap, a laser expert with extensive experience in the medical aesthetics industry. The conversation covers Rachel's journey from aesthetician to laser tech and nurse, delving into her early inspirations and career milestones. They discuss the nuances of laser t...

In this conversation, Dr. Kate Dee speaks with Dr. Jennifer Linder, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of PCA Skin and Linder Health, about the importance of skincare, the science behind effective products, and the journey of creating innovative skincare solutions. They discuss the significance of medical-grade skincare, the role of active ingredients, and the necessity of a proper skinca...

In this episode of MedSpa Mayhem, hosted by Dr. Kate Dee, the focus is on the use of exosomes and stem cells in medical aesthetics. Dr. Dee talks to Judy Rubin, an internal medicine doctor with extensive experience in aesthetics, about how exosomes can aid in cell-to-cell communication, particularly in joint and systemic treatments. The discussion covers what exosomes are, their applications, and...