5 Questions to Ask Before Any Medspa Injectable — The 2026 Patient Checklist

How to separate safe clinics from risky ones before you get your next Botox, filler, or injectable treatment.

In February and March 2026, the Sun Sentinel's investigation into Florida's medspa industry revealed a sobering truth: the market is largely unregulated, and there is almost no mandatory oversight. Walk into the wrong clinic without asking the right questions, and you could end up with a counterfeit product, an undertrained injector, or worse—a serious complication with no emergency plan in place.

This isn't meant to scare you away from injectables. Millions of patients safely receive Botox, Juvederm, Restylane, and other FDA-approved treatments every year. But your safety depends on who is injecting you, what they're injecting, and whether they're prepared if something goes wrong. The five questions below are your first line of defense.

The good news? Most reputable clinics—the ones you should be booking with—can answer all five clearly and without hesitation. If a medspa dodges, deflects, or sounds unsure, that's your signal to keep looking.

Question 1: Who Will Be Performing My Injection — and What's Their License?

This is the foundational question. In Florida, three main provider types can legally perform injectables, and each brings a different level of training and accountability:

• Physicians (MDs/DOs): Full medical licenses. Highest credential. No supervision required.
• Physician Assistants (PAs): Licensed healthcare providers with graduate medical training. Can inject under physician supervision.
• Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (ARNPs/NPs): Licensed nurses with advanced training. Can inject under physician supervision.
• Registered Nurses (RNs): Can administer injectables in Florida, but only under direct medical direction.

What you should not see is an unlicensed "Master Injector" or "aesthetic technician" performing your treatment, no matter how much experience they claim to have. "Master Injector" is not a regulated credential in Florida or most states. It's a marketing term with no legal backing.

When you call to book, ask directly: "What is the state license type of the person injecting me?" Then ask for their name and license verification. Most reputable clinics will have this information readily available or on their website. If they're evasive, move on.

Question 2: Where Does Your Product Come From?

This might be the most important question you ask. Counterfeit and diverted injectables are a real problem in the United States. In 2024, the FDA issued warnings about counterfeit Botox being distributed across nine states, and fake fillers circulate regularly on the black market.

For Botox specifically, here's what to look for:

• Comes from an AbbVie-authorized distributor (AbbVie owns Botox).
• The vial has an Allergan hologram over the label.
• The label says "OnabotulinumtoxinA" (not "Botulinum Toxin Type A").
• The vial shows a lot number and expiration date that match the box.
• Genuine Botox comes in 50, 100, or 200 unit vials only.

For fillers like Juvederm and Restylane:

• Products come from an authorized pharmaceutical distributor.
• Packaging is intact and has not been opened or tampered with.
• The clinic can tell you which FDA-approved brand they're using.

Red flags for counterfeit products:

• Unusually cheap pricing. Legitimate Botox and fillers cost roughly the same across reputable clinics. If you're seeing a price that's 50% below the market rate, ask why.
• The clinic cannot or will not tell you where the product came from.
• Vials or boxes look damaged, outdated, or unfamiliar.

Ask your medspa: "Where do you source your Botox and fillers? Can you show me the vial and packaging before we start?" A clinic that's proud of their sourcing will have no problem showing you—and they'll already have this conversation down to a routine.

Question 3: Is There a Physician On-Site or Supervising?

Florida law requires that all injectable procedures occur under the supervision of a licensed physician. But "supervision" can mean very different things, and the quality varies dramatically.

In some clinics, a physician is physically present during your treatment. In others—and this is legal in Florida—a physician supervises remotely via telehealth protocols, reviewing charts and being "readily available" if something goes wrong. The second scenario carries more risk.

When you call, ask: "Is a physician on-site during treatments, or is a physician supervising remotely?" and "Who do you call if something goes wrong during my injection?"

If the answer is vague or unclear, push back. You want to know:

• What is the physician's name and specialty (dermatology, plastic surgery)?
• How often does the physician see patients in the clinic?
• If the physician is remote, what is the response time if a complication occurs?

A well-run clinic will have a clear chain of command and an emergency protocol. A clinic that hems and haws probably doesn't.

Question 4: What Is Your Adverse Reaction Protocol?

Serious complications from injectables are rare when performed correctly, but they can happen. Allergic reactions, infections, vascular occlusion (when filler blocks a blood vessel), and botched placement can all cause problems that require immediate, expert response.

Before you sit down in the chair, ask: "What happens if I have a reaction during or after my treatment? What emergency medications and equipment do you have on-site?"

A reputable medspa should have:

• Epinephrine (for allergic reactions).
• Hyaluronidase (an enzyme that dissolves dermal fillers in case of an adverse reaction).
• A written emergency protocol and trained staff who know how to execute it.
• Clear documentation of what happened and what was done.

If a clinic says, "We'll just send you to the ER if something happens," that's a red flag. By the time you get to an emergency room, some complications—like vascular occlusion from filler—can cause permanent damage. You want a clinic that can act immediately.

Question 5: Are You Registered or Inspected by Any State Board?

This is the wild-west aspect of the current medspa industry. In most states, including Florida, medical spa registration and inspection are voluntary, not mandatory. This is changing—Indiana recently passed SB 282, which mandates medical spa registration—but for now, there's a massive accountability gap.

Ask: "Are you registered with the state medical board, and have you passed a medical spa inspection or certification?"

Currently, no clinic is legally required to say yes to this in Florida. But clinics that voluntarily register and pass inspection are making a statement: we want oversight, and we want accountability. That's a good sign.

Some clinics partner with third-party verification platforms. If your medspa is verified through GlowRoute or a similar system, that means they've passed credential checks on provider licenses, sources of products, and safety protocols. It's not a guarantee, but it's a meaningful commitment to transparency.

What This Means for You

Before you book your next injectable appointment, do your homework. Write down these five questions and call the clinic or email them directly. Pay attention to how quickly they respond, how clear their answers are, and whether they seem annoyed by your questions. A great medspa expects these questions and answers them confidently.

You're making a decision about your health and your face. You deserve to know who's holding the needle, what's in the syringe, and whether they're prepared to handle complications. Don't let convenience or a nice website talk you into skipping these steps.

Once you've vetted a clinic and you're confident in your choice, the injectable experience is usually straightforward and safe. You'll feel good knowing you asked the right questions upfront.

Ready to Find a Verified Medspa?

Use GlowRoute to search for medspa clinics in your area that have passed credential verification and safety checks. When you find a clinic on GlowRoute, you can be confident that the provider licenses, product sourcing, and emergency protocols have already been reviewed. That's one less question you have to ask.

→ Find verified medspa clinics near you on GlowRoute^[1]

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References & Further Reading

• American Med Spa Association: A Patient's Guide to Medical Spas^[2]
• American Med Spa Association: What to Look for in a Safe Med Spa^[3]
• Real vs. Fake Botox: What You Need to Know About Counterfeits (GoodRx)^[4]
• American Board of Cosmetic Surgery: How to Avoid Counterfeit Botox^[5]
• FDA: Counterfeit Version of Botox Found in the United States^[6]
• Medical Spa Laws and Requirements in Florida (Portrait Care)^[7]